Whitewater Church of England Primary School

Whitewater Church of England Primary School The Street, Rotherwick, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9BG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have not secured the improvements needed over time to sustain a good quality of education.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is variable across subjects and year groups. As a result, pupils’ progress is not consistently good, particularly in writing.  The most able pupils are not challenged enough. Consequently, too few achieve a greater depth of learning across school.  Pupils do not have opportunities to develop their writing skills at standards appropriate for their age.  Subject leaders are committed to improving pupils’ knowledge and understanding in their subjects; however, the checks they make on the quality of teaching are not sharply focused on this.  Teaching does not routinely provide pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), with work that meets their specific needs. Teachers’ expectations are sometimes too low.  The teaching of phonics is inconsistent and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

does not help pupils make the best possible progress in reading.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Extremely committed leaders and governors have successfully established a happy, nurturing school in which all pupils and families feel safe and welcome.  Pupils enjoy mathematics and make good progress from their starting points. They talk enthusiastically about their learning in mathematics.  The curriculum provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The early years provision is good. Effective teaching and support ensure that children make a good start to their learning.  Staff work well together. They are a positive and dedicated team, willing to develop their skills even further and work hard to ensure that all pupils achieve well.  Pupils are friendly, polite with positive attitudes. They show great thought and consideration for each other and the adults around them.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and governance on school improvement by ensuring that: – teachers have the highest aspirations for what pupils can achieve, especially those with SEND – leaders and governors rigorously check that actions to improve standards are consistent and effective – subject leaders develop their skills so that they have a greater impact on improvement to pupils’ learning.  Improve teaching, learning and assessment and the progress pupils make by ensuring that: – teachers make effective use of questions and check pupils’ understanding during lessons to address errors and misconceptions – teachers use information about pupils’ learning to provide work that is well matched to pupils’ abilities, especially for the most able – teachers’ subject knowledge in writing improves – teachers have consistently high expectations of the quality of writing in all subjects – the teaching of phonics and early reading is well structured and of high quality.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The headteacher leads the school with passion, resilience and commitment. Although leaders have created a warm, caring and nurturing school, they know that more needs to be done to ensure that the pace of improvements is fruitful.  Leadership and management require improvement because the quality of teaching and learning is inconsistent across the school, particularly for the most able pupils and pupils with SEND. Consequently, pupils’ progress is not securely good across year groups and different subjects.  Leaders’ self-evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses is generally accurate but lacks precision. This is particularly the case where greater clarity is needed in analysing pupils’ progress to provide a more accurate overview for staff and governors.  Staff morale is high. Leaders have made sure that, despite the high turnover in previous years, staff are aware of the key priorities for the school and successfully play

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

their part in addressing them.  Subject leaders are motivated and eager to play their part, but the quality and impact of their work is mixed. The quality of curriculum planning and the extent to which it promotes good progress is variable. Leaders have made sure that there are plans for teaching that cover each subject. However, they have not checked that pupils develop the required depth in their knowledge and understanding.  The monitoring of progress made by pupils with SEND is not effective. As a result, teachers do not always have the highest aspirations for what these pupils can achieve. Consequently, they are not always successful in improving achievement in the basic skills of early reading and writing for this group.  Leaders have created a school community where pupils are nurtured to be responsible citizens. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is enhanced by the school’s curriculum. The curriculum ensures wider experiences for pupils to improve

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

their skills in a range of artistic, creative and sporting activities.  The pupil premium funding is accounted for and used effectively. The funding supports disadvantaged pupils’ academic development and their emotional needs well, enabling them to access their learning successfully.  The primary physical education (PE) and sport funding is used effectively to ensure that pupils receive high-quality teaching in PE. It also helps to provide a wide range of competitive sporting opportunities.  Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils understand fundamental British values. They can explain why the rule of law is important in their lives. Pupils demonstrate their understanding of equality and tolerance. They told the inspector: ‘We don’t judge others because we are all equally important.’  Leaders are enthusiastic about mathematics and have helped teachers to implement a

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

maths programme which is used consistently. This subject is an area of strength.  Most parents’ responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, are positive about the school’s work. Parents who spoke to the inspector in the playground said how much their children enjoyed their lessons and the many educational visits.  The local authority has a clear understanding of the quality of education provided by the school. The local authority is well placed to provide further support to develop teachers’ subject knowledge in writing.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are regular visitors to school. They are clear about the school’s strengths and priorities for further development. Governors bring a range of skills to their roles. They undertake their responsibilities conscientiously. They recognise that the pace of improvement has not been swift or effective enough.  Governors receive regular information from school leaders about the school’s performance. However, at times they do not challenge leaders rigorously enough to check that standards are of a good or better quality for all groups of pupils including those with SEND. This is particularly true for the teaching of phonics and early reading.  Governors place a high priority on keeping pupils safe. Governors ensure that the recruitment of staff is thorough, and that training for staff and governors is up to date and relevant. They take part in training offered by the local authority and online

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Governance of the school

training. This demonstrates their dedication to self-improvement.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders are highly trained and very knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures. They know pupils and their families very well and are fully aware of the potential risks that some pupils face. Leaders keep records of all concerns and follow these up rigorously. When needed, they refer their concerns promptly to relevant agencies and work effectively with other professionals to help keep pupils safe.  Appropriate checks on the suitability of staff, volunteers and visitors to the school ensure that pupils are protected from risks. All members of staff are provided with regular training on how to identify signs of potential abuse. They are clear on how to record and report any concerns and understand their responsibilities fully.  The school’s approach to ensuring that pupils know how to stay safe online is

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Safeguarding

effective. Pupils are taught about safety matters in assemblies and in lessons. For example, pupils learn about internet safety and how to keep safe when using social media.  Almost all parents and carers who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire expressed their view that their children feel safe in school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not consistently good. Not all teachers are aware of the range of abilities and different groups in their classes. Leaders have rightly identified that teaching does not address different pupils’ learning needs and does not enable some pupils to overcome barriers to learning. Consequently, some groups of pupils are not achieving well.  Teachers do not routinely match work to pupils’ different needs. As a result, the work for some pupils is either too easy or too hard in some subjects. In the case of the most able pupils, this means that they are not challenged to make the progress of which they are capable.  Expectations of what pupils with SEND can achieve are not always high enough. Pupils with SEND do not always receive the right support to develop their understanding securely. Too often, the work is not matched to their specific needs. Consequently,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

they have not always understood what they should have learned before they move on to their next piece of work.  The teaching of phonics is not effective. Some staff are not secure in modelling the correct sounds that letters make when grouped together. This causes confusion for some pupils. Teachers and other staff do not ensure that pupils apply their phonics knowledge in learning how to read confidently. Pupils’ mistakes or misunderstandings are not always identified, which slows their progress.  Work in pupils’ books across a range of subjects shows that there is variability in the extent to which tasks offer pupils the challenge they need to help them achieve well. Some tasks are too simple or repetitive. For example, in some classes, pupils have too few opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding in the subjects taught. Some tasks do not offer pupils enough scope to practise and develop their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

writing skills across a range of subjects.  The quality of teachers’ subject knowledge in writing varies. Where it is weaker, teachers do not use questioning effectively to check pupils’ understanding or to identify their misconceptions. When this happens, pupils make mistakes because their skills are not secure.  Teachers with stronger English subject knowledge use questioning skilfully to probe pupils’ understanding and help them improve their work. For example, in an English lesson in key stage 2, the teacher’s questions helped pupils to recall their recent work on punctuation. Pupils applied this knowledge to their writing which made it more accomplished and interesting to read.  In mathematics, pupils have opportunities to develop fluency, reasoning and problem- solving skills. Resources are used well to support pupils’ understanding of different methods and concepts. Pupils told the inspector that they enjoy mathematics because

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

they find lessons interesting and challenging.  Teachers provide pupils with homework in line with the school’s policy. Most parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire were supportive of the homework their child receives.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are happy and confident. They are friendly and welcoming. Pupils feel safe at school and know that they are cared for by staff. They know that any worries they have will be taken seriously. They say that bullying is rare and that it is dealt with quickly if it occurs.  The school’s nurturing environment is based on the school’s values of fellowship, courage and creativity. As a result, pupils demonstrate care for each other. They are confident and self-assured. They know how to behave in social situations. They show respect for others’ ideas and views. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about their involvement in local community events, educational trips and residential visits.  Pupils have opportunities to take on a range of different responsibilities, including acting as members of the school council. Pupils say that the school council enables

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Personal development and welfare

them to communicate their views effectively to school leaders. They were able to give examples of changes that have been made as a result of their work, such as a greater range of books in the library and additional equipment for playtimes.  Where teachers’ expectations are high, pupils take great pride in their learning. This is reflected in the way they listen to adults and concentrate in lessons, and in the care they take in presenting their work. However, where teachers’ expectations are not as high, pupils’ attitudes to learning are not as strong.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good and their conduct throughout the day is positive.  Pupils generally conduct themselves well around school. They are polite and courteous to adults and to visitors to the school. At breaktimes and lunchtimes, the playground provides spaces for pupils to engage in active play or to have a quiet place to talk to their friends.  Some pupils, in some classes, do not take enough care with the presentation and organisation of their written work in all subjects. On occasions, some pupils become restless and distracted, particularly when the work is insufficiently challenging, and teaching is less engaging.  Attendance levels for all pupils are in line with those found nationally. Persistent absence is low. Leaders carefully monitor trends and take positive action to ensure that all pupils come to school every day and on time.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 The very small cohorts of pupils in each year group mean that the proportion represented by one pupil can vary considerably from year to year. Information about pupils’ outcomes can, therefore, show wide variation, and comparison with other schools nationally can be problematic. However, information published in recent years shows that pupils, including the small minority of disadvantaged pupils, generally achieve better outcomes in mathematics and reading than writing by the time they leave Year 6.  Leaders’ actions since the last inspection have secured marked improvements in the way that pupils develop and practise problem-solving and reasoning in mathematics. This is contributing to the good progress that current pupils make.  The school’s own assessment information and work seen in pupils’ books showed that pupils are making the strongest progress in reading and mathematics. However, writing progress is variable. Leaders recognise that pupils have too few opportunities to

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

practise and improve writing across a range of subjects and when they do, the tasks they are given frequently limit what is expected of them.  Current pupils, including the most able and pupils with SEND, do not make consistently good progress from their different starting points. Evidence gathered during the inspection from scrutiny of pupils’ work, the school’s assessment information and observations in lessons showed that, although there are improvements, pupils are not yet consistently making the progress they should. Leaders acknowledged that the pace of improvement must quicken.  The very small cohorts of pupils make meaningful comparisons difficult from one year to the next in the Year 1 national phonics screening check. However, published information shows that, in 2018, the proportion of pupils in Year 1 reaching the expected standard was below the national average overall. Although most pupils

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

currently in early years and key stage 1 are making progress in their phonics skills, opportunities to check their understanding are sometimes missed.  Pupils with SEND do not make enough progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Although their pastoral needs are well catered for, leaders do not monitor their academic progress closely enough. Consequently, provision does not always enable pupils to catch up rapidly when they fall behind.  The most able pupils do not achieve as well as they can at the end of key stage 2, especially in writing. The proportion of pupils working at greater depth in writing at the end of Year 6 is below that found nationally. Teachers do not plan learning that ensures that the most able pupils receive enough challenge.

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Early years provision Good

 Children make a positive start in early years because they are taught effectively by skilled and enthusiastic staff. Activities are carefully planned to meet children’s specific needs and interests. The early years leader is ambitious for all children to achieve well and succeed.  Staff know the children in their care very well. Assessment and observations of learning are used skilfully to identify next steps in learning for individuals and groups. Staff create exciting activities to engage and motivate different pupils.  Children have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. They behave impeccably, work well together and are thoughtful towards each other. Children walk around the environment sensibly and engage in the many activities on offer.  Children’s skills and abilities on entry to early years are broadly typical for their age. They make good progress in early years. The proportion of children who reach a good

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Early years provision Good

level of development is in line with the national average. As a result, children are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.  The learning environment engages children and stimulates their curiosity and natural interests. A wide range of activities and experiences are available to them, helping them engage in all areas of learning in the early years curriculum. Children told the inspector they were going to ‘explore’ and ‘research’ shells using magnifying glasses and measuring tools. They used a wide range of adjectives to describe their shells and discuss reasons why they thought the shells belonged to different types of small creatures.  Both indoors and outdoors areas are well resourced and organised. Children independently select resources and tidy them away after they have finished with them. Children have a wide range of opportunities to apply their developing number knowledge and which supports their mathematical understanding. Leaders have rightly

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Early years provision Good

identified that more needs to be done to ensure that teaching of early reading and phonics is as successful.  Children’s’ early reading and writing skills are developed well through phonics sessions and reading activities. Children show impressive writing skills, for example writing detailed personal ‘diaries’. However, at times adults do not consistently model phonics well, and as a result children can lose interest and their progress reduces.  Parents are very positive about the early years. They are fully involved in their children’s learning and are provided with valuable information about the progress their children are making and the next steps they need to take in their learning.  All statutory welfare requirements are met. Staff share safety reminders with children and support them to recognise and manage risks.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address adminoffice@whitewater.hants.sch.uk

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than most primary schools.  Almost all pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for funding through the pupil premium grant is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning in all classes, jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector observed phonics lessons with children from Reception and pupils from Years 1 and 2.  Together with leaders, the inspector scrutinised pupils’ books from all year groups and across a range of subjects, including English, mathematics, science, history and the topic being studied. The inspector and leaders discussed and analysed a range of information about pupils’ progress.  The inspector listened to pupils from across the school read. She spoke to pupils while visiting classrooms, in the dining hall and at playtimes. In addition, she met with a group of pupils formally to find out their views of the school.  The inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body and the vice-chair.  The inspector held a range of meetings with the headteacher, subject leaders and teachers.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, at playtimes and at lunchtimes.  The inspector reviewed various documents provided by the school. These included: the school’s self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, the pupil premium statement, information about sports funding, external reviews of the school and governing body minutes.  The inspector reviewed documents relating to safeguarding, attendance and behaviour. These included the school’s single central record, records of all behavioural incidents, exclusion records, and child protection and safeguarding files.  The views of parents were collected at the beginning of the school day. The inspector took account of 91 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. They also considered responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Shazia Akram, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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