Bidbury Junior School

Bidbury Junior School Fraser Road, Bedhampton, Havant, Hampshire PO9 3EF

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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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

 The headteacher provides passionate, strong and focused leadership. She has built a stable and effective staff team. Their hard work and dedication have brought about improvements across the school in the past two years.  Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and work tirelessly to ensure sustained improvement in pupils’ experience and their attainment and progress.  All members of staff are supportive of pupils’ welfare and development. The school is committed to the inclusion of all pupils. Staff work hard to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly and their needs are met.  Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy their time here. They aspire to do well. A consistent approach from all members of staff ensures that they behave well and are sensitive to the needs of others. The vigilance of all staff ensures that they are safe and happy.  The leaders of all curriculum areas are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

enthusiastic and have good subject knowledge. As a result, the curriculum has been carefully planned and is broad and balanced. However, senior leaders are aware that outcomes for pupils need to be more closely monitored.  English and mathematics are well planned and assessed throughout the school. As a result of good teaching, current pupils are making increasingly good progress and are prepared for the next stage in their education. However, outcomes are not yet good because some pupils are not yet achieving their full potential.  Most parents and carers are very positive about the school and the changes the new headteacher has brought about. They are confident their children are happy and safe and that they learn well and make progress.  Governance is good. Governors are proud of the school and monitor leaders’ actions successfully. They provide effective challenge and support. The local authority supports the

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve outcomes for pupils across the curriculum by ensuring that: − leaders continue to use assessment information effectively to prioritise the needs of the school − teachers use assessment information accurately to build on what pupils already know and can do − teachers plan suitably challenging activities for the most able pupils and support them to master new topics during lessons − teachers check pupils’ level of understanding regularly throughout lessons and reshape tasks when necessary − pupils continue to develop their self-regulation skills in class and remain engaged and focused − best practice is shared across the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher is passionate about the school and is very ambitious for pupils and staff. Since her appointment two years ago, she has responded to staffing issues decisively, establishing a strong team of staff members who have pupils’ interests at the heart of all they do. She is well supported by the senior leadership team.  Leaders have an accurate and comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They carefully consider plans for development, and accurately identify aspects needing further improvement or consolidation. The local authority has provided a high level of support over the past two years and there have been rapid improvements in some areas of the school. Leaders have made good use of this support while also developing their capacity to support themselves.  Leaders check how well teachers’ skills are developing and use this information ably to refine the support given. Expectations are high and targets are shared successfully with

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

staff. Improvements in teaching and learning have been achieved through effective coaching by the senior teacher. Leaders are aware that inconsistencies remain and are continuing to ensure good teaching prevails across the school.  Professional development is encouraged and enabled across the school. All staff have recently undertaken mental health training and teaching assistants have studied for English and mathematics qualifications. Staff feel that their own ambitions and needs are important to the leaders and are appreciative of the focus on their well-being.  All stakeholders in the school have become more engaged recently. Parents are overwhelmingly positive and express confidence in the new headteacher and the changes she has implemented. Most parents who spoke with inspectors believed their children were making progress and that the behaviour of children had improved.  The curriculum has been overhauled this year to improve pupils’ experiences and make

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

it more relevant to their needs. Planning is more robust and promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. Subject leaders show a good level of subject knowledge and understanding and are keen to further refine their work.  The school uses pupil premium funding effectively. The pupil premium champion carefully monitors pupils’ needs and barriers to learning. Overall, the funding is having a positive impact on the attendance and progress of disadvantaged pupils. The nurture group, funded through pupil premium, ensures that pupils with high emotional and academic needs are met in a timely manner by experienced staff.  Additional funding is used effectively to support pupils with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This includes the employment of skilled teaching assistants who work with individual pupils to support their varying needs. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a good understanding of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

support that pupils need and ensures appropriate outside agency involvement.  The school currently employs three newly qualified teachers (NQTs). They are keen to express how supportive leaders and other members of staff have been as they begin their teaching careers. They have welcomed opportunities to take on wider school roles and play an active part in devising new policies. NQTs, like most of the staff at Bidbury, feel they make an impact and feel that they belong.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are passionate about school and have a good understanding of its current strengths and weaknesses. They recognise that since the appointment of the current headteacher there has been improvement in all aspects of the school’s provision.  Governors bring a range of skills and experience to their roles. This helps the governing body to fulfil its obligations well. Governors regularly visit the school to gain a greater understanding of the actions leaders have taken. They monitor actions and feedback in a manner that holds leaders to account but is supportive and mindful of their well- being.  Governors have a broad understanding of the data provided by the statutory key stage 2 tests. Governors are quick to refer to previous failings and discrepancies in baseline tests and data on entry to the school, but overall they have a good grasp of how the senior leadership team is ensuring improvements in teaching and learning and how this

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Governance of the school

is leading to better outcomes.  Governors recognise that the wide curriculum put in place by leaders, including the lunchtime curriculum, has supported pupils and improved behaviour. Governors have ensured that additional funding has been used well, for example by developing the nurture group, improving attendance and supporting lunchtime activities.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously and, as a result, there is a strong safeguarding culture. The designated safeguarding leads are well trained and vigilant. They keep careful records of this vital work. They act rapidly, where appropriate, and work to raise awareness of child protection issues with all members of the school community.  There is a comprehensive induction process for new staff and regular training sessions for all staff to ensure that they are quick to recognise any potential signs of risk. All staff know how to record and report these and know what to do should they have any concerns. Checks on staff and other adults working in the school are rigorous.  Leaders ensure that pupils understand their role in keeping themselves safe. Many aspects of the curriculum provide pupils with basic knowledge, such as crossing the

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Safeguarding

road, healthy living and positive relationships. Leaders have also ensured that pupils understand how they can keep themselves safe online.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching and learning is generally good across the school and pupils attain well. Current staff are supported in further improving their skills, particularly in the teaching of English and mathematics, by school leaders and external consultants. Leaders are aware of some inconsistencies between classes and subjects and are addressing these effectively.  Numerous changes in teaching staff across the school and historically weak teaching have interrupted and hampered pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics since the last inspection. However, the quality of work seen in pupils’ books indicates that there have been some marked improvements in pupils’ learning during the past year and attainment and progress are improving.  Assessment is now robust and accurate, particularly in English and mathematics. Teachers and teaching assistants are developing a good understanding of current

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

pupils’ abilities and plan motivating activities that inspire pupils. However, some of the most able pupils are not given enough challenge to enable them to make progress as quickly as they could.  Leaders and teachers have high expectations and, in recent months, some groups of pupils in key stage 2 have produced work of a better standard in English and are showing a good understanding of the subject. This is due to improvements in teaching. Feedback to pupils is consistent across the school and, in some classes, pupils self-edit to improve the quality of their writing.  In mathematics lessons, pupils are keen to take part and they tackle a range of appropriate work. There are opportunities for pupils to use their reasoning skills in most lessons and this supports pupils in developing a deeper understanding of calculation and problem solving.  Most pupils show a desire to learn and listen well to their teachers and peers. They can

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

work collaboratively, share ideas and support each other. However, sometimes pupils lose focus when the pace of learning is slower or when tasks need adapting for them. This can lead to a loss of engagement and motivation.  Staff provide pupils with a high-quality environment that encourages learning and supports activities. Recent renovations to the school have ensured that learning spaces are bright and conducive to learning. Displays inside the classroom ensure that vocabulary and other cues are available for pupils to use during lessons.  Teaching assistants support pupils of all abilities well, including pupils with SEND. They use questioning effectively to help pupils plan how they will tackle activities. They teach pupils how to use resources to support their learning, and encourage pupils when tasks are difficult, or pupils are finding it hard to concentrate.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good.  The school’s approach to teaching personal development provides pupils with a wide range of activities in which to take part. This increases their experiences and understanding of the local community and wider world. Global news assembly, the values tree and aspiration sentences support this still further.  There are many opportunities for all pupils to contribute and take responsibility, not only in school, but also in the community. Pupils speak positively about a recent beach clean, the ‘Bidbury University’ experiences and chicks hatching. Pupils are enthusiastic and proud of their school and appreciate the opportunities they are given. Older pupils in the school can identify how there has been an improvement in the school since the appointment of the current headteacher.  A carefully thought out lunchtime curriculum is a strength of the school’s welfare

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Personal development and welfare

provision. It gives all pupils access to a wide range of active sporting and individual fitness activities in a safe environment. The approach has been carefully devised and developed to address pupils' interests and needs and supports pupils’ behaviour. Transition back into school is safe and orderly and pupils quickly settle to learning.  The well-run breakfast club and many after-school clubs provide good care for pupils out of school hours. Breakfast club provides a calm and well-supervised start to the day and access to a range of healthy breakfast options.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Positive reinforcement is used consistently across the school and all staff refer to the school values when praising pupils. Pupils are given a leaf to reward positive behaviour that reflects one of the school values and they take pride in adding these to the class trees.  All teachers have the same expectations and follow the positive behaviour approach. However, in some classes, pupils take longer to respond to instructions and there is a lack of self-regulation. Leaders are aware of these variations and support staff in a timely and appropriate manner.  The school currently provides a nurture group for pupils with high needs who find it difficult to manage their behaviour and their feelings. This has ensured that these pupils get the help and support they need and that all pupils can learn in a safe and positive environment. Reintegrating members of this group back into class is carefully

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Behaviour

managed and has been successful.  Pupils like school and attend regularly. Attendance is broadly in line with national averages, although disadvantaged pupils are absent more often. Senior leaders are aware of a variation between groups and are proactive in tackling areas of concern. The home-school link worker and the pupil premium champion work together to overcome this barrier to learning and support families and individuals.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 In 2018, pupils’ attainment in the end of key stage 2 assessments was varied. The number of pupils who reached the expected level in all three core areas, reading writing and mathematics, was well below the national average. This was predominantly due to pupil’s writing attainment. The leadership team has taken timely action to address this by ensuring that teachers’ expectations are high, and teaching is highly effective.  Pupils’ workbooks show that improved teaching and greater stability in staffing are beginning to have a positive impact on low attainment in some classes. Current pupils are now rapidly catching up with expectations.  Assessment in school is now robust and accurate. The statutory test results at the end of Year 6 showed that, overall, pupils made lower rates of progress in 2018 than those of others nationally. However, assessment information and pupils’ workbooks show that current pupils are making good progress from the point at which they enter key

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

stage 2. Leaders continually seek to improve moderation between themselves and local infant schools.  Pupils enjoy reading and are very positive about the ‘drop everything and read’ time they have each day. Year 3 readers, seen during the inspection, demonstrated good comprehension skills and the most able confidently extracted knowledge from the text they were studying.  Outcomes for most pupils with SEND are positive overall. Carefully developed activities and support have enabled them to experience success at their own level and to develop the skills they need to progress. The highly efficient SENCo has worked hard to develop a system of support for pupils and ensure that their needs are met.  Disadvantaged pupils are carefully monitored by the headteacher and the pupil premium champion. Working in partnership with the class teachers and the home- school link worker, they identify barriers to learning and ensure that pupils are

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

supported effectively. Outcomes are still too varied for this group of pupils and many make less progress than others do. However, this is being effectively addressed and improvements can be seen.  Across the curriculum, pupils work hard and are generally attaining well. Workbooks show increased knowledge in a range of subjects, including art, history and science. However, leaders recognise that outcomes in some subjects are not yet fully monitored and therefore progress is not always clear.

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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@bidbury-jun.hants.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2–3 December 2015

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Information about this school

 Bidbury Junior School is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school. It is currently two-form entry.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average. The proportion with education, health and care plans is above the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is above the national average.  A substantive headteacher was appointed from 1 September 2017 and the staffing structure was reorganised in September 2018.  The senior leadership team of the school currently consists of the headteacher, the school business manager and a senior teacher. Leadership is supported by the local authority.  The school runs a daily breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed lessons throughout the school, some jointly with members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of books from across the school with middle leaders and senior leaders from the school.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leader, subject leaders, the SENCo, three newly qualified teachers, the pupil premium champion and a local authority adviser.  Inspectors attended breakfast club and talked to pupils on the playground at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors met with six members of the governing body.  Several documents were scrutinised, including the school’s own information about pupils’ learning and progress, minutes of governing body meetings, the school improvement plan, reviews by external consultants and local authority representatives, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and safeguarding information.  Inspectors took account of the 46 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent

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Information about this inspection

View, including written comments. They also met informally with parents.  Inspectors spoke with staff and took account of their views.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and met with groups of pupils and took account of their views.

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Inspection team

Tracy Good, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Christopher Crouch Ofsted 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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