Brockhurst Primary School

Brockhurst Primary School Avery Lane, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 4SL

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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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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 This is a good school. The headteacher and deputy have been effective in ensuring that the former infant and junior schools work well together.  Governors are committed to the school and supportive of leaders. They carry out their roles professionally and provide a high level of challenge.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils have a secure understanding of life in modern multicultural Britain.  Pupils are well behaved. Relationships between pupils, and between adults and pupils, are strong.  Staff are proud to be a part of the primary school and feel that they are developed well.  The school is developing a broad, balanced and interesting curriculum that helps pupils understand the world around them.  Strong leadership ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) continue to make good progress across the curriculum.  Safeguarding is effective. Staff and governors

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

receive appropriate, up-to-date training that provides them with the knowledge and skills to keep pupils safe.  Additional funding is used effectively. Disadvantaged pupils’ progress is improving across the curriculum.  Most pupils make progress in reading, writing and mathematics. However, teachers do not use assessment well enough to ensure that progress is consistently good.  Children get off to a good start in the Reception Year. However, teachers do not always ensure that children are suitably challenged, particularly in their independent learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve assessment to provide enough challenge for all groups and ensure that tasks are well matched to pupils’ needs by: – planning activities that enable all groups of pupils to move their learning forward in line with their abilities – teachers complying with the school’s feedback policy, providing sufficient opportunities for pupils to act on the feedback to further improve their work.  Improve provision in the early years, in order that children make strong progress from their starting points by: – developing an environment that enables children to explore, create and think critically – ensuring that adults’ feedback and questioning move learning forward – planning activities that meet the needs of all groups, particularly the disadvantaged.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the amalgamation of the infant and junior schools, the headteacher and deputy have worked tirelessly to overcome the challenges of operating on two sites. They have created a cohesive primary school with shared values. As a result, pupils’ progress has improved significantly.  Senior leaders have an accurate picture of where the school is and what needs to improve. The assessments they shared with inspectors were accurate. They were clear on the strengths and weaknesses of teaching, recognising that not all pupils are sufficiently challenged, particularly the most able, across the school.  Middle leaders have a clear understanding of what they need to improve in their own areas of leadership. As experienced leaders, they have delivered training to improve teachers’ subject knowledge. As a result, good progress was evident in most books seen, although not all activities match pupils’ needs.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has identified training needs well. For example, an effective programme has been put in place to improve target setting. Now pupils and parents and carers can easily access targets and can clearly see the progress their children are making. As one parent told inspectors, ‘the school goes over and beyond our expectations.’  The local authority knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school. It has supported the school well, enabling improvements, particularly at key stage 2.  The curriculum provides pupils with experience of a wide range of subjects. Leaders are developing, particularly, to ensure that the teaching of pupils’ subject-specific skills is given more focus.  Staff are offered a wide range of professional development. They provided precise examples of how this has impacted directly to improve their practice, for example through higher-quality subject planning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 All staff feel valued and trusted by leaders. They identify that consequently turnover of staff is much reduced. They feel that there is a sense of ‘team’ in school, stating that as a result the school has improved since the last inspection.  Leaders are using additional funding effectively. A clear plan addresses the needs of the pupils. There is a clear focus on high aspiration and broadening the experiences of disadvantaged children, and consequently disadvantaged pupils’ attainment is rising.  Sports funding has been used effectively. Specialist coaches have been employed and, as a result, teaching has improved. Pupils now take part in a range of sporting activities, including football and cheerleading.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. It is underpinned by the school’s core values of being ‘reciprocal, resilient, reflective and resourceful’.  Parents spoken to said that they are pleased with the school and that their children are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

happy in school. Some said that they can see clear improvements since the school became a primary.

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Governance of the school

 Governors know the school well and have a clear understanding of what needs further improvement. They hold leaders to account through an extensive monitoring system linked to the primary improvement plan.  Governors track different groups to ensure that pupils are making good progress. They know the impact that additional funding is having on pupils’ progress and acknowledge that some groups could make better progress.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Safeguarding training ensures that all staff are familiar with the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a pupil. Clear systems are in place and the school can demonstrate how staff have used these systems effectively to safeguard pupils.  All checks on the suitability of adults who work in the school are thorough. The single central record is maintained accurately and to a high standard.  Parents told inspectors that the school ensures that their children are kept safe. They mentioned e-safety and ‘stranger danger’.  Pupils said that they feel safe in school and they know who to go to if they have a problem.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 In English, across the school, pupils are clear about what they are learning and how it fits into their learning journey. Pupils have opportunities to read high-quality texts and are encouraged to think in depth about the book and characters. A clear focus on vocabulary helps pupils to understand, for example, ‘The Taxing Highwayman’ poem. As a result, pupils use a wide variety of vocabulary in their writing.,  Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 read with fluency, clear understanding and enjoyment of different texts. Books are appropriately pitched to challenge pupils, but not to prevent their flow and reading enjoyment. Pupil engagement in reading is high, and pupils are keen to talk about different books and individual reading preferences.  The school has focused on increasing pupils’ mathematical fluency and recall of number facts. Pupils in Year 1, for example, were able to say that 20 was double 10,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

half of 40, and four times five. Pupils’ increased opportunities to recall number facts have quickly enabled them to use this knowledge in more complex operations. Generally, teachers provide pupils with good opportunities to deepen their thinking through solving problems and reasoning. Some teachers use assessment effectively to address misconceptions quickly and to move children on who are ready for greater challenge. However, this is not consistent in all classes or all subjects. As a result, progress can be variable for some pupils. Additional support is used effectively to help pupils with SEND access learning independently. This enables pupils to access tasks and make good progress from their starting points.  Teaching staff have strong subject knowledge. They know the pupils very well. They generally plan learning that builds on what pupils already know and understand, but this is not consistent. Consequently, progress is impeded for some pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Relationships across the school are strong. Pupils enjoy learning and respond positively to staff when they are challenged. They are clear about how the teacher helps them, and they understand the feedback system well. Although pupils value the chance to correct and edit work, they are not given the opportunity to do so consistently across the school. As a result, progress slows for some pupils.  In key stage 2 there is clear evidence that pupils are studying a wide range of subjects. Geography and science show that subject-specific skills are being taught and these are progressive across the key stage. Religious education and history are more knowledge- based, and pupils do not yet know what skills they need to become a historian. The school is aware of this and is adapting plans to ensure that skills are taught.  Children were able to identify the progress they have made in a variety of subjects.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

They feel that homework is relevant and helps ‘the previous learning to stick’.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupil’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils’ emotional well-being is paramount for all staff. Leaders have created a team which ensures that vulnerable families are well supported.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. In all classes, pupils were engaged and focused. During the inspection, pupils were observed working in pairs, independently and supporting each other.  Pupils are being prepared well as good citizens through their conduct now, their ability to respect what has happened in the past and their understanding of how being ‘eco- friendly’ will impact on their future.  Leaders recognise the emotional needs of pupils who have a parent in the armed forces. They ensure that local service families are acknowledged and celebrated. To this end, there are displays entitled ‘kids of heroes’, which show photographs of parents and children.  Even the youngest pupils are being prepared well for life in modern Britain. This is

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Personal development and welfare

through assemblies which focus on British values. Pupils reflect on the importance of equality and fairness for all, regardless of culture or beliefs.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good  The school takes a positive and proactive approach to attendance. Attendance figures have improved and persistent absence has reduced significantly this year.  A clear behaviour policy, supported by high-quality behaviour-training opportunities, means that staff have increased their skills in meeting the needs of children with challenging behaviours. As a result, pupils say that behaviour is typically good in school.  Most parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, said that they feel that negative behaviour is appropriately dealt with by staff.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 In 2018, pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 2 showed significant improvement from previous years, particularly in reading and writing. However, numbers of those attaining at the higher standard are still low.  Most pupils made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their individual starting points across the school, in 2018. Evidence in pupils’ books, along with school data, indicates that current pupils are continuing to make good progress. However, some books showed that, at times, teachers were not using assessment well enough and this restricted progress for some pupils.  The needs of pupils with SEND are assessed and targeted interventions are well planned. As a result, pupils’ outcomes, based on precise use of national data and school’s internal data, are improving.  Disadvantaged pupils’ progress, although remaining below that of their peers, is also improving. This is due to senior leaders ensuring that all teachers are accountable for

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Outcomes for pupils Good

this group’s progress.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics. Pupils have a strong knowledge of number facts and how to apply these to solve problems. However, in some classes, the most able pupils are not challenged enough to make even better progress.  Attainment at the end of key stage 1 for all groups in 2018 was below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Evidence gathered during the inspection, such as work seen in pupils’ books, indicates that the number of pupils who are on track to attain age-related expectations is rising.  The curriculum provides pupils with many opportunities to develop skills and knowledge, particularly in geography and science.

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Early years provision Good

 Children in Reception Year make good progress. Learning in lessons is generally matched to children’s individual needs and interests. Adults take every opportunity to reinforce phonics and counting skills. This helps children to embed their learning.  Children in the early years are safe and well cared for. The statutory requirements for safeguarding are met, and parents appreciate the care shown to their children. Children behave well, and relationships with adults are strong.  Adults work hard to establish effective partnerships with parents. Transition arrangements are well planned, and parents say that they receive valuable information and support.  Work seen in children's learning journeys shows that children are making good progress from their starting points, and outcomes appear likely to be as strong this year as in previous years.  The learning environment does not always support high levels of children’s

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Early years provision Good

independence. As a result, children do not have enough opportunities to show adults what they know and can do. Leaders are aware of this and have plans to develop provision further.  The independent learning activities lack challenge for most children. Consequently, many children were observed flitting from one activity to another with no challenge from adults. As a result, most children did not build on previous learning and make the progress they could.  There was inconsistent use of questioning across the groups, and challenge is variable. Some adults develop children’s understanding well through skilful questioning; however, this is not consistent, and children become disengaged. As a result, the learning slows.  Children’s behaviour when learning is not yet consistent across the phase. Strong teaching encourages the children to reflect and develop, for instance, their mathematical concepts of grouping/counting. Weaker teaching results in children losing

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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 c.glover@brockhurst.hants.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Brockhurst Primary School is an average-sized primary school.  Brockhurst Infant School and Brockhurst Junior School amalgamated in September 2016.  The school is on two sites, referred to as the ‘north campus’ and the ‘south campus’.  Most pupils are of White British background.  The proportion of pupils identified with SEND is low.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning across the school. Most observations were carried out with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with pupils, staff, governors and school leaders. The lead inspector also met with members of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke to pupils in the playground, at lunchtime and in class. Along with senior leaders, the inspection team looked at work in pupils’ books.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plans. They looked at information on current pupils’ progress, minutes of governing body meetings, safeguarding procedures and the plans for additional funding.  Inspectors met informally with parents at the start of the school day. The team took account of 73 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as written responses received before the inspection. They also considered staff responses.

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Inspection team

Becky Greenhalgh, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Robert Howell 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

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

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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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