Springfield School

Inspection of a good school: Springfield School Central Road, Drayton, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 1QY

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Outcome

Springfield School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at this school. They behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils are nearly always kind and respectful towards each other and their teachers. They know that their teachers expect them to try their best, behave well and wear their uniform smartly. Pupils work hard in lessons and persevere with difficult work. Teachers ask them to think hard and answer difficult questions. Pupils achieve well at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the start of Year 7, pupils are taught about different careers and routes through education. This helps them make the best subject choices. Teachers help pupils become confident young adults who can express ideas and opinions thoughtfully. As a result, pupils are very well prepared for their next steps when they leave.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they would recommend the school to friends and family. Teachers are approachable and make time to help individuals. The rare instances of bullying are dealt with quickly by teachers. Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy the wide range of activities and clubs on offer. One pupil told us, ‘This school gives you everything you need to do really well.’

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better?

Leaders are determined to provide a high-quality education for all pupils, regardless of their ability or circumstances. Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development and well-being. For example, health education is strongly promoted and prepares pupils for adult life. Leaders support staff effectively by providing useful training and, wherever possible, reducing workload. Staff morale is high at this inclusive school.

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better?

Pupils study a good range of subjects, which gives them a firm academic grounding. Careers advice and education for all pupils are strong. This ambitious curriculum combines with strong careers advice for all pupils. Nearly all pupils transfer successfully 2–3 October 2019

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Leaders are making sure that all pupils study geography and history in Year 9. Leaders have well-developed plans to improve facilities so more pupils can study technology at GCSE. Leaders’ consultations with local employers have led to the planned new GCSE in engineering. This innovative approach is characteristic of the thoughtful leadership of the school .

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Teachers work together to plan interesting lessons that challenge and encourage pupils. Teachers make sure pupils secure their knowledge and understanding of a topic before they tackle more difficult work. In most subjects, this works well. For example, Year 10 pupils build effectively on the writing skills they have learned. This enriches their creative writing.

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Leaders give teachers advice on how to adapt their teaching so all pupils can achieve their best. Overall, this works well. A good example of this is in French. Pupils who find languages difficult have extra practice until they are confident to speak basic French. A few teachers do not yet support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) fully effectively. Leaders rightly provide training for them to make sure pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Leaders care passionately that disadvantaged pupils get every opportunity to succeed. A ‘teacher champion’ supports disadvantaged pupils to get the most out of school. This works very well, overall. However, leaders are aware that a small number of very vulnerable pupils do not achieve enough. They are taking the right action to address this.

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Most pupils behave well at the school and lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. However, there are a few pupils who do not behave well enough, despite leaders’ best efforts. Leaders and governors are aware that this rightly concerns some parents and pupils. Leaders are determined improve the behaviour of this small group of pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders make sure all adults who work in, or visit, the school are given appropriate training on how to keep pupils safe. Teachers always report concerns to the specially trained safeguarding team.

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Safeguarding

Teachers and leaders monitor pupils carefully, ensuring that they remain safe. Leaders work well with external agencies, such as social care, to make sure vulnerable pupils have the support and protection they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to stay safe in different situations, especially when they are online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in school. Most pupils behave well in lessons and during break- and lunchtime. There are a few pupils whose behaviour is not yet good enough. Leaders need to make sure that the behaviour of this small group improves.  Pupils study a wide range of challenging GCSE subjects, which prepares pupils well for their next steps. Leaders and governors must continue to fully implement plans so that Year 9 pupils access the subject-specific knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the GCSEs they take, especially in history and geography.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Springfield School, to be good in March 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 2–3 October 2019

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Inspection number 10113309 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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Number of pupils on the school roll 1,085

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Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Springfield School converted to become an academy on 1 April 2017. When its predecessor school, Springfield School, was last inspected on 3 February 2016, it was confirmed that the school continued to be good. The school is part of The De Curci Trust, a small multi-academy trust consisting of Springfield School, Solent Junior School and Solent Infant School.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior staff, heads of department and groups of teachers. We also met with trustees and governors. Inspectors visited lessons accompanied by heads of departments. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils formally and informally. Pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, at lunchtime and as they left school was observed. Inspectors took account of 132 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, including free-text responses, and the outcomes of a staff survey.  We inspected records and other documentation connected to the leaders’ safeguarding practices.  English, modern foreign languages and science were considered in depth as part of this inspection.

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Anne Turner, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Nicholas Simmonds Ofsted Inspector 2–3 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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