King's Academy Gomer

Inspection of a good school: Gomer Junior School Pyrford Close, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 2RP

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Outcome

Gomer Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, including trustees, have high expectations for all pupils. They are determined that pupils will ‘learn today for the challenge of tomorrow’. Leaders make sure that pupils learn about the world they live in, as well as the world of the future, through the lens of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). For example, Year 3 pupils are currently learning about flooding in Bangladesh. They use their engineering skills to design and make models of flood-proof houses. Leaders have thought carefully about the habits they want pupils to acquire while learning, such as visualising and improving. Pupils show great resilience, for example explaining to me how they love working out where a computer code has gone wrong so they can fix it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Gomer Junior is a welcoming and inclusive place to learn. Pupils believe that they have supportive teachers who help them when they are stuck. They say that there is no bullying at Gomer. They understand that sometimes pupils fall out, but feel that these arguments are handled well by staff. Pupils feel happy and safe in school. They are well behaved, both in lessons and in the playgrounds.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders, trustees and governors share a clear vision for what they want pupils to learn and how best to support them to do so. Most subjects are well planned and skilfully taught. Teachers encourage pupils to make links between subjects so that they can practise skills in different areas of learning. For example, Year 6 pupils recently learned about design. They used their mathematics and computing skills to create spreadsheets and calculate costings for a dream bedroom. Work across schools in the Gosport and Fareham Multi-Academy Trust has helped share good practice and expertise in a wide range of subjects. However, not all subjects are sequenced well. In history and geography, for example, the content and how skills and knowledge develop have not been thought through precisely enough. Therefore, pupils do not learn as well as they could in these subjects. 11–12 February 2020

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Pupils like reading. The attractive library, in the heart of the school, tempts pupils to try a new style of book with the ‘genre of the fortnight’ and other exciting offers. Leaders make sure that reading to pupils and enjoying a book feature prominently in the everyday life of the school. Teachers read from a carefully selected range of classic stories, introducing pupils to new vocabulary. For example, during the inspection Year 3 listened attentively to ‘Stig of the Dump’, enjoying every word. Pupils who do not read fluently follow a phonics programme that helps them catch up. The books pupils read are well matched to their reading ability.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well. Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to make sure that pupils access a full curriculum. Pupils with SEND get the support they need to be successful. Millie, the school therapy dog, helps pupils who need to build their confidence. The learning and pastoral support team guides pupils to understand their emotions so that they are ready to learn.

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Pupils work well together, listening to different views politely. Everyone understands the behaviour expectations. Pupils show great respect for the school rules.

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Leaders help pupils to have high aspirations for the future. They have made many links with local businesses to help pupils know about the wide range of exciting careers available in the local area and beyond. For example, Year 6 pupils visited a shipping event in London. Not only did they meet the prime minister to discuss commerce, they learned about the wide range of jobs in the industry. Gomer prepares pupils to become global citizens. Pupils told me how much they love learning Mandarin. During the inspection, Year 4 pupils participated in a role-play, learning about the Hindu festival Mahashivratri. Pupils enjoy learning about different cultures and making links between religions, showing great respect for others.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding training is revisited regularly, by both staff and governors. They have created a staff team whose members are vigilant and confident about what to do if they have a concern about a pupil. Staff understand the risks that pupils may face.

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Safeguarding

Pupils speak confidently about the school’s pastoral support team, whose members sort out any worries that they have. Pupils know they are listened to.

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Safeguarding

Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online. For example, in a Year 5 computing lesson, pupils explained the differences between fake, online and real friends and the potential risks. 11–12 February 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have carefully planned many subjects so that teachers are clear about the order in which they teach content. This is very successful in English and mathematics, as well as in science, technology and computing. However, a few subjects, such as history and geography, are not yet fully sequenced. Key knowledge and skills have not yet been mapped out so that teachers know exactly what they should be teaching and when. Leaders should refine the curriculum further so that pupils learn and remember more over time in all subjects.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Gomer Junior School, to be good on 20–21 November 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 11–12 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122237 Type of school Junior

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School details

Headteacher Georgina Mulhall (Executive headteacher), Tim Potter (Associate headteacher) Website www.gomerjuniorschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Gomer Junior School converted to become an academy on 1 April 2017, joining the Gosport and Fareham Multi-Academy Trust (GFM).  The executive headteacher took up her role in April 2017, having previously been the headteacher. The associate headteacher took up his role in September 2017, having previously been the deputy headteacher.

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Information about this inspection

 As part of this inspection, I held meetings with the executive headteacher, the associate headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator. Discussions were also held with teachers and support staff.  I did deep dives in: reading, mathematics and computing. These subjects were considered closely to evaluate the quality of education. This involved speaking to subject leaders, teachers and pupils. I visited lessons and looked at a range of pupils’ work and leaders’ planning, as well as hearing some pupils read. I also met with the leader responsible for history and geography. 11–12 February 2020

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 I met with the chief executive officer from the multi-academy trust and a member of the executive board. I also met with two governors, including one trustee.  I considered a range of school documentation, including the school’s own evaluation and improvement planning. I scrutinised published information about pupils’ achievement and looked at the school’s website.  To inspect safeguarding, I met with the school’s designated safeguarding leaders, spoke to staff, governors and pupils, checked recruitment procedures and looked at safeguarding records and policies. I also spoke to the designated officer from the local authority on the telephone.  I considered the 94 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire, including 34 free- text comments. In addition, 28 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff were considered, as were 68 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Lea Hannam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11–12 February 2020

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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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