Berrywood Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Berrywood Primary School Maunsell Way, Hedge End, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2TL

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Outcome

Berrywood Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of what they describe as their ‘school within a garden’. They enjoy the many different outdoor learning opportunities available within the school grounds. These include stories around the campfire in the woodlands as well as growing and selling the school’s fruit and vegetables.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The love of reading is central to pupils’ learning. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the rich variety of books their teachers read with them. These books are used sensitively to consider some challenging themes about growing up in today’s society. Classrooms are safe places where pupils listen to the views of others and confidently share their own opinions. One pupil explained, ‘You can always show a different side of yourself because you are not judged.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to learn. They know their teachers have high expectations of them and they consistently strive to meet these. Alongside this, pupils and parents hugely value the care shown by staff to all pupils. This has been particularly appreciated over the last year during the disruption caused by COVID-19 (coronavirus). Pupils know their role in supporting their friends and talking to a trusted adult about any concerns they may have. Bullying is therefore very rare.

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better?

Pupils, parents and staff are overwhelmingly positive about leaders’ determination to help every pupil achieve their very best. The school’s curriculum, ‘The Berrywood Way’, has been thoughtfully planned so pupils can develop their knowledge across a broad range of subjects. Pupils are encouraged to think about the interesting topics they study and pose questions about their learning. Leaders are very proud of how 5 and 6 May 2021 parents support the school’s curriculum through the regular project celebration events. Staff are eager to reinstate these as soon as possible, as they have been sorely missed over the past year.

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better?

Early reading is taught well. Pupils in Reception and key stage 1 learn their letters and sounds throughout the school day. Staff are highly trained and know what each child needs to develop their confidence in reading. This knowledge was used during the online teaching of phonics during the most recent period of remote education. Almost all pupils can read well by the end of key stage 1. Those who fall behind get the support they need to catch up quickly. Pupils therefore have the reading skills they need to enjoy the many interesting texts they discover in key stage 2.

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better?

Leaders have organised sensibly when and how mathematical knowledge is taught. Teachers have good subject knowledge and help pupils confidently explore mathematical topics. They regularly check pupils are building upon what they have learned before. These checks, however, are not yet consistently in place in every other subject across the school’s curriculum. As a result, teachers are less confident in knowing how pupils’ knowledge is developing and where further support may be required. Leaders have plans in place to improve this.

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better?

Children make a very strong start in the early years because staff know them so well. Since September, careful observations have taken place to consider what extra support might be needed because of the disruption over the past year. This has included providing many opportunities to develop children’s language and communication. After-school events, such as storytelling during ‘Berrywood By Torchlight’, help parents have an active role in their child’s learning.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well. Leaders have created an inclusive school where pupils’ individual needs are known and supported. Staff respond quickly to any concerns expressed by pupils or parents. Pupils regularly contribute to the detailed action plans that are put in place to help them.

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better?

Classrooms are calm and purposeful places where pupils know the high expectations for their behaviour. They listen attentively to their teachers and lessons are rarely disrupted. During social times, pupils play well together. They show kindness and respect to their friends, the adults that help them and to the school grounds.

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better?

Pupils readily recall many memories of the different extra-curricular opportunities they have enjoyed. Trips out and speaking to visitors to the school has helped pupils develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding of the world around them. Most recently, parents and pupils have welcomed the after-school clubs that have restarted. This includes the school’s production of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ as well as many sporting activities.

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better?

All staff receive high-quality training and use this daily in classrooms. They work hard but do this knowing their well-being and workload is regularly considered by leaders. Staff are very proud to work at Berrywood. 5 and 6 May 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take the safeguarding of their pupils very seriously. Staff are alert to any small changes in pupils’ behaviour and pass these concerns on quickly. Leaders respond swiftly to ensure that pupils and their families get the right support at the right time. Record- keeping is meticulous and reviewed regularly by a well-trained and highly skilled safeguarding team.

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Safeguarding

The well-being of pupils is prioritised by leaders. Relationships have continued to strengthen with pupils and families who have needed extra support over the last year. One parent reflected on Ofsted’s Parent View how her child has grown in confidence through the care school staff have given her.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

◼ Assessment within the foundation subjects is not yet consistently in place. As a result, teachers are less confident in accurately checking how pupils’ knowledge and understanding within some subjects is developing. This means it is difficult to determine where further support may be required. Leaders should carefully monitor the effectiveness of assessment to ensure that pupils know and remember more across the school’s curriculum.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good 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 school to be good in May 2016. 5 and 6 May 2021

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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. 5 and 6 May 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10192854 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://www.berrywood-pri.hants.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 May 2016

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Information about this school

◼ Berrywood Primary is an above-average sized primary school with three classes in each year group. ◼ Berries Breakfast and After-school Club offers wraparound care for pupils at the school. It is managed by school leaders and run by non-teaching members of staff.

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Information about this inspection

◼ This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in our evaluation of the school. ◼ We met with senior leaders, staff, pupils and members of the governing body. We also spoke with a representative from the local authority. ◼ We considered 53 responses to the confidential staff survey. We also took account of 176 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire, including 116 free-text comments. ◼ To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding we viewed the school’s website and policies, met with the designated safeguarding leaders, spoke with pupils and staff, 5 and 6 May 2021 checked school records of safeguarding checks carried out on adults working at the school and spoke with governors. ◼ We did deep dives in reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. We

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Information about this inspection

discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, staff and pupils, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.

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Inspection team

Aimee Floyd, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laurie Anderson Her Majesty’s Inspector 5 and 6 May 2021 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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