Stanmore Primary School

Inspection of Stanmore Primary School Stanmore Lane, Stanmore, Winchester, Hampshire SO22 4AJ

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 29 and 30 March 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning and make friends easily at Stanmore Primary. It is a warm, caring school where pupils feel happy and safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

There have been many improvements since the last inspection. The headteacher and her new leadership team have started to develop the curriculum. Pupils achieve very well in early years and in reading, and there is good learning in some areas. However, in mathematics and other subjects, the curriculum is not planned in sufficient detail. Teachers are not always clear enough about the important knowledge they need to teach and in what order. This means that not all pupils are learning as well as they could.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents recognise that behaviour has significantly improved. Pupils value the rewards systems and are proud to take on leadership roles. They know how to respond should anyone say or do anything that makes them feel uncomfortable, and they trust staff to resolve any worries they may have, including about bullying.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Learning is enriched by a wide range of engaging activities and visiting speakers. Pupils enjoy the recently improved music provision and the many different clubs on offer. Parents recognise that the school is improving, enthuse about the changes and value being part of the ‘Stanmore family’.

p.2

better?

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum across the school. The provision in Reception class is particularly well designed and constructed and it is a strength of the school. Across key stages 1 and 2, leaders have developed a more subject-based approach. Teachers have a better understanding of what to teach in some subjects. In early reading and personal, social and health education, strong planning, coupled with consistent delivery, ensures pupils make good progress. In mathematics and some other subjects, the curriculum is less well developed and less consistently implemented. Leaders’ curriculum planning identifies what they want pupils to know by the end of the unit. However, the details of how this knowledge is introduced and developed over time to help pupils achieve these goals are not plainly set out. Consequently, not all teachers are clear enough about what important skills and knowledge pupils need to learn, and when.

p.2

better?

In some subjects, planning is new and in others it is still being developed. This means that assessment is not always being used well enough by teachers to inform what needs to be taught next. Pupils, particularly those with low prior attainment and some with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), struggle to retain and remember key information. Some subject leaders do not check accurately enough how consistently and effectively the curriculum is being taught for all groups of pupils in lessons. 29 and 30 March 2022

p.2

3

The promotion of the love of reading begins as soon as children join Reception, and staff develop pupils’ reading skills effectively. Work to improve the teaching of early reading and the adoption of a new scheme for teaching phonics have clearly had a significant impact. Typically, phonics is taught well, and staff skilfully assess pupils’ reading skills. Tailored support is given to any pupils who need help so that all make strong progress. High-quality resources, coupled with engaging story times, promote a love of reading. Over time, pupils grow into fluent readers, discovering genuine pleasure from reading books.

p.3

3

Capable leadership of provision for pupils with SEND ensures these pupils are supported effectively. The special educational needs coordinator ensures that their needs are carefully identified, and their progress tracked well. Teachers and teaching assistants work together using a range of effective strategies that help pupils with SEND to learn well alongside their peers.

p.3

3

Parents are delighted by how well the headteacher and her staff have transformed behaviour at the school. The impressive ‘Ready to Learn’ provision offers highly structured, bespoke targeted support for a very small group of some of the most vulnerable pupils exhibiting challenging behaviour. Strategies developed here have helped to improve systems across the school, and pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are now good.

p.3

3

Pupils behave well in class and are keen to learn. Their conduct around the school is typically of a high standard. They play happily with their peers at break and lunchtimes, are considerate of others and are polite. Pupils know and value the school’s rewards and routines and so any disruption during lessons is rare.

p.3

3

Parents were keen to praise what they described as extraordinary support from staff for their children during the periods of lockdown. They value how well staff know their child as an individual and equip them with a sense of belonging and trust. Pupils are nurtured to develop genuine respect and empathy for each other and others in the wider community. This helps them to be prepared for their next steps in education.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Stanmore Primary offers a caring community where leaders ensure that pupils’ welfare, well-being and safety are their number one priority. Pupils feel safe and happy here and parents confirm this. The curriculum promotes learning how to keep yourself safe, including when online.

p.3

Safeguarding

Safeguarding leaders have suitably up-to-date expertise in all aspects of safeguarding. Appropriate checks are made on all adults who work with the children in school. Leaders maintain careful records and oversee an effective package of staff training. Staff act swiftly should any pupils require extra help, sourcing appropriate support from external agencies when necessary. 29 and 30 March 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders do not yet have a sufficiently complete overview of their subjects from the early years to Year 6. This hinders the progress pupils can make in these subjects. Senior leaders should ensure that all curriculum leaders are well trained and supported to enable them to develop the skills and knowledge they need to be able to check how well their subject is being taught throughout the school.  The curriculum in some subjects, including mathematics, is not sufficiently well planned and sequenced through key stages 1 and 2. This means that teachers do not plan lessons that connect sufficiently well to pupils’ prior learning. Leaders should ensure that curriculum planning identifies and sequences the key components of knowledge that pupils are expected to learn across all year groups, as well as the required end points.  In some subjects, learning activities do not always meet the needs of all pupils,

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

particularly pupils with low prior attainment and some with SEND. Assessment systems need further refinements to identify what aspects of knowledge pupils are secure in and where they may have gaps. Better use of assessment is required to support all pupils to learn with increasing success.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 29 and 30 March 2022

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 June 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 There have been significant changes to the leadership of the school since the previous inspection. The headteacher, assistant headteacher and inclusion lead have all joined since that time. In addition, there have been several changes to subject leadership.  The school hosts a breakfast club and after-school club run by Creative Kidz Childcare.  The school currently uses an alternative provider for a very small number of pupils.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 29 and 30 March 2022

p.5

6

 Deep dives were conducted in reading, mathematics, history and physical education. As part of these, inspectors met with leaders, visited lessons, talked to pupils about their work and met with teaching staff to talk about their approach to designing and delivering the curriculum. Inspectors also discussed leaders’ plans and reviewed a sample of pupils’ work in science and geography.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, subject leaders, the early years leader and staff.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the school’s website and policies and met with safeguarding leaders. They also spoke to pupils, staff and governors and scrutinised school records of the safeguarding checks on adults working in the school.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body and reviewed documents relating to governance. A meeting was held with representatives of the local authority.

p.6

6

 Meetings were held with groups of pupils to discuss their views about many different aspects of their school. Inspectors also held informal conversations with pupils at break and lunchtime.  The views of pupils, parents and staff represented in meetings and the responses to Ofsted surveys were considered.

p.6

Inspection team

Matthew Newberry, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Mineza Maher Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 March 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

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

p.7