Noadswood School

Inspection of a good school: Noadswood School North Road, Dibden Purlieu, Southampton, Hampshire SO45 4ZF

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 October 2022

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Outcome

Noadswood School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a happy and friendly place to learn. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong and supportive. Pupils say that teachers make learning interesting and fun. There is a positive working atmosphere around the school. Most pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and during social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel that they are listened to. There are many pupil leadership roles and opportunities for them to get involved in school life. For example, pupils worked with staff to develop the eco garden. Leaders and pupils are proud of the inclusive nature of the school. Pupils spoken to describe how everyone is treated equally and that discrimination is not tolerated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe in the school. They say there is always somebody that they can talk to if they have a problem. They speak highly of the support they receive from the pastoral team. Pupils are encouraged to speak out against bullying. and staff usually deal quickly with any incidents when they do occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils particularly appreciate the excellent sports facilities that the school has. Many pupils take advantage of the extensive range of clubs and activities provided outside the school day. Subject learning is enriched by frequent trips and visiting speakers.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. They have used research to inform the design and teaching of the curriculum. Subject leaders are passionate and knowledgeable about their subjects. They have made sure that the things that pupils need to learn build upon what they already know. This helps pupils to remember the knowledge they need to be successful.

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

Recent changes have broadened and strengthened the curriculum. All pupils now study the full national curriculum in Year 9. Subjects such as history now include a wider range 12 and 13 October 2022

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of historical topics. For example, pupils now have more opportunities to learn about the achievements of women and different cultures. Pupils are able to choose GCSEs from a wide range of options. However, currently, there is a low take up of pupils choosing to continue to study modern foreign languages. Leaders are prioritising making languages accessible for more pupils and expect uptake to increase in the future.

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Teachers are enthusiastic and have good subject knowledge. They present information clearly and check that pupils have learned what they have been taught. However, there are some inconsistencies in the way that the curriculum is taught. This means some pupils do not learn as well as they should. Occasionally, teachers move on too quickly, without checking that important concepts have been fully grasped.

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Staff help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to get the support that they need. The school caters particularly well for pupils with physical disabilities. These pupils can study all subjects. For example, the physical education department offers adapted sports. Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND to achieve even better and are prioritising staff training on how to best meet these pupils’ needs.

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Reading has a high profile throughout the school. Leaders identify carefully the pupils who are struggling with reading. Specialist teaching for the weakest readers ensures that these pupils develop increasingly secure reading skills. Teachers use tutor time to promote a love of reading by reading together with their classes. These sessions help pupils to appreciate an ambitious and diverse range of literature.

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Pupils and staff understand the behaviour systems. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Most of the time pupils can concentrate on their work without disruption.

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Leaders have a strong commitment to produce well-rounded citizens who can assess risk in the world around them. The citizenship curriculum is carefully designed to do this. Pupils learn topics such as online safety and consent. Leaders continually keep the curriculum under review to ensure that it is relevant to pupils.

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Staff form a highly motivated team and are proud to work at the school. They are overwhelmingly positive about leaders’ concern for their workload and well-being. Staff say that leaders act quickly on any concerns that they raise.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff share the responsibility for ensuring pupils are kept safe. The large and experienced safeguarding team are well known in the school. They work well with teachers, pastoral staff and external agencies to support pupils at risk of harm.

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Safeguarding

Leaders regularly update staff on safeguarding issues. Staff at all levels know what to do if they have concerns about pupils. Robust systems are in place to ensure that all 12 and 13 October 2022

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concerns are followed up on quickly. The designated safeguarding lead and their teams keep meticulous records.

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Pupils feel safe. They have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The intended curriculum is not always implemented effectively in the classroom. Teachers sometimes do not consolidate pupils’ learning and address any misconceptions before moving on to new learning. This means that pupils do not always develop the skills and knowledge leaders want them to know. Leaders should ensure that they keep a careful oversight over how well the curriculum is being implemented and provide support so that it is of a consistently high standard in all subjects.  The number of pupils taking a modern foreign language is well below national averages and well below the government’s national ambition. This means that too few pupils gain the qualifications to achieve the English Baccalaureate. Leaders should continue their efforts to promote languages to ensure that more pupils are able to achieve the English Baccalaureate and benefit from the future opportunities that studying a language provides.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

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.

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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. 12 and 13 October 2022

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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. 12 and 13 October 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has two specially resourced provisions for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provisions). These bases provide support for pupils with physical disability and social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school currently uses two registered alternative provisions.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of leaders, including the headteacher and senior leaders. They also met with subject leaders, pastoral leaders and teaching and support staff. 12 and 13 October 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, modern foreign languages, history and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed curriculum design with subject leaders, carried out lesson visits, scrutinised pupils’ work, spoke to teachers and spoke to pupils from the lessons visited about their learning. In addition, the inspectors spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator and visited lessons and the specially resourced provisions with them.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding. They reviewed the school’s single central record and met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss case studies of safeguarding referrals.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the board of trustees.  Inspectors considered the views of members of staff who responded to Ofsted’s online

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staff survey. The views of parents were taken into account from responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and parents’ free-text responses. Inspectors met with groups of pupils formally and informally to discuss their views of the school and considered their responses to the school’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Mark Bagust, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Antonia Spinks Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 October 2022

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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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