Southill Primary School

Inspection of Southill Primary School Sycamore Road, Southill, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 9UF

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to the school’s aims of being ‘happy, confident and prepared’ at Southill. They enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ focus on positive relationships means that pupils experience good role modelling and pastoral care. This builds trust between staff and pupils. Pupils are eager to participate in lessons and are confident during discussions. They listen attentively, showing mutual respect for adults and their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and learning is rarely disrupted. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and pupils strive hard to meet these expectations. Pupils are clear about the rewards and consequences, which they feel teachers apply fairly and consistently. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens but, if it does, staff act swiftly and effectively to stop it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that looking after their mental health is important. They enjoy the learning they do to develop self-esteem and resilience. They carry out their responsibilities with pride. For example, being a reading champion or a bronze ambassador means pupils contribute to decision-making. Year 6 pupils look forward to being a buddy for Reception children, where they model nurture and encouragement.

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better?

The curriculum is well sequenced with the knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn. Leaders have carefully identified any content missed as a result of the COVID- 19 pandemic. They have then adapted the curriculum to reduce these gaps in knowledge. Teachers check on pupils’ learning and adjust their teaching to meet the needs of pupils. This means pupils build on what they already know.

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better?

Subject leaders in English and mathematics make regular checks on how well the curriculum is implemented. Senior leaders evaluate this accurately and use this knowledge to support teachers to deliver the curriculum as leaders have planned. In some other subjects, leadership is not yet as developed. This means leaders do not have as accurate a picture of how these subjects are being implemented in the classroom.

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better?

Leaders ensure that there is a real love of reading throughout the school. Staff and pupils are rightly proud of their new library. The range of texts that pupils read or study is broad and interesting. Developing fluency is a priority, so pupils begin to learn how to segment words and blend sounds as soon as they start school. They quickly become confident readers. Older pupils build on this fluency to develop a range of reading skills, which they use on more complex texts.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs accurately identified. Pupils, parents and carers have a voice in the plans created to 11 and 12 October 2022

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support them. In many cases, teachers use these plans to provide well-matched learning in the classroom. However, at times, some pupils with SEND are over-reliant on adult support because teachers do not use these plans as effectively as they could to scaffold learning.

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Leaders are committed to making sure that pupils have a wide range of rich experiences that broaden their personal development. Pupils take part in many trips, clubs and activities in their locality as well as further afield, such as a theatre trip to London. Parents and pupils greatly value these opportunities.

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Pupils show respect and tolerance for each other’s unique qualities. They understand why some people might be discriminated against, including those with protected characteristics. They learn how their bodies change and about different relationships, which prepares them well for future life.

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Governors are passionate about, and proud of, their school. They challenge and support leaders effectively, which improves the outcomes for pupils. Leaders at all levels demonstrate a strong commitment to a culture of well-being and workload management. Staff are very positive about leaders’ support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that a vigilant culture of safeguarding is in place. All staff know the risks to pupils and can identify signs of abuse. They record concerns using agreed systems. This means leaders are able to respond swiftly to any reports.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ work with outside agencies means pupils and families get the right support at the right time. Leaders ensure that the right checks are made before employing staff.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are confident about ways to stay safe online. They learn about risks and how to keep themselves safe in the community. They trust all adults in the school to listen to them if they have a worry.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Foundation subject leaders are still developing in their roles. There are gaps in some aspects of their leadership, particularly in evaluating the implementation of the curriculum precisely. Senior leaders should ensure that subject leaders develop further their ability to monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum.  Some pupils with SEND do not always have the right support to be able to access some areas of the curriculum well. This means they are often over-reliant on an adult to help them learn. Teachers must make sure that pupils with SEND get the 11 and 12 October 2022

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precise support they need to help them progress through the curriculum more securely.

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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.

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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. 11 and 12 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241805 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 April 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, teaching and support staff. 11 and 12 October 2022

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 The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and representatives from the local authority.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leaders to discuss how they keep pupils safe in school. Inspectors considered the school’s recruitment procedures, staff induction and training, records of concerns and their engagement with external agencies. The inspectors also spoke with staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including

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the school’s self-evaluation and documentation relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Randall Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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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