Whitewater Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Whitewater Church of England Primary School The Street, Rotherwick, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9BG

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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 Requires improvement 6 and 7 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this welcoming and nurturing school. Leaders have high expectations and pupils rise to these. They behave well. Pupils treat each other with kindness and respect. They are polite, happy and friendly. Pupils wear their values wristbands with pride. They are keen to show the core values of love, respect and courage. Bullying rarely happens, but when it does staff deal with it swiftly. The inclusive ethos of the school is evident to all. Parents, pupils and staff are all overwhelmingly positive about this. One parent, whose view was reflected by many, stated that ‘the culture of the school is one of its greatest strengths, its ethos and values are brought to life’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a range of clubs for pupils to attend. These include football, netball, choir and gardening. Pupils are delighted to have additional responsibilities such as being a road safety officer, school council representative, play buddy or a member of the eco-council.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Playtimes are happy occasions. Whether it is playing on the vast trim trail, engaging in a sporting activity or running around with friends, pupils make sure everyone is included. This starts with the youngest children, who sociably play outside in their wooden wigwam or share their trikes.

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better?

The new leadership team has improved the curriculum. There is a clear structure in all subjects which identifies the knowledge that pupils must learn over time, starting with children in the early years. This has been in place for longer in English and mathematics as these areas were prioritised by leaders. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and deliver the curriculum effectively. Leaders have provided support and training to develop this. Although there is a clear curriculum for foundation subjects, it is not yet fully embedded due to the rolling two-year programme of learning across the mixed-age classes.

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better?

Curriculum planning is broken down into small steps. This allows pupils to make progress and develop their knowledge over time. Teachers use assessment well in English and mathematics. They consistently check what pupils know and can remember, and use this to inform future teaching. This process is still developing in science and other subjects.

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better?

This is an inclusive school. Leaders quickly identify pupils who have additional learning needs. They access bespoke support for pupils to ensure they get the help that they need. Training and support are provided to teachers so that they know how to make curriculum adaptations to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means that pupils with SEND can access content alongside their peers. 6 and 7 December 2022

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Leaders make sure pupils get off to the best possible start in reading so they can be successful learners across the curriculum. They have prioritised reading, with the ambition for every pupil to become a reader at the heart of their curriculum thinking. A clear phonics programme supports pupils to learn to read from early years. The books that pupils read are matched to the sounds learned. Targeted intervention and catch-up sessions enable pupils who find reading more difficult to access the same learning as their peers. Leaders have promoted a love of reading across the school.

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Behaviour around school is calm and positive. All staff have been trained on using common language and systems for behaviour management. This results in a shared approach with high expectations modelled by all. Where pupils have more complex needs, the school has a personalised approach to make sure that behaviour is in line with the school policy. This includes working with external agencies so that the tailored support meets the needs of these pupils. From the early years, pupils are taught the shared rules and routines. The youngest children take turns, share and listen attentively. These routines build throughout the school and are modelled by adults.

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Pupils appreciate the opportunities on offer to them at this school. They talk positively about trips, such as their visit to the Houses of Parliament. In school performances, all pupils are included and supported to have a part. They proudly perform to the school community and are supported by staff to deliver their role with confidence. Leaders have effectively considered the ways that pupils can live out their core values in school. This has included fundraising and collecting food for the local foodbank.

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Governors know the school well. They ask challenging questions to hold leaders to account. They work closely with the leadership team to ensure staff have the support needed to make improvements. The new leadership team has worked hard to bring about significant positive change in the school. This has been recognised by all stakeholders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school’s mantra of ‘the best thing to do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing and the worst thing is to do nothing’ permeates throughout the school. There is a culture of vigilance in the school. Staff and governors are well trained so they have a secure grasp of the school’s policies and procedures. Timely referrals are made to external agencies to support families when needed.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to stay safe in a number of ways. Themes of safety are threaded throughout the curriculum, including ‘be bright, be seen’ and how to stay safe online. 6 and 7 December 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not use assessment as well in the foundation subjects as they do in the core subjects. Leaders should ensure the strong practice developed in core subjects is broadened to all subjects, so teachers know how to adapt learning to meet the needs of all pupils.  The curriculum for some foundation subjects is not yet fully embedded. Pupils’ knowledge in these subjects is not as deep or secure, as they have had less experience of a well-sequenced curriculum over time. Leaders need to continue to monitor the implementation of the curriculum in the foundation subjects.

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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. 6 and 7 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241526 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Glen Golding (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 April to 1 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school runs an on-site breakfast club and an after-school club.  The current executive headteacher and executive head of school joined in December 2021. The assistant headteacher joined the school in September 2022.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the executive head of school and the assistant headteacher. They also met with other school leaders, staff and pupils. 6 and 7 December 2022

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 The lead inspector met with four governors, including the chair of the governing body. Inspectors also spoke with a representative from Hampshire local authority and the Diocese of Winchester.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art. For each deep dive, inspectors 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.  Inspectors also reviewed curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about English.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors checked the single central record of recruitment checks and talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding. Inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils informally.  The inspection team considered the responses to the confidential staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.

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 Inspectors took account of the 50 responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the additional 42 free-text responses. An inspector talked with some parents on the first morning of the inspection.  The inspection team met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to pupils informally during social times and in lessons.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s professional development plan and pupil premium funding plan.

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Inspection team

Sara Staggs, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gareth Flemington His Majesty’s Inspector 6 and 7 December 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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