Fawley Infant School

Inspection of Fawley Infant School School Road, Fawley, Southampton, Hampshire SO45 1EA

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 17 and 18 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this small coastal school. They are inspired by the school’s values, where ‘learning to fly high’ is lived through a thoughtful curriculum that is full of meaningful experiences. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across most areas of the curriculum and get the support that they need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils want to take care of their environment. They learn how to do this through carefully chosen lessons, trips and visitors. For example, New Forest Verderers help pupils to understand how to look after and protect surrounding wildlife. One pupil decided to raise funds after a visit from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Pupils learn to ask, ‘What can I do for the local community, and why?’ This helps them to feel responsible and confident as they move through the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are taught about equality and what bullying and unkindness are. Bullying is not part of school life. Through clear systems and routines, pupils understand the importance of trying to do the right things all the time. Teachers act quickly to resolve any issues if they ever arise. This helps pupils to feel safe and learn in a calm, positive school environment.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Leaders have focused on prioritising the teaching of reading to unlock education for all. They have thought carefully about the important knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn. However, in some subjects, including some areas of learning in the early years, this is not as fully developed. This means that pupils do not achieve as highly as they could in all aspects of the curriculum.

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better?

Staff have secure subject knowledge. They continuously develop their professional understanding, for example by learning more about effective provision for pupils with SEND. Leaders prioritise this training to help staff meet pupils’ individual needs. In most areas, leaders make sure that learning builds on what pupils know and can do already. In some subjects, for example mathematics, this is already very well developed, which helps pupils to connect ideas together.

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better?

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school, and teachers help them to read well. Staff have expert skills to deliver the school’s phonics programme. They quickly focus on any pupils that begin to fall behind and provide extra help to make sure that they catch up. Reading books match to sounds that pupils are learning. Through assemblies, the school library and regular story time, leaders create a positive approach to reading across the school. Through close partnership with parents and daily focused activities, pupils develop a love of books, authors and reading.

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better?

Staff check pupils’ learning in precise and purposeful ways. There is a cycle of 17 and 18 January 2023

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following up on these checks with clear plans for pupils’ subsequent learning. This means that staff are routinely helping pupils to spot any errors and misunderstandings they might have. Staff make sure that pupils make good progress in their learning.

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Leaders ensure that pupils’ development is enriched in an exemplary way. The ‘INSPIRE’ values are part of school life as soon as pupils begin school. School clubs include choir, book club, dance, football, drama, arts and crafts and a well-being club. There are also events that focus on pupils with SEND such as the ‘Time to Shine’ festival. All pupils in the school attend the clubs of their choice. Teaching links to the comprehensive personal, social and health education curriculum, weekly forest school provision and the school’s strong ethos. When combined, these experiences help pupils to see a world that is beyond just the digital world of screens and technology.

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Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are kind and respectful towards each other, which begins in the early years. Pupils understand clear routines which are well organised and understood by all. In lessons, pupils are enthusiastic and show positive attitudes to their learning. Staff work hard to adapt how they manage the behaviour of pupils with specific needs effectively. Attendance is consistently high for all pupils. This contributes to a school culture that is worthy of being shared with others.

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Trustees and the academy council are committed to the school and fulfil their statutory duties. They have identified the correct priorities and offer appropriate support and challenge to leaders regarding the quality of education. Staff speak very positively about the school and school leaders, as do parents who are overwhelmingly supportive. Staff say that leaders consider their workload and well- being. Leaders work hard to support all staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff use their close knowledge of pupils and their families to help determine when a child is in need of support. They swiftly report concerns so that leaders can take further actions if needed. Leaders have ensured that the comprehensive safeguarding curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to stay safe, including online. Leaders’ record-keeping is comprehensive and sets out concerns, actions and outcomes clearly. Leaders ensure that all staff and volunteers have appropriate safeguarding training. When recruiting staff and governors, all the appropriate checks are made.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils are not achieving as well as they could in some aspects of the curriculum, 17 and 18 January 2023

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for example in history and geography, including in the early years. Where this is the case, key knowledge and vocabulary are not identified and taught fully effectively. Leaders should ensure that every curriculum area from early years onwards equips pupils with the learning that helps them to achieve highly.

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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. 17 and 18 January 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a smaller-than-average infant school that is part of the Inspire Learning Partnership multi-academy trust.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is above average. Around half the pupils in the school are eligible for free school meals, and a third are from families in the armed forces.

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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.  The inspectors met with school leaders and other members of staff, including the 17 and 18 January 2023

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special educational needs coordinator. They also met with trustees and the chair of the academy council.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. They looked at relevant documentation, staff’s recruitment checks and training records. They also considered how well adults in the school act on emerging concerns about pupils’ welfare.  Inspectors spoke with pupils, parents and staff to gather their views. They looked at 17 responses to Ofsted Parent View and 12 free-text responses. Inspectors also considered 14 replies to the staff questionnaire and the pupil questionnaire.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, religious education and physical education. This involved talking with senior leaders, subject leaders and class teachers about how these subjects are delivered. Inspectors then visited lessons to see this in action, talked to pupils about what they had learned

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and looked at their work. Inspectors also listened to pupils read and looked at a range of documents, including the school improvement plan and audits carried out for the trust.

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Inspection team

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Felix Rayner Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 January 2023

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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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