Emsworth Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Emsworth Primary School Victoria Road, Emsworth, Hampshire PO10 7LX

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Outcome

Emsworth Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Emsworth Primary School are well mannered and happy. They say good morning to visitors, hold doors open for others and contribute to conversations with enthusiasm. The school values of ‘Enjoy, Persevere, Succeed’ are definitely alive in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive good teaching and care. In return, they want to give back to the school. Every pupil can have a class responsibility, while others have a whole school role. Being eco-warriors, e-safety ambassadors, pupil governors, prefects and heads of houses are just some examples of ways in which pupils contribute to the school. They articulate these roles with maturity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well both in class and around the school because of teachers’ high expectations. Pupils want to do their best for themselves and to help each other, especially if someone is sad or worried. They value being kind to everyone and help pupils who are new to the school to settle in. Pupils are unequivocal in their respect for people with different backgrounds. For example, they are equally accepting of different family set-ups, with one older pupil very thoughtfully reflecting that ‘it doesn’t matter as it doesn’t change who you are’.

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

Leaders ensure every pupil receives an ambitious curriculum. They know the fundamental importance of all pupils being able to read well. As a result, all staff are well trained and teach phonics with accuracy. Pupils engage in phonics sessions with enthusiasm. Leaders have invested in many appropriate decodable books, and books for pupils to read for pleasure. Pupils enjoy reading, including those who are finding it harder to learn to read. Pupils especially enjoy listening to well-chosen texts that adults read to them. For example, Year 2 was gripped by accounts of the Titanic disaster.

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

Pupils know and remember more in many subject areas, but not all. Where it is strongest, such as in mathematics, computing and music, leaders provide effective guidance for 2 and 3 February 2023

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teachers to support pupils’ learning. For example, in mathematics, a clear policy sets out the way pupils should solve a calculation. Teachers use a variety of approaches to engage pupils well. For example, in computing, younger pupils practise taking photographs on tablets or experiment using programmable robots, while older pupils discuss online safety scenarios with maturity. Teachers check how well pupils have learned key knowledge and use this information to adapt future lessons. There are some subjects where the curriculum does not progress as effectively, meaning that pupils do not always achieve as well as they could. However, recent curriculum changes demonstrate that leaders know how to improve this.

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Pupils, regardless of their individual needs, strive to achieve the best they can. Teachers adapt learning opportunities so pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the extra support to succeed. For example, in Year 2, a considerable group of pupils have not completed the phonics scheme after the pandemic, so leaders have targeted additional support to enable pupils to catch up faster.

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Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are strong. Disruption in lessons is rare, and there is a calm and orderly environment inside and outside. If a pupil finds it harder to maintain this high standard of behaviour, adults deal with this well. Leaders work with a pupil’s family to agree on supportive, individualised plans. Many parents recognise the impact of recent constructive changes to managing behaviour.

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Leaders ensure there are wider activities for pupils to enjoy. To enhance both competitive and inclusive sporting opportunities, pupils participate in events that are both with and against other schools. Pupils’ understanding of global issues develops through a range of bespoke opportunities. The school is particularly proud of being a pilot school for a local project to support refugees moving to the community. They have worked with a local nature reserve to encourage pupils to make Christmas decorations out of natural resources. Pupils’ spirituality is developed well, for example through the ongoing design of a ‘Peace Garden’ following the Queen’s death.

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Staff are positive about working at the school. Leaders take time to listen to their colleagues. This generates a genuine team effort to improve outcomes and experiences for every pupil. The school’s governing body takes key strategic decisions with care, including safeguarding, personnel and finance. One parent summed up the views of many by saying the headteacher ‘has communicated so well and been so open asking for constant feedback...she truly cares for the children and it shows. I am excited for what she is doing and the years ahead’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure a strong safeguarding culture in this school. Extra little thoughts, such as the school’s safeguarding team wearing rainbow lanyards, make a big difference. This way, everyone knows who the safeguarding leads are. All staff members receive thorough training, enabling swift identification of any concerns. Leaders make sure they keep staff’s knowledge up to date. Record-keeping of incidents and any related actions is thorough 2 and 3 February 2023

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and timely. Leaders are tenacious in getting the support pupils need, ensuring prompt referrals to wider services.

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The curriculum includes clear opportunities for all pupils to develop an age-appropriate understanding of how to keep safe, including when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Although some subjects, such as computing and music, are planned from Reception through to Year 6 in careful steps, not all subjects have a precise sequence of knowledge, skills and vocabulary. This means pupils’ understanding in those subjects does not consistently build over time as well as it could. Leaders need to ensure that the work recently started to improve the curriculum continues so that the curriculum provides the complete breadth of key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn and remember.

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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 February 2013.

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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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 2 and 3 February 2023

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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The previous headteacher left the school in April 2022 and an interim headteacher was in post until the current headteacher was appointed in September 2022.  The school uses no alternative provision.  Before- and after-school childcare provision is managed by the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspector also met with a representative from the local authority and other leaders within the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. 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 2 and 3 February 2023

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their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  In addition, the inspector also looked at other curriculum areas, including music and history.  The inspector reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records, interviewing staff and through discussions with pupils.  The inspector considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  The inspector reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self-evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.

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Inspection team

Chris Parker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 February 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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