St Matthew's Church of England Aided Primary School

Inspection of St Matthew’s Church of England Aided Primary School Drift Road, Blackmoor, Liss, Hampshire GU33 6BN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 13 and14 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on really well with one another at St Matthew’s. Older and younger pupils spend valuable time both learning and playing together. They live out the school’s aims of friendship, respect, achievement and faith.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure all pupils develop independence. While support is there for pupils when they need it, pupils show a tenacity to want to do their best. Pupils learn to value themselves and embrace differences in others, saying everyone deserves the same opportunities in life. They welcome the chance to be active citizens within the school. Pupils take on roles such as ‘ambassadors’, prefects and captains, playing a very positive role in enhancing other pupils’ daily experiences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are grateful for the opportunities leaders provide, such as forest school and regular trips. There is a palpable buzz around events like the annual swimming gala and triathlon. Younger pupils look forward to these events too, and this inspires them to take part when the time comes. Pupils are safe and know to seek help if something worries them. While some pupils struggle at times, unkind words or actions, including bullying, are exceptionally rare. Pupils say when it does happen, staff successfully make the problem better.

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better?

Leaders rightly want every pupil to be a successful reader and nurture each pupil’s love of reading. Pupils benefit from daily reading practice and enjoy a good book in the reading garden. Pupils engage well when teachers read aloud with enthusiasm. The books pupils read are usually appropriate to their individual abilities. Extra support for pupils who find reading harder is appropriate in meeting pupils’ individual needs. Leaders are addressing some inconsistencies in teaching reading in some classes.

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better?

Leaders expect all pupils to engage in lessons and achieve their best. Ambitious curriculum plans help achieve this in many subjects. Pupils’ learning builds well on their previous knowledge. For example, in mathematics, early number work in early years develops into clear, articulate mathematical reasoning by Year 6. Additionally, in physical education, pupils learn progressive skills, for example beginning with serve and set in volleyball and moving on to passing and dig shots. Also, for example, pupils develop an appreciation of different art forms and use different media in their artwork. However, the quality of the curriculum in some other subjects is not as strong. For example, in computing, the curriculum is not delivered in full, and teachers’ subject knowledge is developing.

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better?

Teachers challenge disadvantaged pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND), to contribute to class discussions and to learn well. Staff work with parents to develop clear targets to achieve this and meet the individual needs of these pupils. However, in some subjects, teachers sometimes set pupils with SEND tasks that are not well matched to the needs of those learners. 13 and14 March 2023

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Leaders are aware of this and are developing methods of checking how well all pupils learn in all subjects.

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Pupils’ behaviour and positive attitudes are very strong throughout the school. Leaders recognise the importance of ensuring high-quality interactions, and they expect everyone’s words and actions to show care and high levels of respect. In all classes, pupils are committed to their learning and want to do their very best. Pupils support their peers and understand when a classmate might need help. While some pupils need significant support for their behaviour, leaders have a clear and thorough understanding of the needs of all pupils to ensure they can succeed in their learning. Staff members have an exceptional understanding of the causes of a pupil’s strong emotions and use effective strategies to maintain a conducive learning atmosphere.

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Leaders ensure that pupils receive good quality personal, social and health education (PSHE). This ensures pupils are gaining a better understanding of the world in which they live and can build strong relationships with others. Locally, pupils proudly support the food bank and take part in other events such as the village Remembrance Day service. Pupils also learn about different religions in society. They can explain with understanding the Muslim period of Ramadan, the festival of Diwali and the Jewish celebration of Passover. Everyone takes pride in sponsoring the education of a Kenyan child. Additionally, pupils consider and debate moral dilemmas with insight. For example, they discuss such topics as whether soldiers should have played football against opposing soldiers in ’no man’s land’ at Christmas 1914.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have embedded a safeguarding culture of raising and reporting all concerns, no matter how small. Leaders use a range of resources to further develop each individual staff member’s ability to keep pupils safe. They encourage staff to record the smallest of concerns and respond to concerns appropriately. Where external support takes time, leaders put interim support in place. Governors monitor safeguarding regularly to assure themselves that pupils and staff are safe.

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Safeguarding

The PSHE programme teaches pupils how to keep safe. This includes online and road safety, while the emphasis on swimming develops pupils’ understanding of water safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some members of staff’s subject and teaching content knowledge is variable across the school. This means that the delivery of the curriculum is sometimes inconsistent. As a result, pupils do not always receive consistently high-quality 13 and14 March 2023

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teaching to enable them to learn the intended curriculum as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that staff are expertly trained, monitored regularly and provided with clearer expectations about what should be taught in all 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. 13 and14 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256401 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Michelle Jenkins

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is designated as having a religious character. Its last Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools took place in November 2015, when it received an outstanding judgement overall.  The school uses no alternative provision.

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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 headteacher, the deputy headteacher and three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. Inspectors also met with a representative of the local authority, a representative of the diocese and other leaders within the school. 13 and14 March 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history, music and physical education. 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.  In addition, the inspectors also looked at other curriculum areas, including art and design and computing.  The inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records, interviewing staff and through discussions with pupils.  The inspectors 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 inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self- evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident

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Inspection team

Chris Parker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ally Aldridge-Gibbons His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and14 March 2023

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