Kempshott Junior School

Inspection of Kempshott Junior School Old Down Close, Homesteads Road, Kempshott, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 5LL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 18 and 19 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The heartily sung and fun action school song, ‘Give it all you’ve got’, exemplifies the ambition in this school. Staff encourage all pupils to do their very best and to believe in and celebrate their own and others’ skills and talents. Leaders give all pupils opportunities to participate fully in the life of the school. Staff know their pupils well and want the very best for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Clear routines mean that pupils conduct themselves well around the school. Older pupils show care, and they nurture younger pupils by taking on roles such as lunchtime supporters. Pupils play safely and happily together. They show high levels of tolerance and acceptance of any differences. Pupils know the difference between bullying and ‘falling out’. They are confident that staff stop bullying if it happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum helps pupils to learn about equality, diversity, tolerance and respect. There is harmony in the way pupils work with each other. Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils respond positively to this. They work hard and are keen to share what they have learned. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy their learning and are proud of their achievements.

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better?

The teaching of reading is a priority for the school. Teachers teach phonics in a consistent way. Pupils read books carefully matched to the sounds they know. Those who are still learning to read receive well-structured help and support. Leaders foster a love of reading throughout the school. The special Year 6 reading section in the library is full of well-considered book choices that are motivating and set high aspirations for pupils. It helps them be ready for their next steps in learning.

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better?

In core subjects, staff plan learning in carefully ordered steps. Teachers ensure thar pupils are exposed to and quickly learn key vocabulary. Within lessons, teachers plan opportunities to revisit and recap previously learned knowledge. However, in some foundation subjects, plans are less developed and do not set out clearly enough the exact knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that teachers cannot always routinely check how well the curriculum is being learned.

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better?

Leaders and staff identify those pupils with SEND quickly. They work closely with other professionals to gain the right advice for supporting pupils. Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND study the same curriculum as their peers. Staff are supported well to adapt learning to meet pupils’ needs effectively. Consequently, these pupils achieve well. 18 and 19 April 2023

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Behaviour is good both in lessons and at social times. Pupils respond positively to the high expectations of behaviour that staff have of them. They believe the school rules are fair and help them to concentrate and focus on learning. Pupils are respectful to each other and understand that some of their peers need more support than they might do in order to behave well. This ensures that in lessons, pupils can focus on their learning.

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Pupils access a wide range of activities outside of lessons. These activities include the Young Duke award, in which many pupils participate. This and a wide range of other opportunities link together to help to promote pupils’ personal development and understanding of the world. The diversity group empowers pupils to promote diversity and champion equalities. Pupils are very aware of the rights of themselves and their peers to be treated equally. One pupil captured the views of many when they said, ‘No one judges us if we say what we are.’

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about their school and are proud to work here. They feel supported and valued by the senior leadership team. Leaders minimise the challenges faced by staff in respect of workload and support well-being. Staff appreciate the concern shown by leaders. The governing body is extremely knowledgeable about the school’s priorities. Governors bring a range of useful experience to their roles. As a result, they challenge and support leaders very effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture, where everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular training and updates. They know what to look out for and how to respond to safeguarding concerns. Staff pass on information promptly, following the school’s reporting and recording procedures. The school’s safeguarding processes ensure that children at risk of harm get the right help and support without delay.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when they are online. Governors have strong understanding and use this in their oversight of safeguarding.

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What does the school need to do to improve?

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not been clear enough about the precise knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This means that pupils do not build on their prior learning as well as they do in other subjects. Leaders should ensure that curriculum planning is sufficiently well thought through to support teachers to develop all subjects to the same standard.  In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment well enough to check on pupils’ learning. This means teachers do not necessarily know what has been 18 and 19 April 2023

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securely learned. Leaders should ensure that teachers are supported to use assessment systems as leaders intend, and then use this information to address gaps in pupils’ learning.

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How can I feed back my views?

school, 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. 18 and 19 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256284 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 and 12 January 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school operates its own before- and after-school club.  The school does not currently use any 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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders, governors, including the chair of governors, and local authority representatives.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, computing 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. 18 and 19 April 2023

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 Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of the safeguarding arrangements in the school through document checks, including the checks that leaders make on staff’s suitability to work with children. Inspectors checked that staff implement safeguarding policies and procedures effectively across the school.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers from responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including free-text responses, and spoke to several parents before school on the first day of inspection.  Inspectors met with a range of staff to gather their views about the school, and took account of staff’s responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff questionnaire.  Inspectors spoke to pupils formally and informally. They spoke to pupils about their learning and experiences at school. Inspectors observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This

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included the school’s self-evaluation, published information about pupils’ performance, and minutes of governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Ginny Rhodes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lesley Fisher-Pink Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 April 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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