Southville Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Southville Primary School Merrywood Rd and Myrtle St, Southville, Bristol BS3 1EB

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Outcome

Southville Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is proud to be at the heart of the community for pupils and families. Pupils feel that they belong. They take part in the full life of the school. Many extra-curricular events, such as picnics and fairs, take place throughout the year to bring the school community together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the school’s values of connection, courage, imagination and care. They behave well, but if problems occur, staff support them to resolve these with courage and imagination. Pupils know the importance of ‘doing the right thing’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning. They talk knowledgably about their recent learning. However, in some subjects, pupils’ knowledge is less secure.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A wide range of clubs and activities help pupils to discover their interests. These include sports, the arts, and activities such as cooking and coding. All pupils take part in an annual forest school project where they learn about caring for their world. Children in the nursery develop their interests and ideas. They sustain their concentration to complete activities and they explore ideas in creative ways.

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

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all. They place reading, English and mathematics at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Teaching builds pupils’ learning step by step. Staff use assessment well to check what pupils are remembering over time. Teaching revisits areas of the curriculum where pupils have gaps in their knowledge. For example, in mathematics, teachers routinely address misconceptions effectively. They provide effective additional support to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers’ adaptations mean that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. 28 and 29 March 2023

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While published outcomes reflect pupils’ success in reading and mathematics, the curriculums in many of the foundation subjects are much newer. In some new curriculums, the content to be learned is set out in precise detail and sequenced to build pupils’ knowledge and understanding effectively. Where this occurs, teaching helps pupils to connect their learning. However, in some subjects, content is not yet as clearly sequenced. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge as well.

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In the Nursery, staff encourage children to learn about language through their play. Staff creatively help children to listen to stories, talk to each other and practise imaginative mark making.

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The phonics curriculum is well structured. It begins with the youngest children. Teachers introduce new learning one step at a time. They present information clearly and model new sounds accurately. Pupils successfully practise using their phonic knowledge of sounds to read well. They are keen to practise their reading at home. Pupils who fall behind receive extra teaching to help them keep up. As a result, they develop fluency in their reading.

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Pupils learn the importance of respecting different faiths and backgrounds. They learn to be sensitive to other peoples’ feelings. Staff help pupils to understand fairness. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. For example, they are aware of how to protect their identities. Pupils know who trusted adults are and say that they have an adult to talk to in school if they need to. They are safe and happy at school.

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Governors and staff have created an inclusive school. This informs the work of the governing body when planning school development. As a result, pastoral leaders are well supported to provide a wide range of help to pupils. For example, the school offers a range of therapeutic interventions to support those who need it.

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Leaders are passionate about the school and prioritise the most important aspects for development. Staff work well with leaders to create a strong sense of teamwork. Parents are overwhelmingly positive and supportive of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are appropriately trained. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They use the school’s systems effectively. Leaders know when to seek advice from external agencies and when to escalate concerns. Pastoral leaders provide effective support for pupils who need additional help. 28 and 29 March 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum is being redesigned. Where this is the case, knowledge is not yet clearly set out or well sequenced. As a result, in some subjects, pupils are not building their knowledge as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that all curriculums are well sequenced to build the knowledge that pupils need.

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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 September 2012.

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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.

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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. 28 and 29 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256763 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 Mrs Jennifer Gibson

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a nursery for children aged three to four years.  The after-school care provider is registered with Ofsted and was not part of this inspection.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  After a period of interim headships, the current headteacher was appointed in September 2021.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, school leaders, other school staff, a local authority representative, and governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. 28 and 29 March 2023

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 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 reviewed curriculum planning and pupils’ work across other subjects in the curriculum.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour when arriving at school, in lessons and during break times. Inspectors met senior leaders and staff to discuss the school’s approach to behaviour management and how they respond to issues.  Inspectors reviewed and sampled leaders’ checks on the suitability of staff to work with children. They reviewed behaviour records, support plans for pupils with SEND and safeguarding records.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and met with parents on the school playground.

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Inspection team

Gareth Simons, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Teresa Hill Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 March 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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