Netley Abbey Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Netley Abbey Junior School Westwood Road, Netley Abbey, Southampton, Hampshire SO31 5EL

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Outcome

Netley Abbey Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged by staff to ‘be the best that they can be’ at this vibrant, inclusive school. One pupil summed this up, saying, ‘The best thing about our school is that it is a community for everyone.’ Pupils understand the school’s ‘CLIC’ values of communication, learning, improving health and community. They value how these are celebrated through rewards, assemblies and school events. Pupils enjoy their lessons, and many take part in after-school clubs such as tennis, choir and gymnastics. Pupils develop confidence through opportunities to represent their school in events such as Quidditch and cross- country. One pupil was proud to share, ‘From reading to Taekwondo, you can do everything here!’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and know the school’s behaviour systems well. Pupils understand some of the potential dangers of social media and the hazards linked to the time that they spend online. Bullying is not tolerated and any incidents are dealt with quickly. Pupils explain their ‘Netley Learning Model’ with confidence, describing how they are encouraged to think about people’s differences so that they learn to respect each other. Pupils take proactive approaches to tackling issues such as racism and discrimination.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Where subjects are well developed, such as history and mathematics, staff are clear about the precise knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. Staff check pupils’ understanding and ensure that pupils make progress through the curriculum. Some subjects in the wider curriculum are still being developed and recent changes have not yet had time to fully impact on how well some pupils are learning. Some pupils’ work, including presentation, is not yet consistently of the high standard that leaders expect. Leaders are aware of this and continue to work with the staff team to secure positive outcomes.

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

Pupils learn to read well. Leaders have introduced a new phonics scheme to support those pupils who need additional help. Leaders make sure that all staff receive appropriate 23 and 24 May 2023

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training to deliver the phonics programme. Staff use this training effectively and check how well pupils are learning. Staff create a love of reading through initiatives such as the library book swap and by regularly sharing high-quality texts. Pupils enjoy the school’s ‘Readopoly’ approach where pupils are rewarded for reading regularly. Pupils talk about books with enthusiasm and share detailed recounts of stories that teachers have read to them in lessons.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. The newly appointed special educational needs coordinator has established positive relationships with pupils, staff and parents. Staff work closely with specialist support from the local authority and external agencies to help develop their expertise and ensure that pupils with SEND get the help that they need. Generally, pupils’ attendance is high. However, some disadvantaged pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Leaders are already engaging with parents to address this.

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Leaders deliver a thoughtful programme that supports pupils’ wider development. Pupils enjoy responsibilities such as being a house captain or ‘learning ambassador’. They value the opportunity to look after and work with younger pupils from the federated infant school, for example by being a reading buddy. Leaders take deliberate actions to develop a sense of belonging and community at every opportunity. Classes are named after roads in the village. Visits are planned that use the local environment, such as trips to the Netley Abbey ruins and support work with Netley Court Care Home.

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Governors are committed to the school. They know the school’s strengths and areas for development. Leaders, including governors, are considerate of staff’s workload and well- being. There are clear support systems in place such as ‘well-being Wednesdays’ and sensitive approaches to managing training and development. Parents are supportive of school leaders and particularly value the range of clubs and activities on offer. One parent commented, ‘You will find clubs suitable for everyone…teachers always have the best interests of children at heart.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They keep detailed records and make sure that staff get the appropriate training that they need. Staff know pupils and families well and know what to do if they have any concerns. If any safeguarding issues arise, staff act quickly. Leaders refer to external agencies when needed and benefit from effective support. Governors have a good understanding of their statutory duties relating to safeguarding and ensure that regular checks are carried out, including the single central record and checks to ensure that new members of staff are recruited safely.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils are not achieving as well as they could across the curriculum. Where this 23 and 24 May 2023

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is the case, recent changes to the curriculum have not had enough time to demonstrate a full impact on pupils’ learning. Leaders should ensure that every curriculum area equips pupils with the learning that helps them to achieve highly and that pupils’ work consistently reflects the high standards that leaders expect.  A small number of disadvantaged pupils have higher levels of absence than their peers. These pupils miss out on some aspects of school life and the full range of wider opportunities that are on offer. Leaders must continue to do all they can so that these pupils improve their attendance.

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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 January 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.

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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. 23 and 24 May 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Alexandra McLeonards

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School details

Headteacher Shirley Nicholas-Bond (Executive Headteacher) Rosie Leversidge (Head of School) Website http://netleyabbeyschools.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school federated with Netley Abbey Infant School in November 2020.  The executive headteacher took up post in December 2020.  The school currently uses one registered alternative provision.

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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 executive headteacher, the head of school 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: reading, mathematics and history. 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 23 and 24 May 2023

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their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 and by speaking to parents on the school site.  The inspector 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

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 May 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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