Cupernham Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Cupernham Junior School Bransley Close, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 7JT

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 September 2023

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Outcome

Cupernham Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and keen to learn. They build strong relationships with staff and feel safe. Pupils know that staff expect them to behave well, and they make great efforts to meet these high expectations. Pupils are welcoming and courteous in classrooms and around the school. They have a clear understanding of the school routines, and breaktimes are calm and purposeful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils concentrate well, listen patiently and strive to meet any challenges that they are set. They work individually and in groups with enthusiasm. Pupils work hard and show pride in what they achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils build a strong understanding of diversity. They study a range of religions, and authors from a range of cultures. Pupils also enjoy engaging in rich debates, and they develop a sound understanding of the views and beliefs of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff think carefully about the best ways to help and support pupils. Pupils are taught to be resilient and resourceful. The young carers’ group supports pupils who look after others well, offering them opportunities to talk and share experiences with others. A varied range of trips and enrichment activities are available to pupils. These help pupils to develop their talents and interests.

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

The school has carefully designed the curriculum. Teachers organise learning to ensure that pupils learn more over time. Staff use assessment effectively, checking what pupils know and remember regularly. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), deepen their understanding of key concepts well. Staff carefully consider how pupils learn and how they can check pupils’ understanding. Teachers use their well-thought-through assessment strategies to plan future learning that addresses gaps in pupils’ understanding. 26 and 27 September 2023

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Pupils produce high-quality work across a range of subjects. However, very occasionally, teachers do not explain learning in a clear enough way. For example, in religious education, pupils are not always able to deepen their understanding of important concepts consistently by reflecting on and remembering the information that teachers present them with.

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The school has made reading a priority. Pupils encounter a range of exciting books in their lessons, and they read often. They learn to read with fluency and deepen their knowledge of a range of poems and books. Teachers provide daily reading sessions that allow pupils to really enjoy reading, and adults plan extra support for pupils who need it. The school has worked hard to support pupils who start school as less confident readers and this has paid off. Weaker readers improve their fluency and comprehension well as they move through the year groups.

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The school has high expectations of all pupils. Teachers consistently apply routines in class and social times. Teachers use reminders and well-established systems to ensure pupils listen and behave well. Pupils are enthusiastic and positive about learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils excitedly used coins to develop their understanding of place value and addition.

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Pupils’ personal development is a high priority. The school is ambitious for pupils to learn beyond the curriculum. The school has ensured that personal, social and health education is carefully organised. Pupils develop a greater understanding over time of concepts such as identity, consent and relationships. The school ensures that a range of trips and themed weeks enhance pupils’ learning. A wide range of trips and activities support pupils’ appreciation and understanding of British values. For example, pupils visit the Houses of Parliament to learn about democracy. The school thinks carefully about the needs of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND when planning the personal development programme.

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Governors know the school well, visiting to check aspects of safeguarding and leaders’ actions. Staff feel well supported by leaders at all levels. They receive high-quality training and access to support for their well-being. Parents are positive about the school and appreciate the commitment of staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Very occasionally, teachers do not ensure that pupils remember what they have learned and embed key knowledge in their long-term memory. This means that some pupils do not deepen their understanding as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers refine their approaches to ensuring pupils remember important learning. 26 and 27 September 2023

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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 2014.

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 26 and 27 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Phillip Ratcliffe

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the inclusion lead. The inspector met with other leaders and staff. The inspector also held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 26 and 27 September 2023

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Gavin Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 September 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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