Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School

Inspection of Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School 52 High Street, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2EA

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 13 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 10 and 11 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are enthusiastic about their learning and their school life. They are proud to represent the school in different ways. Older pupils take the role of house captain seriously. They know that they are role models for the rest of the school. During playtimes, sports leaders help to organise activities and make sure everyone is included in games. The school ensures that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can take part in different events, such as sporting competitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live out the ‘heart values’ of courage, respect and stewardship. They talk about why these matter to them and how important kindness is. Parents recognise that the school offers a nurturing and caring environment which makes pupils feel safe. Everyone is clear that all are welcome at this school. This view underpins the inclusive nature of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. From the early years and beyond, there is a carefully designed curriculum that helps prepare pupils for the next stage of their education. This includes preparing pupils to be active citizens in the community.

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better?

Leaders have made deliberate decisions about what they want pupils to achieve during their time in school. The determination for pupils to be successful permeates through the staff. This helps to prepare pupils for their next stage of education and life beyond primary school.

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better?

The school has focused on refining the curriculum and identified what pupils must know in each subject. Leaders have thoughtfully considered the most important information they want pupils to remember. Staff check that pupils understand these key concepts. This begins in the early years. Learning is adapted to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEND. As a result, pupils achieve well. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and eager to talk about what they know. They are less clear, however, on what they have learned before as it is not always revisited to keep their knowledge fresh in their minds.

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better?

There has been a sharp focus on the vocabulary that pupils should learn as they progress through the school. This was identified as an area for development following the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff have prioritised the subject-specific language they want pupils to remember from the early years to Year 6. Pupils generally understand what these words mean and why they are important. In science, for example, key stage 1 pupils spoke confidently about predators and prey, giving examples to back up their ideas. Sometimes, in the early years, adults do not help children to develop a strong understanding of key vocabulary.

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better?

The school is clear that reading is a priority, and children start learning phonics as soon as they join Reception. There is a common structure to the teaching of phonics 10 and 11 October 2023

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in Reception and Year 1. This shared approach helps children transition from the early years into key stage 1. Staff check that pupils have understood the sounds they are learning. If they have not secured the intended sounds, extra support helps pupils to keep up with their peers. The library is a warm and welcoming environment which pupils love to visit. Children in the early years are keen to choose a new book and enjoy sharing stories with their friends and teachers. Story time across the school is a joyful occasion. Pupils love listening to stories and finding out what happens next.

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Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils know and understand the school rules. These are deliberately linked to the school values. Relationships between staff and pupils are based on mutual respect. Pupils are polite, courteous and enthusiastic. In the dining hall, the youngest children learn the routines of eating lunch. Older pupils support them in understanding the expectations. Throughout the school, there is a calm atmosphere where everyone can learn.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. There is a vast array of clubs and activities that all pupils can take part in. Pupils are grateful for this extensive offer. The school carefully tracks who is attending clubs to make sure that all pupils have the opportunity to develop an extra-curricular interest. The pastoral support the school offers to pupils is exceptional. Through the personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of relationships and staying safe. Older pupils talk confidently about their ‘personal bubble’ and why others must ask permission to enter this space. Pupils demonstrate the school value of stewardship through their fundraising activities. They enjoy taking care of the school’s tranquillity garden. They nurture this space with love and attention.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils do not always recall key knowledge, particularly from prior learning. This means that sometimes they have gaps in their learning. Leaders need to ensure that teaching activities enable pupils to routinely revisit their prior learning, so that they retain it in their long-term memory.  In the early years, the learning environment does not support children to develop the intended vocabulary. Staff do not always intervene to extend children’s understanding of key words. This means that children are not consistently exposed to broad, rich vocabulary and do not learn new words as well as they could. Leaders should continue to support staff to understand how best to help children to understand and remember the intended vocabulary. 10 and 11 October 2023

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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’ 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). 10 and 11 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Daniel Underwood

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 March 2010, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Portsmouth. The last inspection of the school’s religious character was in January 2023.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The headteacher and the deputy headteacher have been appointed since the last inspection and most of the staff were not in post when the school was last inspected.

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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

 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 The inspection team met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. They also met with other school leaders, staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with eight governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with a representative from Hampshire local authority and the Diocese of Portsmouth.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and art. For each deep dive, the 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.  The inspectors also looked at books, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to leaders about early mathematics.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspection team checked the single central record of recruitment checks and talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding. The

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inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils informally.  The inspectors considered the responses to the confidential staff and pupil surveys and spoke to a range of staff and pupils about their views of the school.  The inspectors took account of the 125 responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the additional 82 free-text responses. An inspector talked with some parents on the first morning of the inspection.  The inspection team met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to pupils informally during social times and in lessons.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s development plan and the school’s self-evaluation.

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Inspection team

Sara Staggs, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Woodbridge His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Foster Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 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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