Selborne Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Selborne Church of England Primary School School Lane, Selborne, Alton, Hampshire GU34 3JA

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Outcome

Selborne Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this school. Right from the start of the pre-school, they are known as individuals by staff. Pupils love their school and describe their teachers as kind and firm. They are expected to behave well and work hard. Pupils rise to this challenge, taking pride in their school community and achieving well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Respect is the backbone of this inclusive and vibrant school. Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils readily accept each other’s differences. They know that their opinions matter to staff. There are a range of ways that pupils can make a positive difference to the school community. Roles such the school and eco councils, and church reps are important and valued. Pupils relish the recently extended extra-curricular offer. They love attending choir, band and sports clubs. These help to develop pupils’ talents and interests well. Pupils benefit from exciting enrichment activities, such as visiting museums, residentials and outdoor learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and their parents and carers note the many positive steps that the school has taken recently. They comment that the school’s educational offer has strengthened. Parents wholeheartedly praise work of the school, describing how staff go above and beyond to ensure that their children flourish.

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

The school has a clear vision that all pupils should receive a high-quality education. Leaders and governors work with commitment, energy and determination. Governors offer helpful support to leaders. Staff feel that leaders are mindful of their well-being and professional development. They are very proud to work here.

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

The school has reviewed its curriculum to ensure that it is broad, balanced and logically sequenced. The important knowledge that pupils need to learn has been identified. It is broken down into smaller steps across most subjects. Pupils incrementally build on what 30 January 2024

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they already know. These improvements have helped pupils to understand and remember more over time. This is also true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff skilfully adapt activities and resources so that pupils with SEND can also achieve well.

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In subjects such as mathematics, teachers have strong subject knowledge. They make sure that pupils have resources that support their learning well. Staff adeptly check pupils’ understanding and address any misconceptions. From pre-school and early years, children develop confidence in numbers and shapes. They are well prepared for key stage 1 and beyond. However, in just a couple of subjects, teachers’ subject knowledge is less strong. Here, their expectations of pupils’ work are lower than in the most established subjects. This means that while pupils broadly achieve well, they could do even better. The school knows this and is working to address it.

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The school has built a sense of momentum around reading. It is a very high priority. Pupils know how important reading is and enjoy the many books on offer. Children in pre- school and early years readily describe their favourite characters from the picture books that they regularly read. Staff are experts at teaching reading and phonics. They make sure that pupils with SEND and those who do not speak English as a first language are well supported. Staff help pupils to understand both the sounds and the meaning of words. The school spots any pupil who struggles with reading and provides extra help. This allows pupils to gain confidence and read with fluency. Pupils’ achievement in reading and phonics is fast improving.

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The school has consistently high expectations of how pupils should behave. Staff treat pupils with care and consideration. Pupils respond to this well. They say that behaviour has improved more recently, and that the school is a kind and calm place. Routines are well established. In early years, play is harmonious. Children are taught to cooperate and share their toys readily. During lessons, pupils focus attentively on their learning and are keen to do well. Very occasionally, a pupil with SEND may find it hard to behave as the school expects. Here, they are well supported by their understanding peers and caring staff.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength. Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves happy, healthy and stay safe, including when online. Pupils show respect for different faiths and cultures. They have an age-appropriate understanding of the protected characteristics and try to make everyone feel accepted. The school values of ‘courage, fellowship, truth and love’ are well understood by pupils. They trust adults to help them with any friendship issues. Older pupils are well supported to be ready for secondary school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 30 January 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a couple of subjects, the curriculum is not designed with the same degree of precision as in the strongest. In addition, staff do not have the same high level of subject knowledge in these less established subjects. Their expectations of pupils’ work and achievement are lower than in the strongest subjects. This means that while pupils achieve well overall, in a couple of subjects, they could do even better. Leaders should ensure that all subjects are designed with the same degree of precision as the strongest and that staff are trained to deliver all subjects to an equally high standard.

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Background

When we have judged 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 October 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, 30 January 2024

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 30 January 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 June 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Church of England primary school is part of the Diocese of Winchester.  The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in June 2022.  The headteacher has been in post since September 2022.  The school runs its own pre-school, Acorns, for children aged 2-4. This provision opened since the previous inspection.  The school currently uses one 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 30 January 2024

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 The inspectors met with leaders, including the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and other subject leaders.  The lead inspector met with six members of the governing body, including the chair.  The lead inspector spoke to representatives from the Diocese of Winchester and Hampshire local authority.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked more widely at a range of pupils’ work in different subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors 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 safeguarding culture that

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puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors gathered evidence to explore the impact of pupils’ behaviour and the school’s wider curriculum.  The inspectors talked to pupils and staff throughout the inspection to gain their views about the school. This included the views of staff submitted via Ofsted’s confidential surveys.  Inspectors considered the views of parents submitted via Ofsted’s parent survey.

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Inspection team

Maria Roberts, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

James Everett Ofsted Inspector 30 January 2024

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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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