Stedham Primary School

Inspection of Stedham Primary School School Lane, Stedham, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 0NY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 19 and 20 March 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy at this nurturing village school. In the early years, children make a strong start to their education and develop highly positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils know and understand the school’s ‘6 C’ values such as creativity and consideration. They celebrate these in their weekly celebration assembly which includes ‘Caught you being kind awards’. These help pupils develop and model care towards each other. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Extra-curricular activities such as cricket, art festivals and netball events are highly valued. Pupils know about and understand why democracy is important. They enjoy learning how to debate in balanced ways, discussing topics that capture their enthusiasm. Responsibilities, such as being school councillors, help pupils play an active role in contributing to the life of the school positively.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. However, while pupils learn increasingly securely in reading, writing and mathematics because of improvements the school has made, this is not yet reflected in pupils’ outcomes at the end of key stages. Overall, the curriculum is still in development and is not yet implemented as consistently and effectively as leaders intend. This means that pupils do not learn as well as they should.

p.2

better?

The curriculum does not build pupils’ knowledge consistently and effectively across subjects. In some subjects, the school has not set out the precise knowledge that pupils will learn clearly enough. Staff do not have sufficiently robust approaches in place to check what pupils have learned. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding and do not achieve consistently well. Core subjects such as mathematics and science are increasingly more effective because of positive changes the school has made. In these subjects, the school has identified the key steps of knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This is already having a positive impact on pupils’ learning and is particularly strong in the early years. While some staff demonstrate good subject knowledge and implement the planned curriculum successfully, this is not securely consistent.

p.2

better?

Governors have not monitored the school’s improvement work effectively enough. Importantly, they do not systematically assure themselves about the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning. For example, governors do not monitor progress against the school’s improvement plan with enough rigour. They are supportive and committed and understand the school’s ethos and values very well. They contribute to the community in supportive and thoughtful ways. Governors are mindful of workload and staff well-being and support school staff in a range of conscientious and deliberate ways.

p.2

better?

Pupils are increasingly learning to read well. Phonics teaching is securely embedded and supports most pupils effectively. Staff check how secure pupils are in their phonics knowledge and then support those pupils who need additional help 19 and 20 March 2024

p.2

3

successfully. Pupils enjoy reading and speak about their class texts with real joy and enthusiasm. For weaker readers, reading books that they take home are not always matched closely to the sounds that pupils have learned. This means that not all pupils’ outcomes are as high as leaders expect and further work is needed to ensure that practice is as effective as it should be.

p.3

3

In early years, staff focus on communication and language and create a magical learning environment. Children in Reception are delighted and inspired by the stories, rhymes and creative approaches that help to drive learning forwards there. In Reception, staff and children have exceptionally positive relationships that help all children to thrive and be ready for their next stage of learning.

p.3

3

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly and works effectively with external agencies where appropriate. Support for pupils with SEND is thoughtful and precise, and makes good use of the specialism and expertise within and beyond the school. In contrast to other groups of pupils, pupils with SEND achieve well overall.

p.3

3

Pupils have high levels of attendance. The school knows pupils and families very well and works closely to support pupils if they begin to have lower attendance. In lessons, pupils are focused and engaged. Low-level disruption is not a feature of school life. Most staff understand the behaviour policy well and live and model the school’s values. The school’s approaches to partnership with the community are strengths on which the school can continue to build. Parents are incredibly supportive. One parent summarised the views of many others, commenting: ‘The school creates a community and huge sense of belonging, for the children and for the village of Stedham.’

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Governors have not rigorously monitored the school’s work to improve effectively enough. Governors do not systematically ask questions that enable them to check the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning. Governance at the school must be strengthened so that those responsible can assure themselves that pupils receive a good-quality education.  Pupils’ outcomes are not yet consistently good in reading, writing and mathematics. The school must continue to develop consistent and effective pedagogical approaches, ensuring that all staff develop the specific subject expertise that they need, maintaining a focus on pupils’ outcomes at all stages of education. 19 and 20 March 2024

p.3

4

 In some subjects, the school is still identifying the precise knowledge and vocabulary that it wants pupils to learn and how this should be implemented. Pupils have gaps in their knowledge which affect their achievement. The school should ensure that clear cumulative knowledge is in place for all curriculum subjects, with agreed approaches about how to help all pupils to learn well.  Assessment information in the wider curriculum is not always precise enough to show what pupils know and understand. This means that some pupils do not always build on their prior knowledge effectively. The school needs to ensure that teachers check what pupils know and can do consistently well.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 19 and 20 March 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 25 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 In September 2021, the school federated with Harting CofE Primary School.  The school currently uses no alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, staff and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspectors also met with a representative from the local authority and other leaders within the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspectors 19 and 20 March 2024

p.5

6

discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and, where possible, looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  The inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including minutes of governing body meetings, progress reports from the local authority, and behaviour incident logs.

p.6

Inspection team

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Vickie Farrow Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 March 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7