Mill Hill Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Mill Hill Primary School Mill Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO7 7DB

p.1

Outcome

Mill Hill Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be members of this welcoming and friendly school. They enjoy coming to school and attend well. Pupils learn the ‘Mill Hill Values’ and show these around school, through their consideration and respect for others. Older pupils act as role models by helping where they can, including running lunchtime clubs. These are popular with younger pupils, who develop friendships that extend beyond their year groups.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond positively to the school’s ethos that everyone can achieve highly. They learn about the importance of trying hard and making positive contributions. This is apparent in lessons across the school, where pupils keenly share their ideas and purposefully complete tasks. They are motivated to gain house points for effort, knowing that each one contributes to the hotly contested inter-house competition.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well and their successes are widely celebrated. The highly anticipated weekly ‘Celebration Assembly’ recognises individual achievements both in and outside of school. Younger pupils enjoy hearing key stage 2 pupils sharing the stories behind their accomplishments. Pupils are encouraged to participate in opportunities to develop new skills. These include residential trips about which pupils recall happy memories of their time away and describe activities where they conquered new challenges together.

p.1

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

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum where the important knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to learn are identified clearly. This starts in early years, where the curriculum is adapted so that it builds from children’s starting points. Across the curriculum, there is a sharp focus on developing pupils’ understanding of important subject-specific skills. Staff carefully consider how pupils accumulate knowledge from early years through to Year 6. This is supported by regular opportunities for pupils to re- visit and recall earlier learning in lessons, which helps them to know and remember more over time. 23 and 24 April 2024

p.1

2

Teachers explain new learning clearly, drawing on their secure subject knowledge. In the majority of lessons, teachers use questioning to check the extent of pupils’ understanding and then re-explain aspects of knowledge when required. Teachers set appropriate learning activities, which require pupils to apply their new knowledge. In a few cases, these activities are not effective in deepening pupils’ understanding fully. Staff know the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They use individualised plans to make adaptations that support pupils with SEND to learn effectively.

p.2

2

Assessment is used robustly in core subjects, where it informs future teaching so that it addresses areas where pupils’ understanding is less secure. In some foundation subjects, assessment is not as impactful because it does not identify where pupils have gaps in their knowledge or incorrect understanding.

p.2

2

The school prioritises reading. From the beginning of Reception, knowledgeable staff teach children to read well. Children’s progress is closely tracked, and any children who struggle promptly receive additional targeted teaching. This supports them to catch up quickly. The school strongly promotes wider reading through recommended reads covering a diverse range of texts. Books in the welcoming library are carefully matched to the interests of pupils. Across the school, pupils enjoy reading.

p.2

2

Pupils know and meet the school’s behaviour expectations well. In lessons, teachers share these, which supports learning to be calm and focused. In most cases, if pupils’ attention drifts, teachers quickly re-focus them on learning. Pupils who can exhibit more challenging behaviours are skilfully supported by staff, using strategies from agreed personalised plans. Around school, pupils conduct themselves appropriately, following established routines and safely sharing equipment in the playground. Pastoral support is readily available for pupils, who confidently share any worries with staff, knowing these will be addressed.

p.2

2

The school’s wider curriculum broadens pupils’ horizons. Through ‘Learning For Life’ sessions, pupils explore what is in the news to help grow their understanding of events in the wider world. They learn about diversity in society, exploring different beliefs, values and groups of people. Pupils refer to examples they have learned when they talk about the importance of equality. There is a firm focus on developing pupils’ character. In assemblies, pupils learn about different approaches to looking after their well-being and how to support others with this. Pupils are encouraged to be curious and to try new things through a range of themed days, visiting speakers, visits and clubs.

p.2

2

The school strives to continuously improve, reviewing the effectiveness of its work to identify further changes. Governors provide effective challenge and support in this process. Staff appreciate steps taken to keep their workload manageable, including opportunities where teachers share teaching resources and approaches.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 23 and 24 April 2024

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, assessment does not identify pupils’ knowledge gaps well enough. In these subjects, future teaching does not address the knowledge that pupils have not learned securely. The school needs to ensure that all teachers know how to use assessment across all subjects so that it informs future teaching and addresses pupils’ knowledge gaps successfully.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2015.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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). 23 and 24 April 2024

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Chair of governing body Marie Hattersley

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 15 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school currently uses two unregistered alternative provisions.

p.4

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 governors. He also met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher and spoke to the local authority school improvement adviser.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to subject leaders and teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at the curriculum and sampled work in design and technology. 23 and 24 April 2024

p.4

5

 The inspector observed playtime activities.  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.  The inspector considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views on the school.  The inspector took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the additional free-text responses. He also spoke to parents at the school gate.

p.5

Inspection team

Phillip Blagg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 April 2024

p.5

6

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.6

6

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.6

6

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.6

6

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

p.6

6

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

p.6