Norwood Primary & Pre-School

Inspection of Norwood Primary & Pre- School Chamberlayne Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 5JL

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong family ethos at Norwood. It is a happy and caring school where pupils behave, attend well and have positive attitudes for learning. Pupils show the school’s values throughout the school day. Pupils feel safe and know they can talk to an adult if they have concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum is currently underdeveloped. While the school is ambitious for pupils’ success, some pupils do not achieve high enough. Pupils learn key knowledge in some subjects but learn far less in others. Owing to these inconsistencies, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge over time. This includes some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school is aware of this and is now taking rapid action to address these priorities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful and welcoming of everyone, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds. A Year 6 pupil referred to the school as ‘one big family’, a view shared by the majority of pupils. Pupils take great pride in their positions of responsibility, such as ‘Young Ambassadors’. They relish these roles as they contribute positively to the life of the school. Pupils know the fundamental British values, including those of democracy and the rule of law. They respect the views of others and know that discrimination is unacceptable.

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

The curriculum in some subjects needs further development. Too many pupils do not develop into fluent readers and writers. The school has embedded a phonics scheme which is successful for many pupils. However, pupils who struggle with phonics have not received enough regular, high-quality support to help them catch up rapidly. Older pupils do not benefit from a well-designed reading and writing curriculum. As a result, outcomes at the end of both key stages 1 and 2 are lower than they should be.

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

In some subjects in the wider curriculum, the essential knowledge and skills pupils should learn are not sequenced effectively enough. This means learning does not build on prior learning, and teachers cannot accurately check how well pupils are learning. This leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge, and they do not learn as much as they could.

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

The school has taken effective action to make sure that an effective curriculum is in place in other subjects. This means pupils learn more successfully in these areas. For example, in mathematics, science and art, the curriculum enables pupils to develop their knowledge and skills much more fully. As a result, pupils achieve relatively well in these subjects. Adaptations to support pupils who need extra help are in place. Pupils report that they enjoy the lessons and are able to demonstrate their learning well.

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

The school makes specific provision for disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND. Staff are compassionate and include all pupils in all activities. However, some of the adaptations made to learning are not as effective as they could be. As a result, some pupils with SEND lack engagement in their learning and do not achieve as well as they could. 24 and 25 September 2024

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The early years provides a strong start as the curriculum is thoughtfully considered. The environment is vibrant and stimulating. Skilled staff teach children to play cooperatively and learn the school rules and routines. Children engage well in free-flow and structured activities. Adults use opportunities to promote children’s independence, communication and language well. The classrooms and outside areas enable children to apply what they have learned in a practical context.

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Behaviour across the school is positive. Pupils are polite, well mannered and respectful. This includes at lunchtimes and breaktimes when pupils play together well. Disruption to learning is rare, and pupils know what is expected of them. Pupils’ attendance rates are secure. The school supports families effectively when a pupil’s attendance causes concern.

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The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. For example, older pupils take the lead in running the school and eco- councils that spread important messages and promote pupils’ views. The school has a strong understanding of the community it serves. Staff welcome all families with open arms. The vast majority of parents and carers appreciate the care and attention staff give to their children.

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Changes in leadership have reinvigorated the school. Many aspects of school life, particularly the curriculum, have been reviewed and areas of weakness have been successfully addressed. For example, there is an increased focus on supporting pupils in the early stages of reading effectively. The staff are behind this approach and are excited to be part of the school’s future. The school is working well with the local authority to review its work and improve provision. Governors carry out their statutory duties effectively. For example, they assure themselves that safeguarding processes are effective. However, governors could challenge and support, particularly around the quality of education, more precisely.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not as coherent or ambitious as it should be. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some curriculum areas. The school should ensure that all subjects have a well-sequenced and fully implemented curriculum, where pupils’ learning is checked and monitored effectively, including by governors.  The school does not always identify and support the needs of pupils with SEND as effectively as it could. This can result in pupils with SEND becoming frustrated and losing interest in learning. The school must ensure that staff are sufficiently trained to both identify and then meet pupils’ complex needs so that they learn well. 24 and 25 September 2024

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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). 24 and 25 September 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The new headteacher started in September 2024. A job-share is in place for the deputy headteacher role. This is filled by two members of staff, one of whom joined the school in September 2024.  The current chair of governors was elected in September 2024.  The school runs its own breakfast club.  The school currently uses two unregistered alternative provisions.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education 24 and 25 September 2024

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provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, geography and art and design. For each deep dive, 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders in the school. The lead inspector also met with members of the governing board, including the chair, and an educational representative of the local authority.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self- evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View, and inspectors also spoke with parents on both days of the inspection.  The views of staff were gathered through interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection, as well as from the staff survey.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including through classroom visits and group discussions, as well as at playtimes and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Chris Parker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Foster Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

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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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