Mengham Junior School

Inspection of Mengham Junior School Palmerston Road, Hayling Island, Hampshire PO11 9ET

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 15 and 16 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy at school. They feel part of a welcoming community. They learn about different cultures and ways of life that are different to their own. This helps them to understand the importance of equality and diversity. Pupils recognise the importance of respecting other people’s opinions and ideas. They are proud of the kindness they show to each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for at school. They know that staff are ambitious for them, although they do not yet achieve as well as they could. Pupils are taught about keeping safe, how to behave well and who to talk to in school if they have worries or concerns. They are confident that they will receive personalised help through the school’s well-structured pastoral support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibility. They contribute to the school through a wide range of leadership opportunities. The school makes sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the same opportunities as others, for example helping younger children at school events, or looking after the school’s allotment and guinea pigs. Pupils in every class look forward to and keenly attend the yearly residentials. These include a school sleepover, camping out and outward-bound activities trip.

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

This inclusive school is highly ambitious for all pupils. Changes in leadership and staffing have meant that some of the school’s plans have not yet had the intended impact. Despite these challenges, pupils’ individual needs are identified and well known. Staff use the carefully considered personalised support plans to ensure that all pupils are fully included in the life of the school.

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

In many subjects, the knowledge that pupils need to learn and when they need to learn it is identified. However, as yet, the curriculum in some subjects is not consistently taught well enough. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. This means that in reading, writing and mathematics, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. This is reflected in achievement in the national statutory assessments. The school recognises this and is in the process of strengthening how well pupils achieve across the full curriculum.

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

Other subject curriculums are taught more effectively. In subjects such as physical education (PE) and geography, pupils are quick to link their learning about different sports and enjoy discussing their local geography knowledge. Other recently developed subjects are in need of continued refinement. The school now has plans in place to continue to develop these subjects, to ensure that they support both teaching and learning effectively.

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

Helping pupils develop a love of reading is a priority across the school. The school’s library contains a wide range of texts for pupils at all stages of reading. Those who need additional help in learning to read benefit from a range of individual and group 15 and 16 October 2024

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interventions. The school is rightly continuing to strengthen the teaching of reading to help all pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

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The school knows its families and community well. Staff use this information to support transition and ready pupils for their next steps. Pupils are taught about keeping safe and healthy. In recognition of the school’s island location, leaders have ensured that swimming is taught in Year 3. Pupils value learning about maintaining positive mental health. They appreciate the additional support they can access, such as through ‘Calm Club’. Many pupils also participate in the wide range of break and lunchtime clubs and activities on offer.

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The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils knows and understand the importance of good behaviour. House points and ‘star awards’ help pupils to recognise their positive attitudes to learning. As a result, lessons are calm. The few pupils who find meeting expectations more difficult are very well supported. Staff understand these pupils well and work closely with families and specialists to develop individualised, consistent support. As a result, these pupils steadily improve their focus and behaviour.

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The school’s new leadership team and governors have a secure understanding of the steps necessary to improve the school’s quality of education. Staff are very well supported and are equally committed to the school’s next steps.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in core subjects is not consistently taught well. Activities used in lessons do not always ensure that pupils gain the intended knowledge. Therefore, pupils have gaps in their understanding and do not achieve as well as they should in reading, writing and mathematics. The school should continue with its plans to strengthen staff knowledge and teaching expertise, and check it is used consistently well.  Across the wider curriculum, those which are newly planned are not consistently implemented. At times, the curriculums in place are not used to systematically identify and clarify pupils’ misunderstandings or ensure that pupils are secure in subject-specific knowledge. This means that staff are not clear on how to precisely adapt future learning. The school should continue to ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise they need to help pupils learn well across the curriculum.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 As yet, the school has not consistently checked that its newly implemented systems and processes are having the intended impact. This includes how well staff are using any new training and support provided. The school should ensure that robust checking processes are timely and precise and result in all pupils achieving well. 15 and 16 October 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). 15 and 16 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was in post as co-headteacher at the time of the last inspection. Other members of the leadership team, governors and staff body are new in post since the previous inspection.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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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 provision. 15 and 16 October 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection of the school 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.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, curriculum leaders and other staff.  The inspectors met with the chair of governors and other members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and PE. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors listened to a sample of pupils read. Inspectors also viewed a range of pupils’ work from other

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foundation subjects.  The inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including leaders’ self-evaluation and improvement plans.  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 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the responses to the confidential staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ed Mather, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Aimee Floyd His Majesty’s Inspector 15 and 16 October 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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