Ludlow Junior School

Inspection of Ludlow Junior School Peveril Road, Itchen, Southampton, Hampshire SO19 2DW

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good

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The headteacher of this school is Simon Watkins. The school is the only school in the Ludlow Junior School trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sally Howells. 25 and 26 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community and belonging at Ludlow Junior School. The school is calm, orderly and purposeful. Staff and pupils build positive relationships. Pupils are treated as individuals. Staff and pupils alike demonstrate positive behaviours that embody the school’s values, which include patience, friendship and determination. Pupils are polite and well mannered. In lessons, pupils work hard, and they mix well at social times. Adults are routinely on hand to help and support pupils when needed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils are encouraged to aim high. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils typically take pride in their work. Broadly, pupils rise to the school’s high expectations and achieve well in key stage 2 tests. Most pupils leave ready for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop their talents and interests through taking advantage of the many opportunities that the school offers. Pupils enjoy various roles and responsibilities. For example, ‘playground pals’, ‘site squad’ and ‘catering crew’ all help with the smooth running of the school day. This enables them to increasingly take ownership of their own learning and behaviours.

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

The school’s curriculum sets out the order that pupils should learn the essential knowledge, skills and vocabulary in a clear and logical way. The school has ensured that the curriculum enables pupils’ learning to be relevant and engaging. This is reflected in their achievement in many subjects across the curriculum, including reading, writing and mathematics. In many subjects, pupils recall their prior learning well and connect this to new content. Pupils use technical words confidently and can usually explain their learning clearly. The school’s methods for checking learning are secure. Occasionally, however, the teaching and learning activities do not support pupils to learn the intended knowledge as precisely as they could. This hinders how well some pupils learn.

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

Reading and writing are at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Staff have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the reading curriculum and phonics programme well. Pupils enjoy reading and accessing the school’s library. They talk about their favourite books and authors with confidence and enthusiasm. Typically, staff identify and provide strong support for the pupils who struggle more to learn to read and write fluently.

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

The school effectively identifies and addresses any particular needs that pupils may have, such as SEND or pastoral needs. The school makes appropriate adaptations and provides extra support for pupils who have gaps in their learning. As a result, staff support pupils with additional needs effectively, enabling them to achieve well.

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

The school celebrates pupils’ positive behaviour and high levels of attendance. Pupils know the school rules for good behaviour, and they follow them. They are motivated not just by rewards but because they also know the right way to treat others. Lessons are calm, and pupils can focus on their learning. Pupils enjoy coming to school, and most 25 and 26 February 2025

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attend regularly. The school works effectively to improve the attendance of pupils who do not attend school as regularly as they should. The school has a highly effective pastoral support programme.

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The personal development of pupils is a strength of the school. The school has a well- structured personal development programme. It teaches pupils about online safety, maintaining effective relationships and not to discriminate. Pupils speak of having a trusted adult in school with who they can share any worries. Pupils are highly respectful of each other. This supports them to grow into responsible, well-developed citizens who are ready for life in modern Britain.

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Staff feel valued and proud to work at the school. They appreciate the steps that the school takes to support their career development, well-being and workload. Trustees know the school’s strengths and areas for improvement well. They provide good support and challenge to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, some staff do not explain new knowledge or design learning activities fully effectively. This means that some pupils do not learn the key knowledge the school wants them to as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that staff have the skills and expertise to support them in ensuring that pupils can learn the precise knowledge the school expects.

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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 25 and 26 February 2025

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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). 25 and 26 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 March 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is the only school in the Ludlow Junior School trust.  The school does not currently use any 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.  This was the first routine inspection the school 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. 25 and 26 February 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, history and physical education. 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 also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders within the school. The lead inspector also met with trustees, including the chair and two external educational representatives.  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 reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self-

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evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View, and two inspectors also spoke with parents on the first day of the inspection.  The views of staff were gathered through interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection as well as the staff survey.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including through the classroom visits, group discussions and the pupil survey as well as at playtime and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Chris Parker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Rixson Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 February 2025

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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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