Cheriton Primary School

Inspection of Cheriton Primary School Cheriton, Alresford, Hampshire SO24 0QA

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 4 and 5 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this small village school. This is a nurturing school that has high aspirations for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Pupils flourish academically, socially and emotionally. Adults take great care of pupils. There is a strong sense of belonging and being a part of a community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations for behaviour, which adults and pupils all know and understand. Behaviour in class is exemplary. Pupils are polite to adults, peers and visitors. They listen to each other and respectfully remind each other not to speak at the same time. Pupils are keen to help adults and each other. Pupils move around the classroom and the school quietly and calmly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of kindness, ambition, collaboration, respect, well-being, responsibility and determination link to every aspect of school life. Pupils know these values and are proud to earn house points when they demonstrate them in school. For example, Year 6 pupils took responsibility for organising and supporting younger pupils during a pancake race. Pupils enjoy the range of clubs available and are keen to start up their own lunchtime clubs, such as origami or book clubs.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. This starts in the early years and builds progressively through the school. In all subjects, the school has identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn, and when they need to learn them. Teachers are well trained, have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly. The school has introduced systems to enable teachers to understand what pupils have learned previously in English, mathematics and science. However, in some other subjects, the school’s checks on what pupils understand are not as effective. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could in some subjects.

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

The school fosters a genuine love of reading. Pupils have the opportunity to read a wide variety of high-quality texts. As soon as children start school, they begin learning the sounds that letters make. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read are given books that match the sounds that they know. Those who fall behind are quickly identified. They receive extra support that helps them get back on track.

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

The school knows the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. There are effective procedures in place to identify any barriers to learning that these pupils may have. Teachers are skilled in adapting tasks to help these pupils to access the same learning as their peers. The school checks regularly that pupils’ next steps are achieved. As a result, pupils with SEND make strong progress through the curriculum.

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

Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exceptional. They are eager to learn. In lessons, pupils are engaged, listen attentively to adults and concentrate for sustained periods of time. This includes children in the Reception class, who carefully followed picture instructions to 4 and 5 March 2025

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make play dough, with limited support from adults. Pupils are keen to answer questions and they work well with each other. Pupils take pride in their work, and this is evident in the high-quality work that they produce. The school sets high expectations for pupils’ attendance and works well with parents and carers to maintain the current high levels.

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Pupils’ personal development is promoted well. They learn how to keep themselves safe online as well as in the community. Year 6 pupils can talk about the differences between people in an age-appropriate manner. They learn to recognise healthy relationships and learn about the changes that happen to their bodies as they get older. Pupils learn to become respectful future citizens by studying the fundamental British values, such as the importance of tolerance. Older pupils visit different places of worship to deepen their understanding of other faiths and religions.

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Governors challenge the school appropriately and use their experience to support the school effectively. Staff value the new procedures and strong support they receive to manage their workload effectively. Staff and governors are very proud to be a part of this school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In foundation subjects, the school’s assessment strategies are not effective enough in supporting teachers to understand what pupils know and remember over time. As a result, some pupils are not always ready for the next steps in their learning. The school should ensure that assessment strategies are equally effective across all subjects.

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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. 4 and 5 March 2025

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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). 4 and 5 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Elizabeth Brett and Jenifer Reeves (Co- chairs)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 September 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The interim headteacher took up the post in April 2024.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.  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. 4 and 5 March 2025

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, school staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The lead inspector reviewed curriculum documentation and samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects with the interim headteacher.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the co-chairs of governors. She spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors spoke to parents in the playground and considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also took into consideration the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Becky Greenhalgh, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Deirdre Crutchley Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 March 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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