Nursling Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Nursling Church of England Primary School Nursling Street, Nursling, Southampton, Hampshire SO16 0XH

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Outcome

Nursling Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school values of love, hope and courage are the golden thread that joins all aspects of school life. Pupils know and demonstrate the school values. They know how these values help them with their learning and well-being. Pupils are happy and feel safe. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the school rules and the high expectations adults have of them. From the youngest children to the oldest, most pupils behave well in lessons. Pupils are polite and respectful to adults and peers. They enjoy playing with their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for every pupil. Pupils achieve well. They fully participate in the wider life of the school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) flourish academically, socially and emotionally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wide range of clubs they can attend. The school ensures that pupils take part in the many sports and creative activities on offer. Pupils are excited to take part in school productions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to take on the opportunities for leadership roles, such as junior road safety officers or spiritual leaders, as this gives them an active role in the school community. 11 and 12 March 2025

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

The school has designed a curriculum that is broad, ambitious and meets the needs of pupils, starting in the early years. Learning for each subject builds progressively each year. The school has set out clearly what pupils need to learn and what they need to know at the end of a topic. It has carefully designed the early years curriculum to give children the essential knowledge that they need, while following their interests. This prepares them well for Year 1.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They present information clearly and with an emphasis on developing pupils’ use and understanding of subject-specific vocabulary. For example, in Year 5 physical education (PE), pupils can explain the meaning of ‘evade’ and ‘intercept’. Teachers recap previous learning well through skilful questioning. They routinely check pupils’ understanding and deal promptly with misconceptions. Feedback in lessons is clear and understood by most pupils. They develop their understanding over time, and in mathematics can make links back to previous learning and explain how this helps them. However, in some subjects, pupils do not remember as much as they could because opportunities to help them retrieve and retain their prior knowledge are limited.

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

Reading is a priority for the school. Pupils develop a love for reading through listening to a wide variety of books being read to them. The school has made sure that every class has high-quality texts to read. This helps pupils to learn about different styles of writing and widens their vocabulary.

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

All staff have the expertise they need to teach early reading effectively. Children in the early years get off to a strong start, as phonics begins as soon as they are in school. Teachers ensure that pupils read books that match the sounds they know and remember. They put in place support and daily interventions for those pupils who need extra help to learn to read. This enables pupils to catch up with their peers.

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

Pupils with SEND make strong progress over time. The school has procedures in place to quickly identify any pupil who has barriers to their learning. Teachers have high expectations for pupils with SEND and skilfully adapt tasks, when necessary, so they can access the curriculum alongside their peers.

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

Pupils behave well. They are eager to learn and are attentive. For example, in Year 4, pupils listen carefully and follow instructions when using a glue gun for the first time. Across the school, attitudes to learning are strong. Staff consistently reinforce their expectations for sensible behaviour.

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

The school’s curriculum for pupils’ personal development is a strength. Pupils study a range of religions. They visit different places of worship and compare the similarities and differences between the religions. Pupils can explain the importance of democracy through their democracy day. They know it is important to respect others whatever their beliefs or family makeup. Pupils also understand the importance of tolerance and that everyone should be treated fairly. 11 and 12 March 2025

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Governors have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and fulfil these to a high standard. They support and challenge the school effectively. The school checks on staff well-being and workload. Staff value this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Information for the school and the appropriate authority

 In some foundation subjects, teaching does not consistently check what pupils already know. As a result, sometimes lessons are not well adjusted to address gaps and help pupils to secure new ideas. The school should ensure that staff use assessment effectively in these subjects so that pupils achieve as well.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2019.

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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. 11 and 12 March 2025

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jacqueline Barker

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  This school has a Church of England character. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in March 2024.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector focused inspection activity on groups of subjects. For each group of subjects, the inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  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 met with members of the governing body, including the vice-chair of governors. She spoke with a representative of the local authority and the diocese.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspector considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She also took into consideration the responses to the online staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Becky Greenhalgh, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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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