Knightwood Primary School

Inspection of Knightwood Primary School Bell Flower Way, Knightwood Road, Chandler’s Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO53 4HW

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since February 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that cares for every pupil. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm. There is a culture of respect. Pupils love coming to school and their attendance is high. They enjoy their friendships.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for all pupils. This begins in the early years, as soon as children start. Pupils know that adults have high expectations of them, both in their learning and behaviour. Pupils achieve well and know the school rules of ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’. They are thoughtful and want to do what is right.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to take on leadership roles, such as reading ambassadors, play leaders, sports leaders and library assistants. Opportunities for pupils to work in the local community include the reading ambassadors visiting local pre-schools and the choir singing at the local care home.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wide range of trips available to them, for example to Stonehenge, Winchester Cathedral and the local theatre. Year 5 are looking forward to their visit to the British Museum. Pupils are keen to attend the variety of sports clubs that are run after school.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum that is broad, interesting and engaging. In the early years, there is an ethos of ‘nothing left to chance’. This is evident in the highly effective curriculum design across all areas of learning. The school has high aspirations for what the youngest children can achieve by the end of the year. The thoroughness of the Reception Year curriculum is exemplary.

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

The school is reviewing some subjects to identify the key knowledge and skills that they want pupils to know in each year group. These foundation subjects now need to be fully embedded to ensure that teachers understand well what pupils are expected to know and remember as they progress through the curriculum.

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

Teachers know the subject content well. They explain things clearly to ensure that pupils gain the knowledge they need to complete their next steps in learning. Teachers address misconceptions in the moment and use effective questioning to unpick pupils’ understanding. Teachers choose tasks carefully to match the learning needs of the class and individuals. However, in some subjects, pupils’ ability to remember knowledge over the long-term is not consistent. This is because sometimes there are limited opportunities for pupils to recall and build on their prior knowledge. Although the school has begun to address this, it is still in the early stages of development. Pupils achieve well by the end of key stage 2, especially in reading and mathematics. However, their outcomes are not as strong in some of the wider curriculum subjects.

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

Teachers are experts in early reading. From the Reception Year, children learn phonics and apply their skills with books that match the sounds that they know. This ensures that 25 and 26 March 2025

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pupils learn to read fluently and with confidence. For any pupil who falls behind, the school puts in prompt support to enable them to keep up. The school has designed a reading curriculum that ensures pupils are exposed to a wide and diverse range of texts and vocabulary.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well. Across the curriculum, they are supported effectively in lessons. Teachers adapt activities skilfully, which enables pupils to make progress through the curriculum. The school has procedures in place to quickly identify pupils with barriers to their learning. They make sure that learning resources and strategies match pupils’ needs and help them to work independently.

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Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. They work hard and concentrate very well in lessons. Pupils are keen to contribute and share what they know. For example, Year 4 pupils talk knowledgeably about the Anglo Saxons and Alfred the Great. They express thoughtful opinions about why he may be perceived as ‘great’.

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Pupils’ wider development is a high priority for the school. Pupils strive to make sure everyone feels included in school life. Differences are celebrated. Pupils have a strong, age-appropriate understanding of protected characteristics. Year 6 can talk maturely about gender and different types of families.

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Governors show great commitment to the school. They have a thorough understanding of the school. Together with leaders, governors have worked effectively to continually develop aspects of the school’s work.

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Staff know that leaders at all levels are conscious of their well-being and workload. They appreciate the wealth of professional development they have received and the many opportunities to develop.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, the curriculum has not been designed in a way that helps teachers and pupils to understand how prior knowledge connects to new learning. As a result, pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge they need to meet the intended aims of the curriculum. The school should ensure that the curriculum clearly identifies the knowledge and skills that pupils should build over time. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 February 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast club.  The school currently uses two registered 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 provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received 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. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and computing. 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.  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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, other leaders, school staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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 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

Mo Galway Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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