Brookfield Community School

Inspection of Brookfield Community School Brook Lane, Sarisbury Green, Southampton, Hampshire SO31 7DU

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s expectations of being ready, respectful and responsible are firmly embedded across the school. The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement, ensuring they are well supported. Pupils feel safe and they are safe. Positive relationships between staff and pupils create a welcoming and supportive environment. Pupils are happy and know who to speak to if they have any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. They demonstrate focus and collaboration in lessons and are calm and orderly as they move around the school. Bullying and low-level disruption are rare and swiftly addressed when they do occur. Pupils respect each other’s opinions and engage thoughtfully in discussions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Beyond academic provision, the school offers an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils can participate in numerous sports and subject-related clubs, as well as gaming, chess, choir and crochet. These opportunities enrich pupils’ experiences and foster a powerful sense of belonging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on leadership roles through sub-committees focused on curriculum, pastoral care and well-being. Responsibilities, such as student ambassadors and sports leaders, offer pupils a meaningful voice in shaping school decisions. Pupils take immense pride in the positive impact they have on their school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

For pupils who require additional support, the Phoenix Centre serves as a vital resource. It provides tailored assistance for pupils facing challenges related to well-being, mental health and attendance. The centre offers a safe and structured environment to help pupils reintegrate into full-time learning.

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious, broad and balanced with a strong vocational offer. Content builds effectively on prior learning, supporting curriculum continuity. The school supports pupils to make well-informed decisions on their next steps. Classrooms provide inviting learning environments with engaging displays reinforcing key learning. Across departments, lessons follow a consistent format, creating familiarity and structure. Teachers know their pupils well. They use checks on pupils’ learning effectively to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

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

The school has identified strategies to support disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), in building their knowledge and understanding. On occasion, some teachers do not use these strategies as effectively as they could to adapt the delivery of the curriculum. For a small number of pupils with SEND, this hinders how well they access and engage in their learning. The school is providing staff with ongoing training to address this.

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

Reading and literacy are key focuses for the school. The school has introduced targeted interventions to support struggling readers. However, these initiatives are not fully 11 and 12 March 2025

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embedded. Similarly, efforts to promote subject-specific vocabulary and extended disciplinary texts are in place but not applied consistently. This means that pupils’ reading and literacy skills are still being fully developed.

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Attendance is improving and now aligns with national averages. However, persistent absence among disadvantaged pupils remains a challenge. Barriers to good attendance are suitably investigated and addressed. The school has implemented a strategy of engaging pupils and their families to promote better attendance.

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The school strongly promotes personal development with a well-structured programme, including assemblies and tutor time. Content is age-appropriate, covering topics such as sexual health, consent, online safety and radicalisation. Pupils value and enjoy these sessions.

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Subjects contribute effectively to pupils’ moral and cultural development. English lessons explore themes, such as environmentalism and homelessness, and modern foreign languages introduce pupils to unfamiliar cultural perspectives. In art, pupils study religious and cultural symbolism through projects like Mandela-inspired artwork. Physical education lessons include discussions on international sports and traditions.

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Careers education is a standout strength. Pupil feedback highlights the school’s commitment to providing a comprehensive careers programme. The number of pupils progressing into sustained education, employment or training is significantly above average.

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Governors play an active role, providing both support and challenge. They have a secure knowledge of the school. Meeting minutes confirm a clear understanding of their responsibilities. They remain well informed and engaged in school life, ensuring accountability and ongoing improvement.

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Leaders are knowledgeable and experienced, working collaboratively to maintain high educational standards. Teachers set high expectations and demonstrate strong subject expertise, motivating pupils effectively. Staff, including those in the early stages of their careers, are overwhelmingly positive about the school’s support for their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Recent initiatives, such as the reading programme and the development of literacy skills, are still developing. As a result, these programmes have not had time to be fully embedded and pupils’ reading and literacy skills are still developing. The school should 11 and 12 March 2025

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ensure that these initiatives are developed as intended and reviewed systematically to ensure ongoing improvements in pupils’ outcomes.

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1803

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 and 2 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Brookfield Community School is a community school.  The school currently uses one registered and two unregistered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation of 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography, art, physical education and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors 11 and 12 March 2025

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discussed the curriculum with subject leaders and visited a sample of lessons. They talked to teachers, spoke with pupils and looked at samples of their work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding which puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed the policies provided on the school website. They looked at attendance records, behaviour logs, curriculum documentation and destination statistics. Inspectors met with leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector met representatives of the local governing body.  Inspectors looked at the responses to the Ofsted Parent View online questionnaire and additional written comments received from parents and carers. They considered the

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survey returns completed by staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Adrian Percival 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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