Foxhills Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Foxhills Junior School Foxhills Lane, Ashurst, New Forest, Southampton, Hampshire SO40 7ED

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Outcome

Foxhills Junior 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 has high aspirations for pupils. Pupils are motivated to do their best. They start each school day ready to learn. All at the school are committed to the school’s C.L.E.A.R. values of care, learn, engage, achieve and reflect. These are interwoven into all aspects of school life. Pupils are proud to earn awards in recognition of the values. They strive to become ‘values champions’. Pupils feel happy and safe and build good relationships. They are well cared for by staff who know them well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and understand the high expectations the school has for their behaviour. They enjoy playing with their friends at playtimes, particularly when it is their turn on the go-karts. Pupils understand what bullying is. They are adamant that bullying does not happen here, but they are sure that if it did occur adults would deal with it promptly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely proud to take on roles of leadership. Members of the pupil voice committee enjoy working with the parish council to help redesign the local park and play equipment. House captains raise money by running stalls at school events.

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

Since the school has federated with the infant school, leaders have worked to develop a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum that successfully meets the needs of pupils. The important knowledge that pupils should learn has been mapped out clearly. This helps teachers know what to teach and when to teach it. The development of pupils’ language is a priority throughout the school. In all subjects the school has highlighted the important vocabulary that pupils need to know. 3 and 4 June 2025

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The school’s principals of ‘learn, practise, apply’ enable pupils to build and consolidate their knowledge securely. Teachers’ explanations support pupils to build on their previous learning. In geography, for example, Year 6 pupils use their previous learning about South America to help them to study features of North America. However, the information that teachers collect about what pupils know and understand is not consistently well used to inform teaching. At times, teachers do not adapt learning or address pupils’ misconceptions effectively.

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Reading is a high priority for the school. Their vision is for every pupil to learn to read confidently. There is a clear focus on developing fluency and teaching pupils the skills of reading. All staff are well trained. Staff regularly check to make sure pupils read books that match their phonics knowledge. There is prompt support to ensure that pupils who need extra help keep up with their peers. Pupils have a variety of high-quality class texts to study.

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The school quickly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It is ambitious for all pupils with SEND to achieve highly and follow the same curriculum as their peers. It ensures this group receive timely and effective support. Pupils work well together, engage in their learning and try their best to concentrate. As a result of the robust systems to track attendance and work with parents, attendance rates have improved.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils speak confidently about how to stay safe online. They are well prepared for the changes that will occur as they grow up. Pupils understand the importance of respecting others, particularly if there is a difference of religion, race or culture. They learn about the importance of respect and tolerance for the views of others. Pupils celebrate differences and appreciate that they are all unique.

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Governors are experienced and know the school well. They are ambitious for pupils to achieve well both academically and personally. Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the extra time they are given to develop their expertise. Staff appreciate leaders’ and governors’ support for their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority?

 In some subjects, teaching does not check what pupils understand effectively enough. This leads to some misconceptions not being addressed and gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The school should ensure that teaching employs assessment effectively across all subjects. 3 and 4 June 2025

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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 March 2020.

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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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Lucy Howe (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is federated with Foxhills Infant School.  The school has an executive headteacher who is head of both schools.  The school currently uses four alternative provisions. Three of these are unregistered alternative provisions.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. 3 and 4 June 2025

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 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 local governing body, including the chair of the local governing body. She spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She also took into consideration the responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Becky Greenhalgh, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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