Newtown Soberton Infant School

Inspection of Newtown Soberton Infant School Church Road, Newtown, Fareham, Hampshire PO17 6LJ

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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 Good 15 and 16 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that right from the moment that they join the school, staff know them very well and care about them deeply. Standards of behaviour are very high. Pupils work harmoniously together because they follow school rules of being ready, respectful and safe. The pupil led ‘Kindness Crew’ encourages everyone to be patient, to share and to help each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They are eager to live up to the high expectations that the school has for them. They achieve well in a wide range of subjects. In the early years, children get off to a fantastic start, developing the very strong foundations that they need for future learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils learn an interesting and engaging curriculum. The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the help that they need and enjoy the same opportunities as others. Staff understand individual pupils’ interests and help nurture everyone’s talents. The school arranges many special events that enrich the curriculum and enthuse pupils, such as seeing a pantomime, taking part in ‘little city’ activities where they learn about different places of work and the school council led festival.

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

The school has successfully designed an ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum for all ages. It sets out in a logical sequence the knowledge and skills pupils will learn and is underpinned by the aim that all pupils will develop the knowledge and skills they need to be successful during their time in school and beyond. This starts from the exceptional early years provision.

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

Children in the early years make a very positive start to school. Staff are very caring and help them develop their communication and language skills. There is a real buzz of excitement as children learn. For example, children are irresistibly drawn in to woodwork activities where they learn about keeping safe, counting and exploring the different properties of the materials they use. This stimulates and supports children’s learning. Children in the early years and throughout the school are well prepared for their next stages of learning.

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

Teachers receive a comprehensive programme of training that ensures that the curriculum is taught precisely and accurately. As a result, teachers design learning that captures pupils’ interests and are expert in supporting pupils to succeed. The school is quick to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. These pupils access adapted resources and additional support. This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND can learn the curriculum well. Consequently, pupils with SEND thrive.

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

The school makes sure that its phonics programme is delivered to a very high standard. Skilled staff quickly identify those pupils who struggle to read. They put in place effective help that enables pupils to catch up rapidly with their peers. Pupils enjoy reading. They 15 and 16 July 2025

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are exposed to an excitingly wide range of books. This helps to deepen their understanding of differences beyond their own experience. Reading is a strength of the school. However, pupils’ handwriting skills are not as strong. This is because pupils are not consistently being taught the necessary handwriting skills to form and join letters accurately and consistently.

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Pupils behave very well during lessons and at playtimes. They follow the school’s rules consistently. Pupils relish the positive praise and rewards that they receive for making the right choices. This helps pupils to feel accepted and secure in school. The school does everything it can to ensure that pupils attend regularly. The school carefully analyses patterns in pupils’ attendance. It uses these insights to identify and remove any barriers to regular attendance through effective work with pupils’ families and external agencies. As a result, attendance is high.

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The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. For example, school council elections develop pupils’ understanding of democracy, while the ‘eco club’ helps pupils to deepen their understanding of the world around them. There is a wide range of educational visits, special events and clubs on offer. These include trips to the science museum, visiting authors and exciting encounters with a fossil hunter. The gardening club allows pupils to achieve formal certificates. These opportunities help pupils grow in confidence and remember the things they have learned in the curriculum.

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Staff are incredibly positive about their work and feel well supported, including with their workload and well-being. Governors challenge and support leaders very well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Information for the school and appropriate authority

 Handwriting is not taught consistently well to ensure that pupils develop skills to write letters that are well formed and joined. As a result, pupils’ handwriting is not routinely fluent or accurate. The school should ensure that handwriting strategies help all pupils improve their handwriting skills effectively and consistently.

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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. 15 and 16 July 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). 15 and 16 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.meonvalleyfederation.hants.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 February 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Meon Valley Federation.  At the time of the inspection, no pupils attended providers of 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.  This was the second 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. 15 and 16 July 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher and other leaders. The inspector also met with representatives of the board of governors, including the chair of governors and a local authority representative.  The inspectors met with some pupils and members of staff to discuss their views of the school. The inspectors also took their views into account through their responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Ginny Rhodes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Judith O’Hare Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 July 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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