Liss Infant School

Inspection of Liss Infant School Hillbrow Road, Liss, Hampshire GU33 7LQ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 1 and 2 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy at this school. They thrive in the caring environment and appreciate that staff want them to do as well as possible. Pupils play and learn together, helped by adults who know them well. They are proud to help each other in class and through taking on responsibilities. For example, sports leaders help make sure that playtimes are engaging and fun for all.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. The new teaching and behaviour structures in place support pupils to meet these expectations. Children in Reception Year develop focus and perseverance. Older pupils know that they should try hard and are taught how to be resilient learners. As a result, pupils across the school achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that behaving well matters. The school’s clear processes and structured approach to behaviour mean that pupils understand how to maintain positive behaviour. As a result, pupils feel secure and safe. They know the importance of eating healthily and how to stay safe in the sun. Should they have any concerns, they know whom they can talk to. Pupils consider bullying to be very rare and are confident that it would be quickly addressed should it occur.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has made a series of changes that have significantly enhanced the quality of both the taught curriculum and the wider education that pupils receive.

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

Pupils learn well at school. The curriculum is broad and well sequenced. The knowledge that pupils need is clearly identified. As a result, teachers know what pupils should learn and when they should learn it. Teachers use this information to regularly check what pupils know and remember. Consequently, gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge are identified and addressed so that their knowledge builds steadily.

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

Phonics teaching is much improved. While there remains some minor variability in how phonics is taught, pupils are well supported in learning to read. As a result, they are eager to learn and are motivated to improve. The school checks the sounds that pupils can use and systematically addresses any gaps. Pupils who need help are supported to catch up. Staff have the training they need to deliver the phonics curriculum well.

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

Pupils behave well at school. Lessons are calm. Lunchtimes and breaktimes are energetic and happy. As a result, the school has a kind culture, which is appreciated by pupils. Sometimes, a small number of pupils find behaving well more difficult. However, the school is diligent in providing the support and help necessary wherever this is the case.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. The school identifies their needs accurately. Teachers confidently adapt the learning to ensure that pupils have the support that they need. Pupils who attend the school’s Kingfisher 1 and 2 July 2025

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provision develop their independence and wider experiences through joint lessons and whole-school events.

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Early years provision is a joyful part of the school. Children are engrossed in their learning. They are eager to share their ideas with each other and staff. Children work together to paint, build and practise their writing and number skills. The school carefully checks that children learn as they should and provides extra practice and support where necessary. As a result, children are readied for the move to Year 1.

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Pupils benefit from the school’s wider development programme. They recognise respect as an important school value and have an age-appropriate knowledge of fundamental British values. Where the school has prioritised curriculum and teaching development, the range of clubs and activities offered do not support pupils’ wider development as much as they would like. The school has plans in place to develop this further.

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The school’s strategies for improving attendance are not having the intended impact on a small minority of pupils. This means they miss valuable learning. The school is persistent in identifying the causes of absence and helping individuals and families to understand the importance of attendance. There are examples of where this is supporting some pupils to now attend more.

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The actions of the governing body have been considerably strengthened. Governors have a secure understanding of how to prioritise and check school improvement. Staff are positive about working at the school. School leaders appropriately balance staff workload with making the necessary school improvement changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A small minority of pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. As a result, they are missing out on vital learning. The school must continue to use its attendance processes to support these pupils to attend as much as possible.  There is some variability in the teaching of early reading. This means that some pupils do not learn to apply their phonics knowledge to reading as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme effectively to support pupils in their learning.  Some aspects of the personal development programme are less developed. As a result, pupils’ broader development is not as rich as their academic learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum supports pupils to be well prepared for the future. 1 and 2 July 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). 1 and 2 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Federation of Liss Infant and Junior Schools.  The governors, headteacher and other school leaders have responsibility for both the infant and junior school within the federation.  The school currently uses one alternative provision.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. At the time of the inspection, seven pupils were attending. All pupils have education, health and care plans.

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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. 1 and 2 July 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, subject leaders and other staff.  The inspectors met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum documents, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ed Mather, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jon Hills Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 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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