Hope Community School Southampton

Hope Community School Southampton

Address: Central Hall, St Mary Street, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 1NF Unique reference number (URN): 144751

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils in the school achieve broadly in line with national averages. This has increased in the latest year for reading, writing and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils also achieve in line with national averages.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders focus on pupils learning the stepping stones in reading, spelling, handwriting and number. This means that when pupils arrive, they catch up quickly and can access the rest of their learning. In the wider curriculum, pupils generally secure their understanding at age- appropriate levels. This is evident in the work that they produce and how they can talk about what they have learned.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are well prepared to move from one key stage to another. There is effective support in place to make sure that pupils can thrive when they move up.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school has improved attendance for all pupils. This includes those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders analyse data carefully and then identify pupils' barriers to attendance. They then use their positive relationships with parents and carers to overcome the reasons why pupils do not attend. Leaders have had a particular focus on outlining and emphasising to parents the importance of family holidays being organised outside of school term time. This has had a positive impact on pupils' attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well across the school. They are polite and eager to learn. The school has appropriate routines in place to promote positive behaviour. These are used well by staff and understood by pupils. Pupils are keen to learn. They are enthusiastic and ready for their lessons. The school does not tolerate any form of harassment. Pupils know this and are confident that it will be dealt with effectively. Where pupils need adaptations to the behaviour routines they work effectively, ensuring that additional adults support them well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have sequenced the important knowledge across the curriculum. Each subject has ambitious end points. Knowledge builds on what pupils have already learned. Leaders have developed a broad curriculum with the basics of reading, writing and numeracy at the heart.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Specialists from both in and outside of the school help develop teachers’ expertise. The school has a high number of pupils who start at different ages. Leaders have put in place effective training for teachers to ensure that pupils can learn the key knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. This enables pupils to catch up well when they need to.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is generally effective. It is most impactful in reading, writing and mathematics where teachers use their expertise to bring topics to life. Teachers design activities that build well on what pupils already know. However, this is at its earlier stages in the wider curriculum. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could across all subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Where teaching is highly effective, teachers check on what pupils have learned during lessons. They then make changes to activities to fill any gaps in knowledge or identify misconceptions. Teachers understand what pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities require to support them effectively. Teachers put suitable changes in place to adapt teaching or the curriculum. This enables pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to thrive.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years get off to a flying start. The curriculum is well planned and adapted to meet the needs of children. This is also true for those children who join part-way through the year. Leaders focus on ensuring that they prioritise the effective teaching of new vocabulary. Teachers ensure that they are clear about the new words and sounds that they want children to learn in each activity.

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Early years Expected standard

Reading is prioritised from the very start. Leaders ensure that teachers are experts in teaching phonics . Pupils learn the sounds that words make and how to blend them. Children love to read and this is built on when they have the opportunity to independently choose tasks. Adults interact well with children, ensuring that they make the most of learning opportunities. There are additional support resources for staff to ensure that this is the case.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders work to ensure that they communicate well with parents and carers. Children are well prepared for the move into Year 1. They are ready and excited for what comes next. Leaders identify any additional needs that children may have early. They then put appropriate support in place to allow children, including those who speak English as an additional language to overcome any barriers that they may have.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use a range of strategies to identify pupils’ needs. This includes information from primary schools, testing on arrival and teachers’ observations. This effective identification ensures the right support is provided for each pupil.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. The adaptations they identify for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are appropriate. These adaptations mean that pupils access the same curriculum as their peers. The whole school inclusive approach supports pupils with barriers to their learning to do well. This is because of the focus on teaching and supporting the most disadvantaged.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders monitor the progress pupils make. Leaders review how well they are doing and make timely changes. The adaptations encourage pupils to become more independent. Training for staff ensures that they know the challenges their pupils face. Staff know how to address their barriers and put the right support in place in lessons. Leaders have developed positive relationships with agencies outside of the school. This includes charities and the local authority. They use these to ensure that they get the right support for pupils. Leaders use the funding they receive for pupils who are disadvantaged effectively to support them. Leaders know the barriers they face. Additional pastoral and academic support is put in place to help them overcome these barriers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know the school well. They prioritise the things which will make the biggest difference to pupils. They celebrate their strengths and look to build on them. Those responsible for governance fulfil their statutory duties. Governors challenge leaders and support them well.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders at all levels put the needs of pupils first. They know the context of the school and the challenges this presents. They tackle these head on, putting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those who speak English as an additional language at the forefront of what they do. This ensures that they continue to remove barriers to learning for these pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The high-quality professional development programme supports leaders to continue to improve the quality of education. Leaders use external professionals to get a clear insight into how effective their actions are.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel very well supported. They enjoy their work and know the difference it makes to pupils. Leaders take staff workload and wellbeing into account. This is appreciated by staff. Parents and carers feel like they are part of the school community. Leaders know this and engage with them well.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has a well-designed personal development programme. It is tailored to the school’s context. This means that pupils learn the expected curriculum and more. It is age appropriate and builds pupils’ knowledge throughout their time in school. The repeating design ensures that the high number of pupils who join the school late still learn the curriculum.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils reflect on who they are and learn about the experiences of others in school. This is particularly important with the diverse nature and experiences of pupils. Pupils enjoy this and see their differences as strengths and something to celebrate. They learn about religions from around the world, which can change depending on the background of the pupils in each class.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils know how to keep safe online and in their local community. They know what to do if they are worried and how to get help. This is evidence of the changing nature of the curriculum. The relationships and sex and health education is effective. Pupils understand about relationships and can explain how they change over time. Adaptations to the curriculum support pupils with barriers to their learning to access the curriculum well. The school makes the most of its unique space. Art and drama clubs are popular and use the main hall in the building. These opportunities are available for all pupils, and the school continues to find ways to engage different groups of pupils in these activities. The visits the school offers are completely inclusive. They ensure that topics relevant to the local area like water safety are prominent. This means that swimming and beach visits help pupils understand what it means to live on the coast.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils feel part of the school and decision-making. They are proud of the school council and that they have an impact on their school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are happy at Hope Community School. They arrive ready to learn and enjoy seeing and speaking to their teachers. They know where to go if they have a concern. Pupils are confident that staff will make things better for them. This makes them feel safe. Pupils know the school values of ‘openness, creativity, adventure and excellence’. They strive to live up to them and are proud to be part of the school. When new pupils join, they are made to feel welcome. They settle quickly and thrive in the inclusive environment.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave well in lessons. They understand the school rules and routines. This means that lessons are rarely disturbed. Pupils generally learn well in lessons. Pupils enjoy the variety of the whole curriculum. They achieve in line with national averages. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils’ attendance has improved. This means that pupils now generally attend in line with national averages. Pupils thrive in the multicultural atmosphere of the school. They feel part of a community. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those who speak English as an additional language are identified quickly. Leaders put in appropriate support which means these pupils can achieve well.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils’ wider personal development is a priority for leaders. They ensure that there are a wide range of extra-curricular clubs. These include sports, music and arts clubs. Pupils enjoy the range of trips. They still talk about their trip to a local farm while they were in Reception. They have also visited the beach, library and bookshop locally. Pupils broaden their horizons with visits further afield to museums and overnight residentials.

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Next steps

Leaders should embed high-quality teaching across the wider curriculum and ensure that assessment is used consistently well so that pupils achieve highly.

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Team inspectors:

Ulric Neblett-Leigh, His Majesty's Inspector Justin Bartlett, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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About this inspection

This school is part of New Generation Schools Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by co-chairs Paul Hamilton Weston and David Rouse.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the principal as well as other members of the extended senior leadership team, and the special educational needs coordinator. They also spoke to the co- chair of trustees and representatives of the governing body during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Principal: Steve Wright National average: 272

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school. National average: 15%

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 62% 62% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 69% 75% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 72% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 56% 47% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 36% 46% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 61% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 64% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 67% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 55% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 61% 61% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 5.7% 5.2% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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