Mengham Infant School

Mengham Infant School

Address: St Mary's Road, Hayling Island, Hampshire, PO11 9DD Unique reference number (URN): 115986

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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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Early years Strong standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of the early years provision and its impact. They use regular assessment effectively to identify and what children know and can do, as well as where their knowledge may need strengthening. Staff know children well and respond precisely to their individual needs. Leaders prioritise personal, social and emotional development. They ensure that warm, trusting relationships between staff and children underpin provision in the early years. Children settle quickly because they feel safe and valued. This helps children to be ready to learn. Leaders also engage parents and carers effectively through initiatives such as ‘Lunch and Learn’. This helps families to understand and contribute to their children’s learning.

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Early years Strong standard

There is a focus on securing the key knowledge for future learning. Early reading, phonics, communication and writing are integral to the daily curriculum. Staff deliver the phonics programme with precision. There is effective additional practice where needed. As a result, children develop confidence in reading and make rapid gains in writing from their starting points. The environment is rich in language and books. Children engage and apply their learning independently.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff are well trained and use their extensive professional knowledge to guide their teaching. High-quality interactions are a consistent strength. Staff actively engage children, particularly those who may be less inclined to take part. This successfully encourages all children to participate. Children make secure progress. The proportion reaching a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year is broadly in line with the national average, and sometimes above.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established highly effective systems to identify and meet pupils’ needs early. Leaders maintain clear oversight of these needs. Leaders gather detailed information before pupils join the school. For instance, visits to early years settings, meetings with parents and engagement with external professionals help leaders to understand pupils’ needs from the outset. This ensures that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), settle quickly and access learning from the outset.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff use assessment information carefully to identify needs and provide targeted academic and pastoral support. Leaders monitor the impact of pupil premium funding carefully. This helps them to make sure that disadvantaged pupils receive effective support and progress from their starting points well. Pupils with SEND, including those with education, health and care plans, access the curriculum successfully because staff make well-considered adaptations to teaching. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to support pupils known to social care.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff are well trained and understand pupils’ needs. This enables pupils to make sustained progress and develop increasing independence. When pupils attend alternative provision,

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Expected standard

leaders check carefully that it meets their needs and supports their progress. Leaders’ work reduces barriers effectively over time.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils generally develop the important knowledge and skills they need. Pupils typically progress securely from their starting points. Where gaps in learning occur, staff usually take timely action to address them.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, from the early years onwards, have a positive start. Their outcomes are broadly in line with national averages. This includes the proportion achieving a good level of development. Pupils learn to read well. In the Year 1 phonics screening check, pupils achieve broadly in line with the national average. Those who need extra support receive it promptly and catch up quickly.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across key stage 1, pupils develop confidence in reading, writing and mathematics. They typically remember knowledge in most of the subjects that they study. By the end of Year 2, many are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically achieve well.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Most pupils attend school regularly and arrive on time. Attendance is broadly in line with national averages. Leaders have prioritised improving attendance further for all pupils. They have established a shared culture where all staff take responsibility for this work. Positive relationships with parents and carers support this approach. This helps families feel encouraged and able to ensure that pupils attend school. Leaders use a range of strategies, including incentives such as ‘streak cards’ and class rewards, alongside recognition for improved attendance. There is a clear focus for those pupils who face barriers to regular attendance. These actions are having a positive impact. Many pupils who previously had lower attendance now attend more regularly. Leaders remain ambitious and continue to work to secure further improvements so that attendance is more consistently high.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils generally show positive attitudes to learning and engage well in lessons. They treat one another with kindness and respect, contributing to a calm and supportive environment. Staff set clear expectations for behaviour. They apply these consistently, while also seeking to understand the cause of any difficulties. Tailored reasonable adjustments have a demonstrable impact on pupils’ behaviours. Bullying is extremely rare, but, where concerns do arise, staff address them quickly and effectively. Pupils understand how to stay safe, including online, and are confident to share any worries with trusted adults.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand the strengths and areas for development in the curriculum and teaching. They make thoughtful teaching choices that generally support pupils’ learning. Pupils regularly practise and revisit prior learning. This usually helps pupils to remember knowledge over time in most subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers generally deliver the curriculum in the order that leaders intend. Teachers show a secure understanding of what pupils need to learn and when. As a result, pupils mostly learn the curriculum successfully and work with increasing independence. In lessons, pupils routinely use available support to check and improve their work. They are confident in doing so. Well-trained staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively, enabling them to access the curriculum alongside their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders place an emphasis on securing firm foundations. Teachers deliver the phonics programme consistently, enabling pupils to learn to read well from an early stage. Across the school, pupils write at increasing length. They use and apply their knowledge of vocabulary and oracy with increasing accuracy. On a very small number of occasions, staff do not ensure that pupils' knowledge of spelling and punctuation is fully secure before moving on to the next learning. Where this happens, pupils do not remember and apply this knowledge as well as they should.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear, well-informed understanding of the school’s context, strengths and areas for development. This enables them to identify appropriate priorities and a clear rationale for their work to improve the school. The impact of some of this work is not yet fully embedded. Leaders show high expectations and professionalism. Adults throughout the school reflect these high expectations. As a result, pupils are typically supported and challenged to achieve well.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders act in the best interests of all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged or face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. They ensure that staff are well supported. For example, they provide staff with a comprehensive professional development programme that is closely aligned to the school’s improvement priorities. This enables staff to develop their expertise as well as to contribute positively to pupils’ achievement and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance understand the school’s priorities. This enables them to support leaders as well as to hold them to account. For example, governors ask leaders challenging questions about their progress with work to improve the school. School visits help governors understand more about this work. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively, for instance, in relation to the safeguarding of pupils. They develop constructive relationships with parents, carers and the wider community. However, this work is at an earlier stage of development. As a result, governors are not yet consistently able to articulate their strategic role clearly to stakeholders. Community engagement is not yet as effective or well established.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have appropriate actions in place and a clearly defined improvement plan. In some areas, such as attendance, practice is not yet sufficiently embedded to secure the aspirational outcomes leaders intend for all pupils. Their work towards this is ongoing. It reflects a dedication to work in the best interests of all pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have established a broad curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education. The curriculum includes age-appropriate relationships, sex and health education. Leaders adapt provision to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils are developing their understanding of this curriculum, although some aspects, such as online safety, are more securely embedded than others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils take part in a range of opportunities that develop their interests and character. They value leadership roles, such as 'book box buddies', which enable them to contribute positively to school life. A variety of extra-curricular clubs and enrichment activities broaden pupils’ experiences. Leaders take steps to remove barriers so that pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities can participate fully. Participation is not yet consistently high for all groups of pupils, however. As a result, some pupils do not benefit fully from these opportunities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They are confident to share concerns with trusted adults. They are developing an age-appropriate understanding of fundamental British values. This includes democracy and the rule of law. Pupils’ understanding is not yet consistently secure across all aspects, however. Pupils do appreciate the importance of respect for others. Opportunities to vote for class rewards help pupils to understand democratic processes. This helps pupils learn in a real-world context that is important to them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral care is a strength of the school. Staff know pupils well. They provide effective, tailored support, including bespoke wellbeing programmes for pupils who need it. This helps pupils to feel supported and contributes positively to their wellbeing.

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

Pupils enjoy coming to this warm and welcoming school. Pupils feel part of a caring community because staff know them well. They settle quickly into routines and develop positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils talk confidently about what they have learned and take pride in their work. From the early years, pupils steadily develop the knowledge and skills needed to move on successfully to the next stage of their education. On the whole, they are well prepared for future learning.

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

Pupils feel a secure sense of belonging and treat one another with kindness and respect. They value the positive relationships they have with their peers and also with staff, who care deeply about their wellbeing. Pupils are keen to contribute to school life and take pride in roles of responsibility. For example, from the early years upwards, they can act as community champions, library leaders, playground pals and tidy team members. These responsibilities help pupils develop confidence and a shared commitment to making the school a positive place to be. Parents and carers speak highly of the school. They appreciate the care and support provided for their children and families.

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

Pupils behave well and understand the school’s expectations. Classrooms are generally calm and purposeful, allowing pupils to focus on their learning. Pupils feel safe and know who to speak to if they have any concerns. Staff respond quickly to support pupils when needed, helping to maintain a positive environment. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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

Most pupils attend school regularly and understand the importance of attending well. They respond positively to incentives, such as earning paperclips for their class to earn a shared reward. This encourages teamwork and collective responsibility, and pupils enjoy celebrating their successes together.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar is consistently embedded across the curriculum so that pupils’ writing is accurate and they are fully prepared for key stage 2. Leaders should continue to work on their attendance strategies to ensure that attendance, including for pupils who face barriers, improves and is consistently high. Leaders should ensure that participation in extra-curricular activities is consistently high across all pupil groups so that no pupils miss out on opportunities that support their wider development and wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Mark Otten.

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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 headteacher, deputy headteacher, staff, parents and pupils during the inspection. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently makes use of one alternative provision, including one that is unregistered.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 151 pupils on roll.

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Team inspectors:

Elizabeth Jeanes, Ofsted Inspector Simon Woodbridge, His Majesty's 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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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?

National average: 300 Headteacher: Lindsay Burnett

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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.

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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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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 (3 term) 5.9% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 4.9% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.5% 5.9% 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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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 12.3% 16.2% Close to average

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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.

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Urgent improvement

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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