Schools & FE · Report card

Bishop's Waltham Junior School

Inspected 23 Jun 2026 · URN 116006

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Ian Howie (lead), Lisa Houghton, Sue Keeling

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

Achievement verified
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour verified
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Expected standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Strong standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
23 Jun 2026
Inspectors verified
Ian Howie, Lisa Houghton, Sue Keeling
Postcode verified
SO32 1EP
Name on report verified
Bishop's Waltham Junior School
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
116006

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Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementExpected
Attendance and behaviourStrong
Curriculum and teachingExpected
InclusionExpected
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingStrong

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+58Positivemore positive than 27% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisepositiveconfidentlyeffectivehigh expectationseffectivelyfeel safesecurepositively

Criticismnot consistentlyconcernsnot yetnot alwayspersistent absenceerrorsgapsnot confident

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1282w+60
Leadership256w+44
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve68w+50

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 15
Words of findings: 1,654; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 38, typical 43
Average sentence: 14 words
Next steps: 3; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 8%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 48%Leadership 10%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 3%About the inspection 38%

Full report text

Bishop's Waltham Junior School

Address: Oak Road, Bishops Waltham, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 1EP Unique reference number (URN): 116006

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders prioritise attendance and have established a positive culture in which its importance is clearly understood by staff, pupils and families. Attendance is consistently high and currently above national averages for all groups of pupils. Leaders identify barriers quickly and put in place tailored support to help pupils attend regularly. As a result, persistent absence is low and continues to fall. Leaders use detailed analysis to monitor patterns and act promptly. They work closely with families to secure sustained improvements. Parents and carers value this supportive approach and recognise the positive difference it makes to their children’s attendance.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders set high expectations for behaviour, creating a calm and supportive environment in which pupils thrive. Pupils behave very well across the school. They follow routines confidently, settle quickly into learning and show positive attitudes. Relationships between pupils and staff are respectful and caring. Pupils treat each other with kindness and collaborate well. Bullying is rare. Pupils feel confident that staff address any concerns quickly and effectively. Leaders provide appropriate support and adjustments for pupils who need help to manage their behaviour. As a result, pupils show high levels of self-discipline. They engage positively in lessons and contribute to a purposeful learning environment.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide effective and thoughtful leadership of personal development and wellbeing. They have designed a carefully sequenced programme, including personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education, which ensures that pupils develop secure knowledge over time. This programme is closely aligned to the school’s context. For example, pupils learn in detail about water safety due to the local environment. Equally, the school supports its smartphone-free approach through teaching which helps pupils understand the impact of digital devices on their health and wellbeing.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop a deep understanding of how to keep themselves safe, both online and offline. They speak confidently about relationships, consent and managing risks. Pupils also demonstrate a mature understanding of wider issues. These include financial decision- making and the impact of their digital footprint. Through the curriculum and wider experiences, pupils develop a secure understanding of diversity, equality and British values. Staff ensure that pupils learn about life beyond their local area through carefully chosen texts, trips and residential visits. These help broaden pupils' perspectives and deepen their understanding of modern Britain.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The wider personal development programme is a significant strength. Leaders provide a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, thoughtfully designed to meet pupils' needs and interests. The school offers extra-curricular clubs at different times of the day to maximise participation. Leaders actively ensure that all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged or have additional needs, can take part. Pupils value these opportunities. They speak warmly about the range of activities available to them.

p.2

Expected standard

Pastoral support is effective. Staff know pupils well. Staff provide tailored support, including specialist provision, to meet pupils' emotional and social needs. Leaders also work closely with families and external agencies to provide additional support when needed. As a result, pupils are confident, respectful and well prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils achieve well and typically make appropriate progress from their starting points. Pupils generally learn an age-appropriate curriculum across subjects, and their work shows that knowledge and skills build over time. The school prepares most pupils well for the next stage of their education.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, generally make suitable progress. Leaders’ tracking systems support effective monitoring, and most pupils who are disadvantaged receive targeted support to help them achieve in line with their peers. Pupils demonstrate secure recall of learning and can talk confidently about what they have learned.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

The development of important knowledge is not yet consistently secure, however. Some pupils continue to make basic errors in spelling, punctuation and handwriting, and these are not always addressed consistently. This slows the rate at which gaps close, which limits how fully some pupils secure the knowledge needed to achieve as highly as they could.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide clear and purposeful strategic leadership of the curriculum and teaching. An evidence-informed approach is in place and generally understood by staff. This is leading to increasing consistency in classroom practice and a shared focus on meeting the needs of all pupils. Professional development has strengthened staff confidence, particularly in developing inclusive classroom practice.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is well structured and sequenced so that pupils build knowledge over time. Pupils revisit prior learning, helping them to consolidate key concepts. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to secure strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. Daily routines, including spelling and reading, support this aim.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

On the whole, teachers present new learning clearly. They design activities that enable pupils to access the intended curriculum. Pupils typically use prior knowledge to support new learning. Teachers check understanding appropriately.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have taken appropriate steps to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils who are disadvantaged can access the curriculum. Adaptations are usually effective and enable pupils to learn alongside their peers. These approaches are not consistently embedded across all learning, however. In some instances, pupils do not apply some key skills, including spelling and handwriting, accurately in extended work. As a result, learning is not consistently secured, and some pupils do not routinely apply these skills confidently across the curriculum.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established a culture in which all staff share high expectations for every pupil. They take collective responsibility for meeting a range of needs. Systems to identify pupils’ needs are well embedded. Leaders use assessment information effectively to identify barriers early. They use systems that support pupils to access learning and participate fully in school life. Parents and carers value the school’s inclusive ethos and report that the school welcomes and supports pupils well.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the barriers faced by pupils who are disadvantaged. Leaders align the pupil premium strategy with whole-school priorities and use it to provide targeted academic support alongside wider opportunities. As a result, most pupils who are disadvantaged access the full curriculum and wider provision, including enrichment activities, and typically make appropriate progress.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work closely with external agencies. They maintain effective partnerships with parents to ensure that support is appropriate. Training for all staff has strengthened provision, and pupils gain from this as a result. Pupils who require it, including those who are known to social care, receive well-coordinated support that helps them to settle and engage positively in school.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have a clear understanding of the school’s context. They have identified appropriate priorities, particularly in strengthening provision for inclusion and curriculum delivery. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils and act in their best interests. They are visible, active role models. They have established a culture built on positive relationships with pupils, families and the wider community.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively. They know the school well and provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders. Governors strengthen their understanding of the school’s work through their professional expertise and engagement with leaders. Together, they ensure that the school’s direction is clearly defined. They ensure appropriate use of resources effectively.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders prioritise staff development. Professional learning is closely aligned to whole-school priorities. Staff take part in a range of training opportunities, including support from external partners and collaborative work within the school. Staff feel valued and supported, and leaders are mindful of workload when implementing changes.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have developed positive relationships with parents and carers and the wider community. Engagement is a particular strength, and there is a clear sense of trust and shared purpose. This work begins before pupils even attend the setting. Parents appreciate this open, welcoming environment created by leaders. While leaders’ work is having a positive impact in the areas they have prioritised most, these improvements are not yet consistently embedded across all areas of the school’s work. As a result, the impact of leaders’ work has not yet secured consistently high outcomes for all pupils over time.

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