Highfield Church of England Primary School

Highfield Church of England Primary School

Address: Hawthorn Road, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1PX Unique reference number (URN): 116395

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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 Strong standard

Across subjects, pupils achieve very well. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, develop deep and detailed subject-specific knowledge. They produce high-quality work and explain their ideas with confidence and clarity. For example, in science, pupils explain their scientific understanding, using technical vocabulary with confidence. In geography, pupils use secure prior knowledge to retrieve increasingly complex information from maps. Pupils who need additional support to learn well, receive well-targeted, bespoke support which enables them to make rapid progress from their starting points.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils' understanding of important reading, writing and mathematical knowledge is impressive. They read with fluency and comprehension, write clearly, spell accurately and recall important mathematical information with confidence. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, routinely achieve above-average results in national tests. This sets them up very well for their next steps in learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils' attendance is high. Leaders maintain meticulous oversight of pupils' attendance. They act quickly to address attendance concerns. Leaders and staff take appropriate and reasonable steps to support pupils to attend regularly and on time. This includes supporting pupils who may struggle to attend through no fault of their own. Leaders take swift, decisive action to prevent pupils from becoming persistently absent. They work closely with families to identify and address any barriers to regular attendance. As a result, persistent absence levels are well below the national figures.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behave very well. Right from the very start of early years children learn to organise themselves independently and follow routines consistently. In lessons, pupils' behaviour is excellent. They demonstrate highly positive attitudes, focusing diligently on their learning and working hard. The school's high-quality pastoral support successfully teaches pupils to manage their emotions and relationships with their peers and with adults. As a result, pupils behave with high levels of respect around the school. Pupils feel very safe from any bullying or discriminatory behaviour. Incidents of this kind are incredibly rare. However, when they do occur, leaders address them promptly and effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum in all subjects. Right from the start of the early years, leaders prioritise the teaching of basic knowledge in English and mathematics. This includes a sharp focus on ensuring pupils develop a wide vocabulary and learn to communicate effectively. Expert staff teach reading very well. They provide carefully targeted support for those pupils who need additional help to learn to read. In mathematics, the curriculum provides many opportunities for pupils to secure and deepen their understanding of important mathematical concepts. Staff subject knowledge is impressive. Staff explain new concepts clearly and design thoughtful tasks that enable pupils to develop detailed knowledge and understanding. They make regular checks on what pupils know and can do. Staff use this information expertly to determine when pupils are ready to move on to the next steps in their learning. Furthermore,

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

pupils have regular, carefully planned opportunities to review previous learning. This helps them to remember their prior learning, make connections with new learning and deepen their understanding further.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Across the curriculum, staff use a range of well-considered and often bespoke adaptations to enable pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those from other disadvantaged groups, to access an appropriate curriculum consistently well.

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Early years Strong standard

Children get off to a great start in the early years. Staff ensure that they get to know the children and their needs right from the very start. They use this information expertly to engage children in learning and to build caring, warm relationships with them. This helps children to feel safe and secure and settle very quickly into school life.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff are determined that children will learn to read and develop a secure understanding of number. Children learn important knowledge such as phonics right from the very start. Staff also prioritise developing children's vocabulary and knowledge of how language works. For example, children enjoy regular story sessions and the opportunity to join in with songs and rhymes.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders have designed a comprehensive curriculum, which identifies exactly what children must learn to be successful. Staff provide a well-resourced and stimulating early years environment that enables children to learn very well through purposeful play. Adults maximise every opportunity to develop children's understanding. Staff use a wide range of highly effective strategies to interact purposefully with children and develop children's thinking and understanding systematically. Staff provide targeted support for those children who may need additional help to achieve well. As a result of this highly effective teaching, children achieve very well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders make inclusion an absolute priority. Leaders, staff and governors share the same high ambition for ensuring that the most vulnerable pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have every opportunity to achieve their very best and thrive, both academically and socially. Leaders ensure that they identify pupils' individual barriers to success rapidly through a range of rigorous and well-established strategies.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Expert, diligent leaders of inclusion ensure that staff benefit from high-quality, regular training. This gives staff the knowledge and skills they need to support pupils' additional needs robustly. Staff consistently use a range of highly effective strategies to ensure that pupils with SEND and those from other vulnerable groups have every opportunity to achieve well. These strategies are highly effective in enhancing the opportunities and experiences for these pupils. In addition, leaders work extensively with external specialists to provide tailored support for pupils who need this.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders keep a close eye on the effectiveness of the school's inclusion work. This includes ensuring that additional funding for disadvantaged pupils improves provision for them. Leaders' monitoring enables them to make careful adaptations to provision swiftly and knowledgeably when needed. As a result, pupils from all disadvantaged groups achieve very well.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are determined to provide pupils with a great education that helps them to achieve highly. Leaders consistently identify the right priorities to improve the school and take appropriate action to bring these to fruition. There is a real sense of staff working together as a team to take the school from strength to strength. Adults have worked tirelessly since the previous inspection to embed high-quality provision across the school.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff value the way in which leaders support them to develop professionally and manage their wellbeing and workload. Through providing relevant, high-quality professional development opportunities, leaders ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to do their very best for pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The school engages well with parents, carers and the local community. Parents are highly positive about the school. They appreciate the care and support that their children receive and the academic progress that they make. Parents are very complimentary about the improvements that leaders have made to the school in recent years.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors fulfil their statutory duties effectively. They work closely with leaders to understand what the school does well and what it needs to improve further. For example, governors analyse data well to provide themselves with appropriate and insightful information, which they triangulate effectively. Governors have secure systems in place to assure themselves that disadvantaged pupils receive effective support to achieve well. Governors also maintain appropriate oversight of safeguarding to assure themselves that pupils are safe.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school has a comprehensive personal development programme. It is carefully tailored to pupils' needs and to promote the school's deep-rooted values of peace, respect and courage. Pupils learn the knowledge and skills they need to be very well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils value diversity and enjoy learning about different cultures and beliefs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils demonstrate detailed understanding of their personal development learning through their knowledge and their attitudes. For example, younger pupils articulately describe how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations and how to be a good friend. In their attitudes towards each other, pupils demonstrate tolerance and respect. For example, they defer to their peers when someone is speaking and wait their turn sensibly. Older pupils value learning important financial information. They are proud of the fact that they learn 'how to spend wisely and save'. Pupils also have complete clarity about how to keep themselves safe, both online and in the community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils benefit from a wide range of rich opportunities to develop their talents and interests. They learn resilience and perseverance through live performance opportunities and through taking part in sporting competitions. Leaders also encourage a strong sense of aspiration. For example, leaders invite visitors into school, including accomplished musicians, scientists and professional sports people, to show pupils what is possible if they work hard.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide comprehensive pastoral support for pupils' mental health and wellbeing. Pupils value this support. They understand how the strategies they learn to keep mentally and physically fit could help them in later life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils learn the importance of responsible citizenship through giving back to their school and the local community. In school, pupils willingly take on a wide variety of additional responsibilities. They support their local community through activities such as supporting charities and taking part in environmental initiatives.

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

Pupils love being a part of this caring, nurturing school. They arrive happily each day, relishing the warm welcome from staff, who know them well. Pupils strive to do their very best. Each day, pupils settle quickly to their work, confident in the knowledge that staff want them to have every opportunity to be successful. Pupils love learning. They talk confidently about what they know and can do and achieve highly.

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

Pupils behave very well. They concentrate diligently in lessons and work hard. Pupils show high levels of respect for their peers and for adults. Understanding, tolerance and respect is woven through pupils' learning. Right from the start of the early years, children learn important social skills, such as taking turns and about how to cooperate with each other. Pupils say that they 'should treat everyone as they want to be treated'. They demonstrate a deep understanding of this in their positive and inclusive attitudes towards each other. Bullying is very rare. However, if unkind behaviour occurs, staff address this quickly and effectively. Pupils are confident that staff support them well to stay safe.

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

Pupils benefit from a truly inclusive culture. This is a real strength of the school. Pupils display impressively inclusive attitudes, celebrating and valuing difference. At social times, they join in games and activities together, keen to ensure that no one is left out. Pupils with additional needs or barriers to their learning benefit in full from the school's work.

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

A comprehensive range of additional opportunities nurture pupils' talents and interests. For example, pupils enjoy opportunities to perform to a wide range of audiences, including achieving success in national performing arts competitions. Pupils also learn how to stay fit and healthy. They are encouraged to eat a balanced diet, get outside in the fresh air and understand the importance of getting enough sleep.

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Team inspectors:

Rebecca Mayman, Ofsted Inspector Donna Fox, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue their work to refine and enhance the school's strong practices to sustain and build on the high-quality provision across all areas of its work.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Alan Hunt.

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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

The inspection took place from 15 to 16 September 2026.

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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

During the inspection, the inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders, members of the governing body and a representative of the Diocese of Winchester. The lead inspector also spoke to representatives from the local authority and the local community trust.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Christian religious character. It is in the Diocese of Winchester. Its last section 48 inspection was in March 2026.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Rosie Walford The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 15 September 2026

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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?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 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 needs support 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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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

2023/24 (final) 67% 61% 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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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 76% 73% Close to average

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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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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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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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 (final) 71% 61% Close to average

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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) 4.6% 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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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