Noadswood SchoolOfsted report card, 9 Sept 2026

Noadswood School

Address: North Road, Dibden Purlieu, Southampton, Hampshire, SO45 4ZF Unique reference number (URN): 137125

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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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Inclusion Expected standard

Inclusion is at the heart of the school. Leaders have developed an inclusive, nurturing environment. They demonstrate a clear understanding of the school’s context and see pupils as individuals. As a result, pupils are well known at this school and feel a sense of belonging. Staff provide well-considered and effective pastoral care for pupils. Leaders work closely with families and professionals to put pupils' needs first.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff identify pupils' needs accurately, including those of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They monitor their progress carefully and respond to changing needs. There is a broad range of support delivered by well-trained staff. This includes access to laptops, one-to-one help and pastoral provision. This support helps pupils with barriers to their learning to take part in school in ways that match their needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school's specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND supports pupils effectively. Leaders work well with external agencies to ensure that pupils get the support they need. Similarly, leaders secure suitable alternative provision appropriately and in the best interests of pupils.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders' use of funding for disadvantaged pupils is appropriate and well considered. However, leaders' evaluation of the impact of this funding on the opportunities and experiences of disadvantaged pupils could be more rigorous.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have developed an effective personal development programme. This means that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Personal, social, health and economic education helps pupils to navigate the complexity of relationships, healthy lifestyles and being a good citizen. Pupils understand that there are fundamental values to British life. They know how to keep themselves safe, including when navigating online risks.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal development curriculum is well planned and organised. Pupils build their knowledge securely as they progress through the school. For instance, pupils learn about the importance of friendships. Over time, this builds to a sound awareness of positive relationships. Leaders adjust curriculum content in response to local and national priorities. For instance, pupils appreciate a recent emphasis on water safety. All pupils access the personal development curriculum, including those who attend alternative provision.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders act as role models. They promote important values through their positive relationships with pupils and families. Pupils value the pastoral support on offer. They feel well supported by staff in a variety of roles and have trusted adults.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils welcome regular opportunities to contribute to democratic decision-making. For example, they successfully proposed changes to the school's summer uniform. Pupils have also recently raised funds for bike sheds so that they could cycle to school.

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Needs attention

Pupils access a wide range of enrichment activities. These broaden their understanding of the wider world. There is a wide range of opportunities on offer. These include trips, residential visits and participation in national competitions. The club offer is extensive. This enables all pupils to foster their existing talents or take up new interests. Pupils enjoy these opportunities. The whole-school event 'Noadsfest' enables pupils to celebrate the performing arts together. This is a highlight of the school year for the whole community.

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Achievement Needs attention

Disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as well as their peers nationally. Leaders recognise that there are specific barriers to pupils achieving better. They understand that these include teaching inconsistencies and lower levels of attendance. The school does not address gaps in pupil knowledge resulting from absence effectively enough. Pupils who have not yet secured foundations in reading and mathematics do not catch up quickly enough.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils make steady progress through the curriculum in some subjects. Overall outcomes at the end of key stage 4 are close to national averages. Some pupils achieve well. This includes pupils with higher starting points and those studying science qualifications. Typically, pupils secure the core knowledge and skills they need in reading, writing and mathematics. Some pupils produce work of a high standard.

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Achievement Needs attention

On the whole, pupils leaving the school move on to suitable next steps. However, for some pupils, their readiness is limited by gaps in their knowledge or skills that have not yet successfully closed.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupil absence and persistent absence are significantly above national averages. Attendance for all pupils remains a key priority for leaders. Attendance for pupils eligible for the pupil premium and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is low.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders are now rightly prioritising this work. In the past, their approach did not bring about sustained improvements. Leaders have recently introduced more robust attendance strategies. This means they are now able to monitor pupils’ attendance carefully. As a result, the school is now following up attendance concerns promptly.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders use a range of positive approaches to improve attendance. These include effective pastoral care, careful monitoring, rewards for improved attendance and targeted support for pupils. Staff work well with pupils and parents and carers to reduce barriers to attendance. Despite these actions, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils remains too low.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils’ behaviour is calm, orderly and respectful. In lessons, pupils show positive attitudes and concentrate well. This is because routines are clear and relationships with staff are warm. Behaviour at social times is positive and well supervised. Bullying is rare. It is dealt with effectively and in a timely fashion when it occurs. Overall, pupils feel safe and well supported in school.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teaching is not as effective as it should be. Teachers' use of assessment is variable. For example, some teachers do not spot gaps in pupils' knowledge or adjust their teaching effectively to meet pupils' needs. When this happens, gaps in pupils' learning remain. Additionally, there are often insufficient opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding. This means that weaknesses in pupils' understanding remain, and some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have developed an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum. They have structured the curriculum content in a logical sequence. Teachers' subject knowledge is secure and detailed. Leaders have a clear understanding of the improvements that need to be made to the quality of teaching. Leaders' work in this area is at an early stage.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The support available to help pupils become confident readers has not been consistently delivered. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their reading skills. Pupils now receive targeted help if they are at the early stages of reading.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governance is not working as it should. Those responsible for governance share leaders' commitment to inclusion. They maintain suitable oversight and fulfil their statutory duties. However, they do not always focus closely enough on what they need to. Trustees do not ask searching questions of leaders to scrutinise the rate of change. Nor do they consistently provide rigorous challenge and support to school leaders.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders lead with integrity and compassion. They know what needs to be done to improve and take decisions that are in pupils' best interests. However, their actions have not been sufficiently quick or effective. Leaders recognise pupils' achievement will improve by focusing on teaching and attendance priorities. Nevertheless, they have not yet driven this work with precision and rigour. For example, training on classroom teaching has not yet reduced teaching variability. As a result, pupils still do not achieve as well as they should from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff are positive about working at Noadswood School. They feel well supported by leaders who prioritise their wellbeing and consider their workload. Early career teachers feel they are well supported. Leaders provide a breadth of appropriate professional learning opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders and staff maintain positive relationships with parents. Parents feel a deep sense of belonging towards their children's school and value leaders' and staff's commitment to pupils. They engage positively with parents and the wider community. Leaders have ensured they have effective working relationships with external agencies and organisations. Staff say they are proud to work at the school.

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

Pupils enjoy their learning at Noadwood School. Classrooms are typically calm, and routines are clear. However, the quality of teaching that they receive varies. Some teaching helps pupils to make progress through the curriculum. At other times, teaching is not adapted well enough to what pupils know and do not know. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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

Not all pupils attend as often as they should do. As a result, some pupils do not benefit fully or consistently from the school's provisions.

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

Noadswood is a happy school where pupils feel they belong. Relationships between pupils and staff are a strength. Inclusion is at the centre of the school's culture. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and those with other vulnerabilities take part fully in school life.

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

Pupils enjoy coming to this caring and warm school. They feel a sense of belonging and community. Pupils value having their voices heard. They are enthusiastic about the pupil leadership opportunities. These are available to all year groups. Pupils are proud to be prefects and support the wider life of the school.

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

Pupils are safe. They say they feel comfortable to be themselves at school. Pupils have trusted adults who they know they can go to if needed. Bullying is rare. When it does happen, staff respond quickly to address it. Pupils feel well supported by the nurturing pastoral system.

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

There is a wide range of enrichment opportunities beyond the curriculum. These broaden and enrich pupils' experiences of school life. Clubs offered to pupils include sports, model making, chess and robotics. These opportunities help pupils to develop confidence and self- esteem. They feel prepared for their next steps, reflected in positive destinations.

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Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that they rigorously monitor the impact of their improvement strategies so that they evaluate more closely the impact of their work on teaching and attendance. Leaders should ensure that work to improve teaching is embedded consistently across the school so that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieve well. Leaders should develop teachers’ checking for understanding so that gaps in pupils' knowledge are accurately identified and addressed before new learning is introduced. Leaders should embed and refine their strategic approach to attendance so pupils' attendance continues to improve and these improvements are sustained over time. Leaders should embed strategies that will enable pupils to develop secure foundations in reading so that they are better prepared for their next steps.

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Team inspectors:

Harry Kutty, Ofsted Inspector Peter Fry, Ofsted Inspector Paul Grundy, His Majesty's Inspector Nathan Thomas, 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. Leaders should ensure that pupils develop consistently detailed and secure knowledge across the personal development curriculum.

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About this inspection

This school is part of a single-academy 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 Gary O'Flaherty and Annette Hodge.

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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

This inspection took place on 9 and 10 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

Inspectors spoke with the school leadership team, members of staff, groups of pupils and representatives from the board of trustees during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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 makes uses of 4 alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Kathryn Marshall The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 9 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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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 44.3% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 46.7% 45.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 44.9% 45.3% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 45.5 46.1 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 45.2 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 44.6 46.3 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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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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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 18.9% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 19.5% 25.2% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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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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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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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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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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