Hambledon Primary School

Age group 4 - 7 Inspection date(s) 15 May 2007 Inspection number 290361 Unique Reference Number 115902 Local Authority Hampshire Inspection number 290361 Inspection dates 15 May 2007 Reporting inspector Judith Rundle HMI

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Type of school Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 4 - 7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll 62

p.1

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Allison Hill Headteacher Mrs Maureen Underdown Date of previous school inspection 27 & 28 February 2001

p.1

School address Church Lane Hambledon Waterlooville PO7 4RT Telephone number 02392 632440 Fax number 02392 632013 Hambledon Infant School Inspection report Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

p.1

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 April 2007

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspector for one day.

p.3

Description of the school

Hambledon is a much smaller than average Infant School in a rural setting. The majority of pupils have favourable social and economic backgrounds and the percentage of pupils eligible for a free school meal is well below average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties, disabilities or a statement of special education need is also well below average. Pupils joining the school in Reception are consistently above national expectations. The school has been awarded the Activemark for work in physical education.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 April 2007

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

The Inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: achievement and standards, curriculum, and care, guidance and support. Evidence was gathered from the school’s self-evaluation (SEF), national published assessment data and the school’s own assessment records, curriculum and planning documents, observation of the school at work, interviews with staff, pupils and parents and the parents’ questionnaires. Other aspects of the school’s work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school’s own assessments, as given in its SEF, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

p.4

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

Hambledon Infants is an outstanding school that has an accurate view of its strengths and has prioritised areas for improvement well. It has, however, been conservative in its in self evaluation of leadership and management as the headteacher is outstanding in her leadership and has improved an already very good school. All staff know the pupils very well, value them as individuals and have fostered an ethos of recognising and celebrating the successes of every child. This is reflected not just in excellent relationships but in the time and care taken to help pupils develop both academically and to flourish as confident, articulate and caring individuals. Hambledon Infants is a school where every child matters and is nurtured to achieve their best. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the schools work, as one comments, ‘The school has provided an excellent start for our daughter’s education’.

p.4

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been significantly above average for the last five years and pupils are well on track to sustain and even improve this position, especially in writing. This is because pupils make excellent progress throughout the school from their high starting points. It is particularly pleasing to see how the school’s focus on writing is having such a positive impact on pupils’ enjoyment and progress in telling stories, spelling and writing for pleasure. One girl in Reception was very proud as she was ‘remembering not to use capital T in the middle of my sentences’.

p.4

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

Pupils have a wealth of opportunities to develop personally and are eager to accept responsibilities in class and around the school. A Year 2 pupil said, ‘We all want to be friendly monitors so that everyone has someone to play with’. The school council, innovatively incorporating parents, are influential in decision making such as devising new rules for physical education. Pupils have very good opportunities to learn about those less fortunate than themselves and are determined in their efforts to raise money for charity and local causes. One boy demonstrated an in-depth knowledge and genuine compassion when talking of the money raised for a nearby hospice. Pupils have exceptional awareness for their age of developing a healthy lifestyle, including the need to eat protein, vegetables and fruit, and to take regular exercise. The meal served by a child in the Reception role play area included three pieces of

p.4

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

fruit and only one cake ‘otherwise you could get fat’. Behaviour in and around the school is exemplary and pupils work co-operatively in small groups.

p.4

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

Pupils benefit from teaching that is outstanding overall; the range of activities and resources are first class to stimulate and excite pupils learning. The use of computers Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 April 2007 is incorporated comfortably into tasks, and pupils display a high level of confidence in their use. Teachers and teaching assistants are highly skilled at using question and answer techniques to help pupils develop their thinking and enquiry skills, problem- solving abilities and pupils in Year 2 are particularly advanced in their independence whilst learning. Pupils know what they have to do to improve their work because of timely feedback they receive from adults and work diligently to succeed. As a result pupils love coming to school because ‘we have fun’ and ‘we like the challenge to complete hard work’. Because of high level teaching and expectations, pupils are frequently working at levels above those expected for their age.

p.4

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

The curriculum has been planned and adapted exceptionally well to meet the needs and interests of pupils in the school and to make best use of the local environment. It is planned meticulously across the school to introduce, then reinforce and extend learning experiences and all pupils are thoroughly prepared for the next steps in their learning. The staff have agreed to focus specifically on five aspects of learning to support pupils’ development as independent learners. These are reflected closely in thorough lesson planning that include opportunities for example, problem-solving, creativity and independence. More able pupils are extended both in lessons and during challenge club activities. Pupils talk with great enthusiasm about the wide choice of opportunities in golden time, many of which are run by volunteer parents, and in after school clubs.

p.5

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

Pupils and all staff have fostered excellent relationship; both pupils and parents are confident that if a problem arises they can approach staff and it will be dealt with quickly. Pupils like, and use, the secret posting box to share any concerns but recognise these are very few and are always followed up during class circle-time. They feel safe in school. Parents comment particularly favourably on the Wednesday afternoon drop-in session where they can view and discuss their child’s work and the formal meeting each term with the class teacher to review the progress of their child. All pupils know their targets for improvement and what they need to do to improve their work. Pupils who are identified as underachieving, via comprehensive tracking procedures, are frequently given short term support to ensure improvement such as additional activities to develop fine control of small implements such as pencils and

p.5

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

pens. One parent comments that the individual help given before school for 10 minutes each day on spelling has brought much improvement to the work and confidence of their child. Most parents are aware of their child’s targets and how their needs are met through working in ability groups. Many parents comment that the school engenders a ‘complete sense of parent partnership’.

p.5

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

The headteacher is outstanding in her leadership and very thorough in her management and monitoring of the school’s work. She is visionary in further plans for the school including the preparation of pupils to live in the 21 st century. Staff have worked closely to bring about successful changes to an already very good school and there is genuine pride in the pupils’ work and their development. The school has secure and extensive procedures for evaluating its work, including governors, and consequently leaders have an accurate view of its strengths and future priorities, although as previously stated has been conservative in its judgement on leadership and management. Although the school has a planned programme of lesson observations with detailed criteria for judging the effectiveness, the criteria do not reflect closely enough the school’s five aspects of learning. The Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 April 2007

p.5

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

school has made good progress since the last inspection and has the drive and capacity to continuously improve. Parents are justifiably very happy with the education their children receive at Hambledon, as one says moving our child here ‘was the best thing we could have done’.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

 Find ways to ensure that all parents are aware of their child’s targets for improvement and how different ability needs are met in classrooms.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

 Review lesson observation criteria for monitoring more closely the school’s focus on their agreed five aspects of learning. procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

p.6

Inspection judgements

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate. School Overall

p.8

Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements 1

p.8

Achievement and standards

How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners 1

p.8

Personal development and well-being

How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? 1 The extent of learners’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.8

The quality of provision

How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of learners’ needs? How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? How well are learners cared for, guided and supported? 1

p.8

Leadership and management

How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners? Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? Yes Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? No

p.8

Leadership and management

1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

p.8

Leadership and management

All white boxes must be completed. The grey boxes are used wherever the inspection team has sufficient evidence to come to a secure judgement.

p.8

Annex B

Inspection of Hambledon Infant School, Hambledon, PO7 4RT

p.9

Annex B

I am writing to say thank you for making me feel so welcome and for talking to me when I came to visit your school recently. I also want to tell you what I found out about your school.

p.9

Annex B

You are very lucky to go to such an excellent school where everyone shows such care for each other, where you feel safe and adults help you achieve the best that you can. You behave very well in lessons and in the playground and I like the way friendly monitors include other children in games when they stand by the friendly bench. You obviously enjoy coming to school and many of you said you had favourite lessons because they were fun and challenged you to learn new things. You all said how much you enjoying choosing things to do during golden time and some of you said how much you loved the challenge club. It was good to see you investigate how to make a switch for your lighthouses and in making the scary scarecrows.

p.9

Annex B

The school give you really good opportunities to take responsibility around the school and I hope that you continue wanting to be school councillors, class helpers and friendly monitors.

p.9

Annex B

Your teachers know how well each of you is doing and give you support when you need it to get better at your work. You are all using targets in your lessons but sometimes they need to be shared more with parents so that they could understand what you are learning and how they can help you with your learning at home.

p.9

Annex B

I hope that you continue to work hard and enjoy school. Thank you once again for letting me see your lovely school.

p.9