Harestock Primary School

Inspection Report Harestock Primary School

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116241 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 290468 Inspection number 26 °27 September 2006 Inspection dates Peter Thrussell Reporting inspector

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

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Bramshaw Close School address Primary Type of school Harestock Community School category Winchester SO22 6LU 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01962881575 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01962884836 Fax number 214 Number on roll (school) Mrs Sue Bignell Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Jacqueline Sankey Headteacher 11 March 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 290468 26 °27 September 2006 4°11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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.

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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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Harestock is an average-sized primary school which serves an area with little apparent deprivation. A quarter of the pupils come from service families, which means that more pupils join the school in different years than in most schools. The majority are from British White heritage, with a small proportion from ethnic minority groups. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is well above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006

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Grade: 3

Harestock provides a satisfactory standard of education. It has some strengths. Pupils are well cared for by the staff who ensure their safety and well-being. The significant number who join in different year groups are well integrated into the life of the school and achieve as well as their classmates. One parent commented, 'I felt that everything was done to help them settle in well'. Pupils behave well, are polite and keen to learn. Good links with parents, other schools and agencies effectively support pupils' learning and well-being. Pupils enjoy school and feel safe. Good curriculum enrichment, by way of clubs and other activities, supports pupils' learning well and fosters this enjoyment. Pupils help out in school doing jobs and taking on responsibilities willingly. Good provision for physical activity and an encouragement to eat healthily contribute well to pupils adopting a healthy lifestyle. This is further reinforced by the school council's

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Grade: 3

suggestion to introduce 'healthy snack reward cards'. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory overall as a result of the satisfactory teaching and curriculum that they receive. Children enter the school with skills and understanding that are broadly average. Good teaching and a lively curriculum in the Foundation Stage result in children achieving well. When they enter Year 1, the majority have met the learning goals expected at this age. In Years 1 and 2 pupils make satisfactory progress and by the end of Year 2 standards are average. Standards would be higher but a significant number of the pupils who have prospered well in the Reception class, leave before the end of Year 2. Progress throughout the rest of the school is inconsistent both within classes and from year to year. By Year 6 standards are broadly average, with higher attaining pupils generally doing well. The significant number of pupils with learning difficulties that joined in Years 5 and 6, have depressed overall

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Grade: 3

standards in 2006. Achievement is satisfactory given the pupils' starting points. Throughout the school, pupils with learning difficulties make good progress due to the well focused support they receive. However, other pupils, who are below the average for the class, do not make as much progress as they could as work is not sufficiently matched to their needs. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory. Warm relationships result in pupils wanting to learn. The school assesses and tracks pupils' progress, but this information is not used well enough to identify the next small steps in their learning to ensure that all make the best progress possible. Pupils comment that 'sometimes the work is too easy and sometimes too hard'. They are not informed well enough of how well they are doing or how they can improve their work in order to make better progress. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The new headteacher has quickly

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Grade: 3

identified key areas for improvement by carefully analysing assessment information. The school's current improvement planning does not keep a sufficient check on the actions it is taking, their impact on pupils' learning and how their success is to be measured. Consequently, the school's self-evaluation is satisfactory and shows a capacity to improve that is also satisfactory. 2 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teachers challenge all pupils to achieve well, particularly those who are below average, through better use of the school's assessment data • Keep pupils better informed of how well they are doing and how they can improve their work • Strengthen leadership and management through a more rigorous approach to improvement planning, monitoring and evaluation

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Grade: 3

Standards are broadly average and achievement satisfactory meaning that the school meets its targets. Children get a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage. Most pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the rest of the school. The school has started to provide additional support for lower attaining pupils. However, it recognises that it does not monitor this group's progress rigorously enough and consequently some do not make the progress they should. As at the last inspection, girls are doing better than boys. The school has taken some action to raise boys' achievement, for example, through staff training on approaches to boys' writing. These actions, however, have not been sufficiently followed through and sustained.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They enjoy coming to school and relate well to adults and each other. They feel safe and know how to deal sensibly with any unpleasantness that may occur. Attendance is good, reflecting the fact that most pupils find lessons interesting. Their behaviour is good. Through good provision for sport and the emphasis laid on healthy eating, pupils have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They show respect for other's feelings and opinions. Pupils make a good contribution to the work of the school by taking on school roles such as house captains. The school council is effective and has made useful suggestions to bring about changes in the school. Pupils are aware of how important it is to help others both in school and the wider community. For instance, there are strong links with elderly people within the

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Grade: 2

local community and pupils take an active part in fund raising appeals. This, along with an adequate level of basic skills, prepares pupils satisfactorily for their later life and learning. 3 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and in most classes plan work that interests them. In the Foundation Stage, where children are all new to the school, the warm relationships ensure that children develop the confidence to choose from a range of well-organised activities on offer. Throughout the school effective teamwork by teachers and well-qualified support assistants ensures that pupils with learning difficulties participate fully in lessons and make good progress. Although teachers encourage pupils to talk to one another and share their work, they do not sufficiently engage all pupils in questioning in order to further their understanding. This is particularly so at the end of lessons where opportunities are missed for pupils to discuss and evaluate what they have been learning. The marking does not provide sufficient comments to show how pupils could

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It includes all the required areas and makes good provision for personal, social and health education. Links are planned between subjects to encourage pupils to use and develop their different skills. However, work is not sufficiently well-matched to meet the learning needs of all pupils, particularly the lower attaining ones, to enable them to achieve as well as possible. Pupils benefit from specialist teaching in music; French is offered in Years 4, 5 and 6 in partnership with the local secondary school. Work in the Foundation Stage is well planned to provide a good balance between structured sessions and activities chosen by children, which enables them to achieve well, particularly in their personal and social development. There are strengths in the number and range of extra-curricular activities available and other organised events. This involves a sporting partnership that extends the

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Grade: 3

range of activities on offer. These are well attended and contribute significantly to pupils' positive attitudes. Numerous visits provide first hand learning experiences.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are overall satisfactory. Care is good and all adults show a high commitment and competence in promoting the health and safety of pupils. All requirements for child protection are in place. Every pupil is known and treated as an individual, contributing well to the harmonious and welcoming atmosphere of the school. Records of the specific needs of pupils with learning difficulties are good and used well to provide effective support. Pupils themselves are not given enough guidance to enable them to make consistently good progress in their learning. Although they 4 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006 are set learning targets, pupils are not sufficiently aware of them or of their purpose in guiding them to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. An effective lead has been taken on the pastoral care and well-being of pupils. Although the school's systems for monitoring its work are satisfactory, they are not yet robust enough to ensure all pupils progress well. For example, assessment information has not been analysed well enough to identify and address the inconsistent rates of progress made across the school and where pupils need further support. Subject co-ordinators look at planning and samples of work, but have not had the opportunity to observe lessons in their subjects in order to assess the impact of teaching on pupils' progress. The school improvement plan identifies the most important priorities for the school, but lacks clear, measurable criteria to judge how success will be evaluated, particularly in terms of pupils' achievement and standards. This lack of detail in the school's systems for planning

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Grade: 3

and monitoring improvements hinders the work of the committed governing body which is keen to hold the school to account more effectively. The school has good links with parents who are encouraged to provide active support for their children's learning. 5 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

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. 7 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I am writing to let you know what we found when we visited your school. Thank you for taking part in the inspection. We spoke to many of you during our visit and you were always interesting to talk to and helpful. You spoke enthusiastically about enjoying school and all of the things you take part in. Our main finding is that Harestock is a satisfactory school. We liked these things the most: • The Reception class prepares you well for the rest of your time in school. • You enjoy school and are interested in the things you do. • You behave well. • The school is very caring and looks after you well. • Those of you who find learning particularly difficult are well supported. • You understand the importance of eating the right things and taking plenty of exercise. • The school provides many interesting things for you to do. • The school listens to you when you suggest how things could be better. We have asked the school to work on these things now:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Look more closely at how well you are progressing in school and carefully plan what you need to learn next so that you all do even better. • Involve you more fully in how well you are learning so that you all know how to improve your work. • Keep a more careful check on all that it does and plans to do to ensure that you all have an enjoyable and successful time in school. Thank you again Yours sincerely Peter Thrussell Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Harestock Primary School, 26 °27 September 2006

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