Whiteley Primary School

Whiteley Primary School Inspection report

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131420 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 315806 Inspection number 19 °20 May 2008 Inspection dates John Earish 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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Primary Type of school Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 612 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr S Griffiths Chair Mrs P Bradley Headteacher 5 July 2004 Date of previous school inspection Gull Coppice School address Whiteley Fareham PO15 7LA 01489 881601 Telephone number 01489 881740 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 19 °20 May 2008 Inspection dates 315806 Inspection number .

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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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This larger-than-average primary school serves a new housing development consisting of both private and affordable housing. Almost all of the pupils are of White British heritage with a small number from mostly Asian backgrounds. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below that found nationally. The school has achieved enhanced Healthy School Status, the Artsmark Gold Award and the Sport England Activemark. It is working currently towards Eco School status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. On stepping across the threshold of Whiteley, visitors are struck by the quiet and purposeful working atmosphere where children are valued for what they are. Pupils really enjoy coming to school very much. One older boy added gleefully that he didn't approve of schools but his teachers 'made learning fun and interesting...and that's why he always wanted to attend!' The vast majority of parents also hold very positive views about the school and had 'nothing but praise for all the adults who work hard to encourage children whatever level they are at'. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher and senior managers monitor their own systems well and respond quickly to any weaknesses that are identified. Four years ago, the school had concerns about the accuracy of the judgments made about pupils' attainment by the end of Year 2. Robust quality assurance systems were introduced and teachers' judgments

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Grade: 2

are now both rigorous and accurate across all key stages. These detailed school records and regular assessments show that all groups of pupils are making good progress from their starting points in the school. Standards were significantly above average overall last year and have been for a number of years. Pupils in the current Year 6 are also well on track to attain well above average standards overall. Children make a very good start to their learning in the Foundation Stage and this helps them settle quickly and happily into school life. Another reason for the pupils' good achievement is the good quality teaching and learning they receive. Work usually matches pupils' individual needs and ensures good levels of challenge so they can achieve as well as they can. Learning is most effective when pupils have opportunities to work independently or in small groups and use their initiative. Occasionally, teachers follow

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Grade: 2

lessons plans too closely and lack the confidence to allow pupils to pursue their own ideas or fail to give them sufficient time to do so. The rich curriculum is another factor contributing towards the pupils' good achievement. They talk enthusiastically about the many different projects and experiences that have captured their imaginations and spurred them on to work hard. Links between English and other subjects are exceptionally well developed. This fosters in pupils a genuine keenness for research, reading and writing. However, the school recognises that opportunities to link mathematics and science with other curriculum areas are not as well developed. Teachers are working to bring them up to the same level of excellence. The very good provision for pupils' personal, social and health education is a significant factor contributing towards their outstanding personal development. Pupils treat each other with

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Grade: 2

great respect and willingly respond to the many opportunities to accept responsibility. They attend school very regularly. As a result, they feel very happy, safe and secure and quickly become confident learners. Care, guidance and support are good and pastoral care is outstanding. The use of self-assessment alongside targets for improvement is developing well and the practice in English is very good. However, there is scope to improve this support in other subjects such as mathematics and science so that all pupils have an even clearer understanding of what they must do to improve. There is no room for complacency at this school and it has the potential to become outstanding in all respects. All the adults are working very well together to achieve this. Detailed and accurate self-evaluation has resulted in an improvement plan of good quality to support these aspirations. Less experienced coordinators are gaining confidence at monitoring school initiatives so they

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008 can increase their impact on the quality of learning as well as the rate at which pupils make progress. The governors' strategic planning supports these endeavours well. They offer constructive advice and criticism. There is a good capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 2

The quality of education in the Foundation Stage is good and children achieve well. Strong reflective leadership by the coordinator underpins these successes as well as teamwork by all the adults. Children start school with skills and abilities that are broadly similar to those expected for their age. By the start of Year 1, almost all attain and exceed the early learning goals. There is a good balance between tasks selected by the children and those planned by the teachers. These activities encourage pupils to use their initiative and develop their independent learning skills. An overwhelming majority of parents are extremely positive and supportive as one said, 'My daughter started in reception last year, the set up there is fantastic'.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend the very good target setting practice in English to other subjects so that pupils have an even clearer understanding of how they can improve.

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Grade: 2

Given their starting points, all groups of pupils are achieving well and making good progress. The oldest pupils are meeting their challenging targets and are well on the road to attaining well above average standards overall. They have been significantly above average for several years. The highest attainment is in English. Standards at the end of Year 2 are above average. This also represents good progress from their starting points in Year 1. Achievement is good because teachers are now very good at tracking pupils' progress and using the resulting information to address quickly any underachievement. These very detailed and regular assessments show that all groups of pupils are making good progress as they move from year to year. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are making good progress against their targets and achieving well.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development is outstanding. Pupils try very hard, enjoy their lessons and are extremely keen to do well. Attendance is well above average. Behaviour and relationships are excellent because adults provide pupils with very good role models of how to treat each other with courtesy and respect. Pupils are articulate, thoughtful, confident, friendly and helpful. In discussion, they could think of little they would change at school with the exception of the addition of a swimming pool as a community resource. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils have very good opportunities to reflect on their own ideas and beliefs as well as those of others. There is an exceptionally strong sense of community and pupils are very proud of their school. For example, pupils take up extra responsibilities such as the Young Governors and the Eco Council so that they can make a real difference to the community.

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Grade: 1

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008 Pupils have an excellent understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles and staying safe, as well as learning about other cultures. They say that trusted adults very quickly deal with any bullying. Links are very good with the local secondary school and the community. Parents are supportive. One said, `My children are very lucky to start their school life here.' Pupils' very good levels of basic skills and their outstanding personal development prepare them exceptionally well for later life and learning.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are of good quality because adults have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and plan interesting and challenging activities for them. Consequently, pupils are exceedingly well behaved, eager to learn and make good progress. In most lessons, well-matched tasks meet the pupils' varying needs and there are good levels of challenge for all abilities. Occasionally work can be too easy or too difficult for a particular group or individual and learning is not as rapid as it could be. Pupils learn best when they are given opportunities to learn independently or in small groups and use their initiative. Most teachers build this into their lessons or capitalise on opportunities as they arise. However, some teachers are not yet sufficiently confident to vary lessons once they have started so that pupils can pursue relevant ideas to develop their learning even further.

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Grade: 2

Teachers are good at making links between subjects so that learning is purposeful and captures pupils' interest and enthusiasm. There are particularly well developed links in English. Provision for pupils' personal, social and health education programme is extremely good. This is a significant factor contributing towards the pupils' excellent personal development. Music, art and sports enrich the curriculum. An excellent range of clubs and activities provides further opportunities to experience sporting and cultural activities beyond the school day. These add much to pupils' enjoyment of learning. The school has strong links with the other local schools, the church, parish council and local business. For example, local companies have supported school projects to build and design sculpture and seating for the community.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral care is outstanding because the ethos of the school values individuals and fosters excellent relationships. Consequently, pupils know they can turn to any member of staff for help and support. Vulnerable pupils are assigned to personal mentors and very good links with outside agencies provide additional support and guidance. Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils' welfare are securely in place. A few parents had concerns about the provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. Inspectors found these pupils make good progress and qualified and dedicated staff support them well. Academic guidance is good overall. Very good use of target setting is helping pupils understand exactly what they need to do to improve their work in English. As a result, pupils have precise guidance on how they can improve and this is a significant factor contributing to their overall achievement. However,

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Grade: 2

this is not yet as effective in other subjects. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008

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Grade: 2

Effective leadership by the headteacher and senior management team gives a clear direction to the work of the school. Teamwork is a strong feature of this school and all adults are working purposefully to improve the achievement of all pupils. All are determined to make this school outstanding in every way. Detailed and accurate self-evaluation has resulted in a comprehensive improvement plan of good quality to support these aspirations. Subject coordinators and learning leaders monitor their areas of responsibility well and use the information they gather to make useful contributions to the school's improvement. Less experienced leaders are receiving good quality support to increase their impact on the quality of learning as well as the rate at which pupils make progress. Governors are very much part of school life and are very involved in its strategic management. They carefully monitor the work of the school and are very good

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Grade: 2

at holding it to account for its performance. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008

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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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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?

2 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008

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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

05 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Whiteley Primary School,Fareham,PO15 7LA Thank you for being so friendly and helpful when we came to inspect your school recently. We really enjoyed talking to you about your school and looking at your work. I am writing to tell you what we think about how well you are getting on and how well your school is helping you to learn. We were very much impressed with your friendliness and your extremely sensible and helpful attitudes towards each other. You listen very carefully to what your teachers have to say and learn a lot in lessons. Teaching and learning are good and you are all making good progress. As you say, your teachers make lessons interesting and fun and there are many exciting things to do, such as working in the woods and making booklets for other pupils. You go to a good school that prepares you well for the next stage of your learning. To make it even better, we are asking your teachers to give you even more help to understand how to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

improve your work in all subjects. They are already doing this in English. You said you found this very helpful and that it really makes a difference. You can all help by continuing to listen you what your teachers have to say and working hard to meet the targets set for you. We hope that you have great success in the future. Yours sincerely, John Earish Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Whiteley Primary School, 19 °20 May 2008

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