Owslebury Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 3–4 June 2009 Inspection number 326294 Owslebury Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 115934 Local Authority Hampshire Inspection number 326294 Inspection dates 3–4 June 2009 Reporting inspector Elisabeth Linley HMI

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 under pilot arrangements; it was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act .

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll School (total) 88 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Sally Curtis Headteacher Mr David White Date of previous school inspection 26 June 2006 School address Beech Grove Owslebury Winchester SO21 1LS Telephone number 01962 777452 Fax number 01962 777609 Email address headteacher@owslebury.hants.sch.uk 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.

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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

This pilot inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. The inspector visited six lessons and held meetings with the chair of governors, staff and groups of pupils, and spoke to parents. The inspector observed the school’s work, and looked at management documentation, curriculum information, health and safety policies and procedures, teachers’ planning and 40 questionnaires returned by parents. Samples of pupils’ work were also scrutinised.

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Introduction

The inspector reviewed many aspects of the school’s work, and looked in detail at the following:

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Introduction

 the progress made by different groups of learners, for example boys and the more able pupils  the quality and use of assessment by teachers to support learning through effective planning  the effectiveness of target setting, tracking and analysis of data to inform planning and so raise standards.

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Information about the school

Owslebury Primary School is much smaller than most primary schools. The school serves the rural community where it is situated, although many pupils who live some distance away also attend the school. The school has enjoyed stability in staffing and a steady growth in the number of pupils on roll, which has increased since the school’s last inspection. All pupils who attend are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational need is above average. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. These pupils mainly have speech and language, moderate learning, visual impairment and autistic needs. The school has received numerous awards including the Enhanced Healthy School award and Artsmark Silver. The school is also actively involved in a number of partnership arrangements such as ‘School Sports’, ‘SCOTS’ – a group of small local schools, and ‘morethanschool’ – a local extended

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Inspection judgements

Grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Main findings

The school’s strengths are in its teamwork and in being led and managed effectively by the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Staff, governors, parents and pupils work together very well to secure a happy environment where everyone tries their best and is rewarded with success. Staff and pupils feel valued and the vast majority of parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They recognise the outstanding partnerships that have been established with parents to aid their children’s learning. In particular, they value the excellent care, guidance and support that the school provides for their children. Parents whose children have particular needs say that the support they receive is ‘tremendous’, enabling their children to access the curriculum along with their peers. One parent wrote that their child’s ‘progress since attending Owslebury has been miraculous’. The progress that all pupils make is tracked effectively and the data gathered are analysed well to set

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Main findings

challenging targets. Pupils and teachers discuss targets and, through their understanding of them, pupils are motivated to succeed. The small classes mean that teachers know their pupils very well and respond effectively to their needs during lessons. However, teachers do not always plan well enough to ensure that lessons challenge the more able pupils from the moment that the lesson begins. Even so, over time, all pupils achieve well. Boys and girls achieve well with respect to their capabilities and, by the end of Year 6, most attain standards that are above average in English, mathematics and science. This is because teaching is good and lessons are fun. Pupils say the topics they study and activities they do are ‘great’. They are right – the curriculum is outstanding. It is no surprise, then, to learn that pupils’ attendance is above average. However, some pupils find punctuality a problem and the school is working hard with everyone concerned to help them arrive on time.

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Main findings

Senior leaders, staff and governors are clear about the school’s strengths and areas for improvement because self-evaluation is good. As a result, the school has made good progress since the time of its last inspection and continues to demonstrate that it has good capacity to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teachers’ planning so that the more able pupils are challenged to achieve as well as they can from the beginning of every lesson, and with each activity they are set to complete.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils enjoy their time at school and feel safe. They are very proud of their school and respond well to the opportunities and responsibilities available to them. School councillors take their role very seriously. They report to governors on the work they have done and the changes they have influenced, not least the refurbishment of the pupils’ toilets and the playground improvements. Others take on board their duties as monitors effectively and all pupils act as buddies to others in need of a friend. One of their favourite tasks is watering the vegetables that are grown at school. Pupils speak with pride of the fact that they grow and eat their own produce. They are fully aware of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle and the importance of keeping fit and active. Similarly, they demonstrate a mature understanding of others who have different needs from their own. In their learning during ‘We Belong’ week, they

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

valued a visitor coming into school to share with them facts about their disability. In supporting others they contribute very well to the community beyond school, for example in fundraising for charities and participating in community events.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

The strength of the pupils’ personal development is demonstrated by their good behaviour and very good attitudes to learning. It is this application to learning that makes an appreciable contribution to pupils’ achievement. In lessons, pupils showed that they were enthusiastic, confident and articulate and they all responded well to the questions that were asked of them by their teachers. In discussion, the more able pupils said that, on occasions, they find the work they do is too easy and that sometimes they are asked to do the same task as everyone else rather than doing something different that they might find more challenging. This was seen on occasions to be the case during the inspection. However, all pupils said they enjoyed their lessons and data show that pupils make good progress over time. This is borne out by the results of national assessments and tests, although looking at the results

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

of the 2008 Key Stage 1 assessments, it might well seem that boys did not attain as well as they should have done. However, it is clear from the pupils’ work and other assessment data that this was not the case. The most recent results showed that all the pupils, including boys and girls, achieved well in relation to their starting points. This picture of good achievement is demonstrated by the results of assessments at the end of Key Stage 2 over the last few years. For example, in 2008, pupils who have learning difficulties attained above the national average for pupils with similar needs and, in 2009, teacher assessments show that standards at the higher level are even better. Inevitably, with small cohorts there are dips and increases in outcomes, but the results show that above-average standards have been maintained. As a result, by the time pupils leave school, with their good basic skills and personal

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

qualities, they are well placed for the next stage of their education. These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes Pupils’ attainment 1 2 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress 2 The quality of learning for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and their progress How well do pupils achieve and enjoy their learning? 2 To what extent do pupils feel safe? 2 How well do pupils behave? 2 To what extent do pupils adopt healthy lifestyles? 1 To what extent do pupils contribute to the school and wider community? 1 Pupils’ attendance 1 2 How well do pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being? What is the extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development? 2

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How effective is the provision?

Teachers form very good relationships with the pupils in their class. This underpins the good quality teaching that takes place throughout school. Notwithstanding this fact, activities planned for the more able pupils do not consistently enable them to get off to a flying start at the beginning of a lesson. Similarly, although learning support assistants provide effective support for pupils in lessons, teachers do not routinely plan for them to make best use of their time during the introductions so that they can, for instance, gather information that will assist the next steps in learning of the pupils with whom they will be working. Partnerships with others to enhance the curriculum and the care, guidance and support provided are excellent. The school is proactive in ensuring that the skills of others are utilised well to meet individual pupils’ needs. This is exemplified by the liaison with therapists and

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How effective is the provision?

outreach workers to aid pupils in their development and learning. Other programmes of work are established so that, for example, pupils develop their coordination skills through a before-school gym session. The high quality of the curriculum is enhanced by extra-curricular sporting and musical activities, exciting topic work, trips out of school and visitors to school. Examples of such visitors include IBM employees who worked with pupils on science activities. There was also a cartoonist, who led a day’s work suggested by a parent – this was much enjoyed by the pupils.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching 2 The use of assessment to support learning 2 The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1

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How effective are leadership and management?

The strong working relationship between the school and its governing body is evident in the school’s work. Governors are keen to contribute to the school’s drive for improvement and share the staff’s ambition for the school’s success. As a result, governors take their roles seriously to monitor the work of the school and to contribute their own skills whenever possible. For example, in information and communication technology (ICT), a governor has worked with all junior-age pupils to produce ICT ‘podcasts’ and DVDs. The headteacher and governors communicate effectively with parents through personal contact, newsletters and by taking careful note of pupils’ and parents’ surveys. The school is well informed about the needs of the local community and takes its role within the wider community seriously, as exemplified in its work to promote pupils’ understanding of faith, ethnicity and culture. Leaders, managers and governors are totally committed to promoting

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How effective are leadership and management?

equality of opportunity and they are effective in their work to ensure that all government requirements relating to the safety of pupils are in place. As a result of highly effective financial management, the headteacher and governors have ensured that Owslebury Primary School is a wonderful learning environment and provides good value for money.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in communicating ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers 1 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Parents speak highly of the very good induction that their children receive when they start school. Very effective links with pre-schools and with parents, plus opportunities such as ‘mini school’, ensure that children get to know their teacher and the Reception class environment very well. As a result, they settle quickly and soon learn the well-established classroom routines. Staff provide a well balanced range of teacher-led and child-initiated opportunities for children, both indoors and outside. In this way children soon learn to be independent. They are confident, make choices and behave well. Relationships with the children are of high quality and children enjoy themselves at school. During the inspection, children very much enjoyed their hands-on experience of studying fishes, and the pictures that they drew of them were very good indeed. A key factor in such positive outcomes is that teaching is

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Early Years Foundation Stage

good. Children’s achievements are assessed regularly and their progress is recorded carefully. However, planning for the full range of activities that are available during the day does not clearly show what children are expected to learn across all the different areas of learning. Similarly, planning for the more able children is not as clear as it might be. Nonetheless, it is apparent that during their time in the Reception class, children make good progress from their starting points.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2 The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Views of parents and carers

The vast majority of parents are pleased with their children’s schooling and the very high level of care that they receive. In particular, parents whose children have statements of special educational needs expressed their confidence in the school and the support it provides for their children so that they are enabled to achieve well. Some parents of more able children or those identified as gifted and talented rightly felt that they were not always challenged as much as they could be. However, the vast majority of parents felt that their children made good progress.

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Views of parents and carers

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Owslebury School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. If a parent has more than one child at the school, we ask them to record an answer against all the questions, for each of their children. The inspector received 44 completed questionnaires. In total, there are 57 family groups of parents and carers registered at the school.

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Views of parents and carers

Always Most of the time Occasionally Never Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 38 4 2 0

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. In 2007-8, 15% of schools were judged to be outstanding. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. In 2007-8, 49% of schools were judged good. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. In 2007-8, 32% of schools were judged satisfactory. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves. In 2007-8, 5% of schools were judged inadequate.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, training or development. This may refer to the acquisition of skills, knowledge, understanding or desired attributes. Attributes include qualities or personal competencies which are important to the development of the pupil; for example personal, social, cultural, emotional or health.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school. 16 June 2009

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Inspection of Owslebury Primary School, Winchester, SO21 1LS

Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school recently. I know that a lot of you were out playing cricket in a tournament on the second day that I was in school and I hear that you played very well – well done! While I was in school I enjoyed looking at your work and seeing the lovely art displays. I was also pleased to be able to talk to you and to find out why you enjoyed being at school. I soon discovered that your school is a good school and that:

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Inspection of Owslebury Primary School, Winchester, SO21 1LS

 you all try very hard in your work and you reach good standards in what you do  you say that lessons are fun and teachers help you with your learning and you are right because the teaching at your school is good and the curriculum is outstanding  you behave well and have very good attitudes to work and all that you do  you take your responsibilities very seriously, such as being a school councillor or a library monitor, and very much enjoy helping others in your community  all the staff who work with you at school take very good care of you indeed and your parents are very pleased with the care you receive.

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Inspection of Owslebury Primary School, Winchester, SO21 1LS

Some of you told me that sometimes you find work easy and some of your parents said this too. So I have asked your teachers to:

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Inspection of Owslebury Primary School, Winchester, SO21 1LS

 make sure that they plan their lessons so that all of you are challenged to do your best from the moment that your lessons begin.

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Inspection of Owslebury Primary School, Winchester, SO21 1LS

Elisabeth Linley Her Majesty’s Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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