South Wonston Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of South Wonston Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 22 November 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings.

The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in November 2014. This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

You have worked with determination to identify and tackle areas for improvement. The staff appreciate the support you give them, enabling them to be effective in their roles. They enjoy working as part of the team and like the way ...in which the school works so well with parents and the community to achieve the best results for pupils.

Parents value how happy their children are and how well they are doing at the school. Parents say that they know what is going on and that they can raise concerns with staff, who are very keen to do whatever is needed for the children. They appreciate the hard work staff put into ensuring that their children are cared for and do well.

One parent said about the school, 'It is unique in having a good balance of high expectations and pastoral care.' Pupils enjoy school. They say that staff take good care of them and that they make the school a fun place to be.

One pupil commented, 'We have a lot of opportunities, learn a lot and have fun.' Middle leadership is developing. Subject leaders are developing their skills and knowledge to drive improvements in their areas of responsibility.

They know what needs to be done, and provide useful training and development for staff. However, sometimes these leaders do not check that their actions are sufficiently embedded to bring about the necessary improvements. Governors provide useful support and ask relevant questions to help you to sharpen your thinking.

On occasions they do not challenge leaders enough. For example, leaders report to governors on the frequency of behaviour incidents but do not analyse how incidents are managed or when they occur. Governors' acceptance of the information they are given means that opportunities are missed to improve behaviour even further.

At the last inspection, you were asked to develop pupils' understanding of other cultures. The work leaders have done to improve the curriculum has ensured that pupils frequently learn about other cultures as part of their history and geography topics. You were also asked to improve the way in which teachers remodel tasks during lessons so pupils can make as much progress as possible.

Through useful training, you have ensured that teachers are skilled at reshaping activities when they do not meet pupils' needs well enough. However, due to changes in staffing, you are now rightly developing aspects of mathematics teaching. Safeguarding is effective.

Safeguarding processes are robust and staff and governors understand how to keep pupils safe across the school. Training is up to date and governors check that staff know what they need to do through rigorous monitoring. Attendance is checked and reported on appropriately, identifying which groups of pupils do not attend regularly enough, so that leaders can take suitable action.

All appropriate checks on staff are undertaken and recorded in line with statutory requirements. Pupils are encouraged to keep themselves safe and know that they can talk to a member of staff if they are worried. They also appreciate the worry box, where they can raise concerns more privately if necessary.

Inspection findings ? In order to evaluate the school's effectiveness, we selected some key areas to explore in detail. These included safeguarding, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, how well the needs of vulnerable pupils are met, what leaders are doing to improve outcomes in maths and the breadth and depth of the curriculum. ? Teaching is effective.

There is a consistent approach to planning and delivering lessons at different levels so that pupils of all abilities are supported to do well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and the most able. Lessons are interesting and well structured so that pupils are motivated to learn and have plenty of time to practise what they are taught.

Pupils work hard and apply themselves to the activities set. They work well both cooperatively and independently, often using strategies to help them when they are stuck. ? Although there has been some staff turnover in recent years, leaders have maintained the quality of teaching.

They evaluate teaching accurately and continue to develop teachers' practice so that pupils make good progress from year to year and over time. Middle leaders plan appropriate actions to develop teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility. However, at times, these actions are not sufficiently embedded so do not bring about the expected improvements.

For example, work to improve handwriting has not yet resulted in improved teaching or learning in this area. ? All staff are committed to supporting the well-being and education of vulnerable pupils. When new pupils join the school, staff check carefully what they know and can do, so that no time is lost in their learning.

A member of staff communicates with families and previous schools so that any necessary support can be put in place to help children settle quickly and do well. Transition arrangements for pupils moving into and out of the school are very effective. ? The emotional support provided for pupils is strong.

Leaders, teachers and support staff are very responsive when pupils experience changes in their home and school lives. ? Following a decline in mathematics outcomes, leaders have correctly taken action to identify what could be improved. Through careful analysis of pupils' gaps in learning, teachers now plan and deliver the right lessons so pupils fulfil their potential.

For example, to ensure that pupils can recall their times tables quickly and confidently, the school has introduced a new approach which has motivated pupils to such an extent that pupils are now competing online with their peers. There has also been a sharp focus on ensuring that activities link well to intended learning. Pupils enjoy mathematics lessons and complete activities with confidence.

However, at times they cannot explain their reasoning. Leaders rightly identify that mathematics teaching is improving but that there is more to do to ensure that all teachers are similarly skilled in this area. ? The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum, which motivates pupils to work hard in a range of subjects.

Much work has been done to develop a curriculum which promotes skills, as well as knowledge, so that pupils can use what they have learned in a range of contexts. For example, there is a strong focus on comparing locations in geography. This is helping pupils to understand what life is like in other parts of the country and world, while enabling them to make comparisons in other subject and topic areas.

Leaders are now refining curriculum planning further to ensure that pupils develop their skills at a more advanced level as they move through the school. Pupils speak particularly enthusiastically about their learning in art, music and physical education. ? Behaviour is good and pupils say the school charter helps everyone to know the expectations.

However, the management of behaviour is not quite as consistent as it could be. Recording of behaviour incidents is detailed and provides useful information to enable leaders to check trends. However, opportunities are missed to identify how behaviour could be further improved.

Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? improvements in mathematics teaching are embedded so that activities support learning well and pupils can explain their thinking ? subject leaders further develop their skills and knowledge so the actions they take to improve teaching result in better outcomes ? they analyse trends in behaviour, and management of behaviour, so that standards are raised even further. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Hampshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

Yours sincerely Louise Adams Ofsted Inspector Information about the inspection During this inspection I met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other leaders, teachers, support staff, governors, including the chair, and a group of pupils. With the headteacher and deputy headteacher, I visited all classes and looked at pupils' work in books. I reviewed the school's information about pupils' progress and attainment.

I also reviewed other documentation linked to safeguarding, governance and school improvement. I spoke to parents in the playground at the beginning of the school day and took account of the 63 responses to Parent View. I also took account of staff responses to the online questionnaire.

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