St John's, Gosport Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve leadership and management by:
  • refining systems for evaluating the impact of leaders’ actions on pupils’ outcomes, including pupils from vulnerable groups
  • ensuring that pupils with SEND have their needs identified quickly and their progress monitored closely
  • ensuring that plans contain precisely targeted support to enable pupils with SEND to make greater progress.
• Strengthen and fully embed the improvements in the quality of teaching and learning across the school so that all teachers have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the last inspection, the newly appointed headteacher has taken effective action to bring about significant improvements across the school. As a result, teaching, learning and outcomes for pupils are now good.
• The headteacher and his leadership team are aspirational for their pupils and have set high expectations of what they can achieve. They have developed a purposeful learning environment where pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are committed to doing their best.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are focused on ensuring that the improvements they have made in teaching are fully embedded and they have sharply focused plans to secure further improvements throughout the school.
• With the support of the local authority, the headteacher has strengthened leadership capacity within the school. Consequently, senior and middle leaders are having a positive impact on continually improving the quality of teaching and learning across the school. They make regular checks on the quality of teaching and learning. When weaknesses are identified, they ensure that effective support and training are swiftly put in place to secure improvements.
• The school’s pupil premium funding is spent appropriately to provide support for disadvantaged pupils. As a result, these pupils are making good progress from their starting points. For example, the ‘gardening gang’ intervention is effective in supporting pupils’ self-esteem and language development. However, leaders are not monitoring the impact of this spending as precisely as they could.
• Learning support assistants (LSAs) provide effective support during lessons for pupils with SEND. At times, however, pupils’ SEND needs are not identified quickly enough and assessments lack precision. Consequently, the targets set and interventions planned for these pupils are not focused enough. Furthermore, leaders are not monitoring the outcomes for these pupils with sufficient rigour.
• Leaders have started to review the school’s curriculum to improve the quality and depth of pupils’ learning in the foundation subjects. While this has improved the quality of the curriculum in some subjects, for example geography, other subjects are less well developed.
• Leaders use the school’s physical education (PE) and sport premium funding to provide pupils with the opportunity to take part in a wide range of sports and to participate in competitive tournaments. They have not, however, monitored the impact of this funding rigorously enough.
• The school’s Christian values of love, respect and courage support the school’s effective work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their understanding of fundamental British values. Pupils have a good understanding of these values and they embrace them as part of their daily lives in school.
• The majority of parents and carers who spoke to inspectors during the inspection, or who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, were positive about the work of the school. Several parents commented on the positive changes that have taken place since the appointment of the headteacher. As one parent said, ‘It is most definitely a school to be proud of.’

Governance of the school

• Since the last inspection, governors have taken robust action to improve their own effectiveness. They have recruited new members to the governing body to ensure that they have the right skills and expertise. They have worked with the local authority and the Diocese of Portsmouth to ensure that all governors have been given the necessary training to fulfil their roles effectively. They offer school leaders a good balance of support and challenge.
• Governors are passionate about the school, are committed to their roles and are determined to strengthen their effectiveness further. They ensure that leaders provide them with the information they need in order to fulfil their roles. As a result, they have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Governors have ensured that pupil premium funding is targeted specifically to support disadvantaged pupils. They have also ensured that the PE and sport premium is used to provide pupils with a wide range of sporting opportunities. Governors have not, however, checked the impact of this funding on outcomes for pupils thoroughly enough.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have created a caring, nurturing environment, and relationships at all levels are positive and supportive. Consequently, pupils are safe and they feel happy coming to school. Pupils know that there are adults in school that they can talk to if they have any worries.
• Leaders have established effective policies and procedures to ensure that pupils are kept safe from harm. They provide regular, thorough safeguarding training for all staff working in school. As a result, staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities and know how to report any concerns about pupils’ welfare.
• Leaders have ensured that all the appropriate pre-employment checks on adults working in school are completed. These are accurately recorded in the school’s single central record. The headteacher and the governor responsible for safeguarding make regular checks on the administration of this document.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders have created a very positive climate for learning throughout the school. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they behave. Pupils rise to these challenges and have developed positive attitudes to their learning. They work hard, enjoy their learning and, consequently, they achieve well.
• Teachers make effective use of assessment to plan lessons that help pupils to learn new skills and information and to take the next steps in their learning. Teachers and LSAs also use this information to check on pupils’ understanding during lessons and to offer support or challenge as needed.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge which enables them to give pupils clear, accurate explanations. They ask challenging questions to make pupils think harder.
• The teaching of mathematics is effective. Teachers have high expectations and ensure that pupils are sufficiently challenged. They make effective use of practical resources to support pupils’ conceptual understanding. They provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to use and apply their skills to reason and solve problems.
• The teaching of phonics and spelling is strong because teachers have good subject knowledge. They use a wide range of strategies and activities to keep pupils engaged in their learning. Over time, pupils are given the experience of reading a wide range of increasingly demanding texts. Consequently, pupils’ reading skills develop well.
• In English, teachers make use of high-quality texts to plan learning that ignites pupils’ interest. During lessons, adults intervene swiftly in pupils’ learning. They give pupils helpful feedback that moves their learning on and addresses misconceptions. Pupils respond well to this and are motivated to improve their writing. They know what they need to do to improve and how to be successful.
• In most lessons, LSAs provide effective support for pupils. At times, however, pupils with SEND are not given the additional support that they need to make the progress of which they are capable.
• While the overall quality of teaching is good, there remains some variability in the quality of teaching in a small number of classes. Where teaching is less strong, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what their pupils can achieve. Consequently, learning is not consistently pitched to meet pupils’ needs.
• The teaching of foundation subjects is not as strong as the teaching of English and mathematics. While some subjects are taught well, for example art and geography, the quality of teaching and learning in some other subjects is variable.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Relationships throughout the school are positive and respectful. This contributes to a harmonious, purposeful school community. Pupils are supportive of one another in their learning, listening respectfully to each other’s ideas and helping one another to correct and improve their work.
• The school’s culture for learning promotes positive learning behaviours. Pupils take great pride in the presentation of their work and are keen to develop their skills as learners. They are particularly proud when they receive recognition for demonstrating these skills, for example resilience and self-regulation.
• Adults are caring and nurturing in their support of pupils, ensuring that they are well looked after. Bullying is rare and, on the occasions that it does happen, the vast majority of pupils are confident that teachers deal with it effectively. Consequently, pupils feel safe and happy in school.
• Through the curriculum, pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, pupils have a good understanding of healthy eating and they enjoy buying healthy food from the tuck shop at playtimes. Furthermore, pupils know how to be an ‘internet legend’ to keep themselves safe online.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Leaders have set high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and ensure that the school’s policy is implemented consistently by all staff. Consequently, behaviour has improved significantly since the last inspection.
• Pupils’ conduct around school, for example in assemblies and during breaktimes, is calm and orderly. At breaktimes, pupils play together well, showing consideration and kindness to one another. When it is time to come indoors, they line up quickly and sensibly, ensuring that no learning time is wasted.
• As a result of good teaching, pupils have developed positive attitudes to their learning and they work hard. Occasionally, when teaching is less effective, pupils become distracted and do not work with as much commitment, which slows their learning.
• Leaders are taking effective action to improve pupils’ attendance and to tackle persistent absence. While pupils’ attendance remains below the national average, it is steadily improving.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• As a result of the improvements in the quality of teaching and learning across the school, there is an improving trend in pupils’ attainment and progress.
• In 2018, the progress that pupils made in reading and writing by the end of key stage 2 was above the national averages. In mathematics, pupils made progress that was in line with the national average. Furthermore, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined was above the national average.
• The proportions of pupils attaining the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 have also improved. In 2018, they were broadly in line with the national averages.
• The proportions of pupils reaching a high standard at the end of key stage 2 and greater depth at the end of key stage 1, however, were below the national averages.
• Current pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are making strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Effective teaching ensures that pupils develop a secure understanding of number, which they are able to apply to a range of problems. Pupils become keen, independent readers who make good progress and achieve well. Their writing skills develop well over time as they become more confident in their understanding and use of language. Furthermore, they develop a strong grasp of phonics and spelling, which they apply with increasing accuracy when writing.
• In a small number of classes, where teaching is less strong, the progress that pupils make is inconsistent. This is because teachers’ expectations are not consistently high enough and, at times, learning is not planned precisely enough to meet pupils’ needs.
• The progress of pupils with SEND is variable. Most of the time, as a result of good teaching and effective support during lessons, pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points. At times, however, provision for these pupils is not planned precisely enough. Consequently, some pupils with SEND are not making the progress of which they are capable.
• As result of inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning in the foundation subjects, the progress that pupils make in these subjects is variable.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the early years provision, and the priorities for improvement. They have set high expectations and have developed a well-resourced, inviting, language-rich learning environment.
• Teachers have high expectations of children. They know the children well and use this knowledge to plan activities that enable children to develop key skills well. They ask questions that probe children’s understanding, and they model vocabulary in order to develop children’s language skills. As a result, children are motivated, positive and interested learners.
• There are occasions, however, when activities do not provide children with the opportunity to practise, extend and deepen their learning. In particular, boys are not making as much progress as girls in writing because they are reluctant to engage with the writing tasks provided.
• Children get off to a good start with their reading and writing because of strong teaching in phonics. Teachers and LSAs have good subject knowledge and appropriately challenge the children. Consequently, children are equipped with a secure understanding of letters and the sounds that they make.
• As a result of good teaching, children learn well across the curriculum and make strong progress from their starting points. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year has been consistently above the national average in recent years. The proportion of children exceeding the early learning goals, however, has been below the national average.
• Routines are very well established. Consequently, transitions between activities are smooth, calm and orderly and learning time is well used.
• Children show care and consideration for others and they behave well. They listen carefully, not only to adults, but to one another.
• Teachers ensure that, through the early years curriculum, children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they understand how to keep safe from strangers.
• Leaders have established effective procedures for children starting the Reception Year, for example working closely with local pre-schools and offering parents the opportunity to attend ‘stay and play’ sessions. Consequently, children settle quickly into the setting and are happy coming to school.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 116393 Hampshire 10088131 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 362 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mr Barry Rowswell Mr Lyndon Strong Telephone number 02392 582 404 Website Email address www.st-johns-gosport.hants.sch.uk/ headteacher@st-johns-gosport.hants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 November 2016

Information about this school

• St John’s, Gosport is a Church of England primary school in the Diocese of Portsmouth. Its last section 48 inspection took place in May 2016. The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school has undergone a change in leadership since the last inspection. The current headteacher has been in post since January 2017.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is slightly above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average.
• The school provides a childcare breakfast club and after-school club on its site.

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Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in most year groups and classes, across a range of subjects. Most sessions were observed jointly with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors looked at the quality of pupils’ work during lessons and through a focused scrutiny of work in books.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other school leaders and staff. They also met with members of the governing body and held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority. They met with the school’s designated safeguarding leads.
• A wide range of documentation was reviewed, including information on pupils’ attainment and progress, attendance and behaviour. Information about governance, including the minutes of the governing body’s meetings, was examined. The school’s self-evaluation summary, school development plan and supporting evidence were scrutinised, together with information on the school’s website.
• Inspectors met with parents at the beginning of the school day and took account of the 57 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including 20 free-text comments.
• Inspectors considered the views of 23 staff who completed Ofsted’s confidential online survey.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked with pupils in lessons and around the school to gather their views. They also met formally with a group of pupils and took account of the 20 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.
• Pupils’ behaviour was observed in lessons, around the school and during collective worship, breaktime and lunchtime.
• Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding records and the single central record of recruitment checks on adults working with pupils.

Inspection team

Leah Goulding, lead inspector Bruce Waelend Debra Anderson

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector