Bitterne Park Primary School - Part of the Learning Federation Partnership of Schools

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Senior leaders provide outstanding, inspirational leadership and set extremely high expectations.

They check rigorously to ensure these are met by all staff. As a result, teaching is outstanding and pupils make rapid progress. Standards have risen continuously since the merger of the two schools, and are now above average.

All groups of pupils learn well, including pupils who are eligible for additional support and those speaking English as an additional language. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs benefit from carefully crafted support which accelerates their learning, so that they overcome the difficulties... they face. The most able pupils are also enabled to reach the highest standards they are capable of.

The curriculum provides excellent opportunities for pupils to develop the skills and knowledge they need to face the next stage of their learning with confidence. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school has excellent systems to track pupils' progress and to check the quality of teaching.

These systems ensure teachers and leaders have a clear idea of what needs to improve, and that these developments happen quickly. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding because they are eager to learn. They put a great deal of effort into their work and into improving their skills and understanding.

A consistent approach to managing behaviour for all pupils means pupils' behaviour is almost always excellent. The analysis of the few behavioural incidents which occur would benefit from further refinement s parents and carers are not always clear how behaviour is managed. Pupils are impressively polite, courteous and kind to one another, as well as to any adults in the school.

They enjoy helping around the school, as well as more widely in their community and further afield. The Early Years Foundation Stage is a further strength of the school. Opportunities for children to explore and develop their learning and skills are very well organised.

Children settle quickly into their routines and are happy and safe. Governors know the strengths and weaknesses of the school in great detail. They receive accurate information from senior leaders, and validate this appropriately by visiting the school and talking to pupils, and parents and carers.

They provide strong support and ask challenging questions of senior leaders, to hold them to account. Together with senior leaders, governors make sure that all the statutory requirements are met, including those to keep pupils safe. They also ensure the environment is well maintained and that all adults who work with pupils are safe to do so.

The vast majority of parents and carers expressed very positive views about the changes that have been implemented and the improvements in learning. They feel their children are well looked after.

Information about this school

This school is larger than average, the result of a merger between an infant school and a junior school which previously occupied the site.

There are three classes in each year group. The new school has been open for just over a year. Most pupils are White British.

A minority come from a wide range of ethnicities. A small minority of pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are receiving school support is average.

The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is below average. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for additional support through the pupil premium funding is average. This is extra funding provided by the government to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, and children looked after.

The current headteacher became the executive headteacher of the junior school in January 2013. The school then merged with the infant school in September 2013. The executive headteacher is also executive headteacher of two other schools: Holy Family Catholic Primary School and Sinclair Nursery and Primary School, both within the local authority of Southampton.

Other senior leadership roles are also shared between the three schools. The headteacher and senior leaders also provide support for other schools locally, nationally and internationally. The school has eight teachers newly qualified teachers (NQTs).

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