East Meon Church of England Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

East Meon Church of England Controlled Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like their small and friendly school. Older pupils care well for younger ones. Pupils say that their teachers are kind and funny.

Pupils enjoy many aspects of school life, including homework projects, science lessons, the healthy tuck shop and caring for the school chickens.

Leaders have high expectations for what pupils will achieve. Leaders, staff and governors are united in their quest that every pupil will leave East Meon knowledgeable about different ways of life to their own.

Teachers challenge pupils to think about diversity and... British values. For example, pupils in a mixed Year 3 and 4 class were learning about accepting difference and welcoming others, through studying the book 'The Iron Man'. Pupils are respectful of others' views.

In lessons, pupils are mainly well-behaved. They are courteous and welcoming. The vast majority of parents think the school deals well with bullying.

Pupils feel safe. They say no-one is mean. Pupils told us that adults look after them well and teachers deal with any concerns they have quickly.

They understand what bullying is and show great empathy and understanding of why a bully may bully. Pupils proudly said that both the victim and bully would get support in their school.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders, staff and governors have thought carefully about what, and how, they want pupils to learn.

The topics cover all subjects and interest pupils. Leaders have a well-defined overview of the important skills and knowledge they want pupils to remember. Teachers ensure that pupils revisit the most important content regularly.

For example, in art they build pupils' knowledge of how to use different paintbrushes over time. Pupils remember what they have learned and achieve well. Teachers check pupils' understanding carefully.

Leaders have designed a two-year curriculum to support teaching in mixed-age classes at East Meon. The exact detail of what teachers need to teach in some subjects, such as history and geography, is not yet complete for the second year of the cycle.

Leaders make sure that the curriculum suits all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils with SEND learn well because staff plan and review their learning regularly. Teachers have recently had useful training on autism spectrum disorder. This has helped teachers reflect on and improve provision for this group of pupils.

Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life.

Teachers develop pupils' interests in what is happening in the world. For example, pupils regularly watch Newsround and discuss their views on ethical and political issues.

Philosophy lessons support pupils in being able to debate and listen. Pupils have strong opinions and can confidently voice these in an appropriate way. Leaders consider the personal development of pupils well.

Older pupils love their residential visits. They like taking part in sporting clubs and playing for the school team. Pupils understand how to live an active and healthy life.

Leaders have recently adapted how phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) is taught. Leaders are quite rightly reviewing the impact of this change on pupils' understanding and progress. Teachers are clear on what order to teach sounds so that pupils can start to read simple words quickly.

That said, at this early stage of changing how pupils are grouped, sometimes teachers do not quite pitch learning right. Leaders ensure that any pupils who struggle with reading have extra support to help them catch up.

Pupils like reading.

They speak enthusiastically about the range of books they read. They enjoy winning 'house gems' for reading at home. Teachers carefully select the books they want pupils to study in lessons.

For example, in a mixed Year 5 and 6 class, pupils were reading a book set after a nuclear war. This lent itself well to learning the skills set out in the school's reading curriculum, as well as promoting debate about the rule of law.Most pupils listen well to their teachers, work hard and behave well in lessons.

However, a small number of pupils sometimes need reminders to stay on task. Occasionally, this interrupts the learning of pupils sitting nearby. Teachers quickly deal with this low-level disruption.

All staff who responded to the Ofsted's online questionnaire said that leaders help them manage behaviour well.Staff enjoy working at East Meon. Leaders respect their views and staff morale is high.

Leaders and governors are considerate of their workload. Curriculum leaders support their colleagues well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. Every member of the staff team contributes well to protecting pupils from harm. Arrangements for checking adults before they start to work or volunteer in the school are secure.

Leaders ensure that staff have regular, formal safeguarding training. The weekly safeguarding discussions make sure that any possible risks are kept fresh in everyone's minds. Records of concerns are detailed and communication between staff is strong.

Leaders ensure that they follow up any concerns they have about a child immediately.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have made a great start in developing the curriculum. However, not all subjects of the two-year cycle that the curriculum follows are fully planned and sequenced yet.

Leaders need to finish the redesign of the curriculum, including considering any training staff may need, and monitor its impact on pupils' learning. . Teachers understand well the sequence of teaching for phonics.

However, as they adjust to the changes in grouping, what they teach currently is sometimes too hard for some pupils and too easy for others. Leaders need to make sure that the teaching of phonics is consistently matched well to what pupils already know.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged East Meon Church of England Controlled Primary School to be good on 14–15 October 2010.