South Wonston Primary School retains Good Ofsted rating

South Wonston Primary School, in Downs Road, received the grade after it was assessed on June 11 and June 12.

The Ofsted report says that “pupils are safe and happy” and that they “know the school’s values of ‘Be ready, be safe, be kind’ and talk confidently about how these are celebrated through rewards and weekly celebration assemblies.”

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Pupils and staff from South Wonston Primary School (Image: South Wonston Primary School)

The report calls the school ambitious, saying: “Where necessary, staff work closely with external agencies to help remove barriers to learning for pupils with SEND. Disadvantaged pupils’ needs are considered in carefully planned ways. Staff adapt the curriculum well and then check what children have learned to adjust their provision adeptly. Personal, social and emotional development is taught excellently.

“Across the school, most aspects of core and foundation subjects are taught effectively. The school has identified the precise knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn. In most classes, staff have effective subject knowledge. In subjects such as history, teachers use their subject knowledge to present information clearly and build pupils’ learning within lessons and over time. In geography, for example, staff teach about interpreting maps and making comparisons of different places effectively. Most staff are confident in responding to pupils’ errors and misconceptions meaningfully.”

South Wonston Primary School headteacher Jessica Lott told the Chronicle: “I am absolutely delighted.

“I feel like we’ve worked so hard, the whole community. I joined as head teacher about 18 months ago, so we have been on a journey of transformation. It was really lovely and we’re so proud that Ofsted recognised the fully inclusive nature of our school.

“And I think the staff have shown so much commitment to creating a caring and supportive environment. I do feel that, in our school, every child feels valued.”

However, the report says that the school still needs some improvement, as some pupils “do not learn as securely as they could” with writing highlighted as an issue. Ms Lott said: “We use the CUSP Curriculum, which is based on metacognitive approaches.

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“What we have done is put it together with the local authority’s Hampshire guide to writing, and we’re really excited. We’ll have a lot more hooks and give the children a real passion for writing.”

Ms Lott also announced that the South Wonston Primary School would also be introducing a nursery service for children aged 3 and older, with plans to open the nursery provision in January next year.

She said: “It means we can support our children from an even earlier age, and provide that strong foundation for their education journey. It feels like we’ll know our children even better and help them even quicker.”