Schools in Hampshire:Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School continues to be good following Ofsted

Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School, located in Whitworth Road, Gosport, has continued to work at a good standard which provides a place where children can develop and thrive. The most recent Ofsted inspection took place on March 12 and 13, 2024 and the report has outlined that pupils at the infant school are ‘cared for well by staff’ and ‘thrive’ in ‘this friendly community where anyone can make friends’.

The school’s curriculum is ‘broad’ and ‘ambitious’ and pupils respond well to the high expectations within the setting. The report described how ‘pupils are motivated by the enthusiastic attitudes of staff, and they work hard to complete learning activities and achieve well overall.’

The report says: “Pupils are proud to attend this school where they are cared for well by staff. They thrive in this friendly community where anyone can make friends. Pupils learn how to show the ‘Leesland Federation’ values of ‘Love, Respect and Grace’. They demonstrate these by being polite and considerate around school.

“Pupils take full advantage of the different opportunities to be active. In the early years, the rich outdoor area provides a wide range of play activities, which children relish. At playtime, pupils busily play different games together.”

Behaviour is ‘calm’ and ‘respectful’ and this is established from the start of early years to ensure that pupils have an understanding of what is expected of them. This behaviour is continued throughout lessons and pupils ‘work with purpose’.

There is a focus on developing reading skills and understanding the importance of phonics. The school also sources a range of reading material and if children are thought to be struggling, staff will address issues straight away.

The report also says: “Teachers have a secure subject knowledge and explain new ideas accurately. They use appropriate demonstrations to support explanations. Teachers widely use questioning to check pupils’ understanding.

“The school is prioritising attendance. Currently, too many disadvantaged pupils are regularly absent. As a result, they do not benefit fully from the school’s high expectations and carefully planned curriculum. Consequently, they have knowledge gaps that affect their achievement. This year, the school made changes to how absence is tracked and addressed.”

The report has identified that in order to obtain an outstanding Ofsted rating, the school must continue to focus on improving the amount of student absences amongst disadvantaged children. The inspection found that ‘the school needs to embed and further refine the approach to addressing absence, so this robustly secures improved attendance for these pupils.”

The safeguarding at this infant school is effective and there is a strong culture of keeping children safe. For more information about the Ofsted, click here.

To find an Ofsted report for a school, click here.