Catherington Church of England Infant School receives good Ofsted rating following recent inspection

Catherington Church of England Infant School, Waterlooville, has received a good Ofsted rating following its recent inspection which took place on May 14 and 15, 2024. The inspection outlined that staff members have high expectations for the students and the pupils develop skills ‘exceptionally effectively’. The school has a strong focus on reading and phonics which allows the children to start their development as soon as they start. If a student is seen to be struggling, staff members will intervene to ensure they are getting the appropriate support. The report said that ‘staff have excellent phonics knowledge which leads to very positive learning for all pupils. Staff choose texts thoughtfully.’ ‘Culturally diverse’ texts are chosen to help children develop a love of reading. The report said: “The school works effectively with external agencies, where necessary, to ensure that pupils with SEND access the curriculum successfully. Disadvantaged pupils, including pupils with SEND, achieve well.

“Children in the early years develop knowledge and skills exceptionally effectively. They respond well to tasks which develop pupils’ creativity when designing and making. Across the school, staff have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in reading and mathematics by the end of key stage 1.

“Phonics and early reading provision is a strength of the school. From the beginning of Reception, pupils learn to read well. If pupils need extra help, they are given close support and catch up to their peers quickly. Reading books are matched closely to the sounds that pupils have learned.”

Parents are ‘overwhelmingly positive about the school’ and ‘they appreciate the hard work of the whole staff team’. The report also adds that ’staff feel incredibly well supported with their workload and benefit from the strong sense of teamwork and mutual support for each other.’