SCHOOL REPORT: Knightwood Primary School is 'outstanding'

Rated outstanding by Ofsted in a recent report, Knightwood Primary School appears to be going from strength to strength.

And it is easy to see why.

The school, in Valley Park, Chandler’s Ford, was built in 1998 to cater for the Knightwood Park development, where most of the current pupils come from.

Having a building only 17 years old has its advantages, says head teacher Paul Haydon, who said its modern facilities made the school attractive to potential teachers.

The school, whose motto is “Always Learning”, has focused attention on ensuring that its 420 pupils have opportunities to succeed beyond the traditional classroom setting, through the arts and sport.

Children are encouraged to do extra-curricular activities, says Mr Haydon, who has been at the school for eight years. The school has invested in a new multi-use sports pitch and has specialist sport and music coaches.

“There are children that excel at games and sport that wouldn’t always excel at things in the classroom and we want to try to make sure we acknowledge their skills and talents both inside and outside the classroom,” Mr Haydon said.

But he believes that the key to the school’s success with Ofsted was improving the quality of teaching and learning.

The school has gone from good with outstanding elements to an outstanding rating earlier this year.

“Staff inspire pupils to do their very best,” he said.

Mr Haydon has a picture board with all the pupils on it, which he tries to memorise, and says that a personal feel and a sense of community are important to the school.

He added: “Relationships are really important in our school and are central to everything we do – relationships with the children, with each other as adults and between the adults and children.

“We like to think we serve our community well.

“We do activities and events to encourage the community to use the school facilities and also through things like our active PTA, summer fairs and Christmas fairs.”

CHILDREN are awaiting the hatching of these eggs, an activity which the school is doing for the first time.

This is part of a topic on pets and how to take care of them and take responsibility for them.

Teaching assistant Alice Smith said: “The class are taught all of the areas in the early years curriculum through the pet topic.

“The children are extremely excited to see what happens with the eggs.”

THREE years ago the school built a multi use games area to enhance children's opportunities to do sport.

Technically a football surface and partly funded by the Football Foundation, it is used for games lessons and after school clubs and headteacher Mr Haydon said it was the biggest all weather pitch for a Hampshire primary school.

The school has invested in a sports coach, a former member of staff who set up his own cricketing business.

There are currently 70 children taking part in after school cricket sessions.

CHILDREN'S study of their community was kicked off with a chance for children to dress up as postmen for the day.

As part of this they sorted and delivered letters to different members of staff.

During this term the children as part of their Geography lessons will be learning about their local community, including visits to shops, churches and community centres.

THE school encourages singing and has a lower school choir and an upper school choir.

About 30 children from Years 4, 5 and 6, who make up the Upper School Choir, could soon be performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of a larger school music event.

The choir took part in a workshop involving dozens of other schools across Hampshire to learn Zadok the Priest, by George Frideric Handel. This is one of ten pieces that are set to be performed by pupils from different regions of the UK in the Ten Pieces Proms – part of the Proms concerts.

The school is just waiting for confirmation on the concert in July.

MUSIC and the arts is an important feature of the school.

Many of the children take up musical instruments, some even getting to Grade 4 standard, and there is a school orchestra.

Children get the chance to perform in a number of concerts each year.

Some children have later gone on to RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) or dance schools in London.

The school is also encouraging children in their music by signing up to the Hampshire Music Service scheme Listen to Me.