Bitterne Park School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 May 2024

Pupils, including those in the sixth form, describe the school as a 'close community' where 'teachers really care for us'. Pupils feel happy and safe because they know that staff listen and help when they have concerns. Pupils typically behave and communicate respectfully in lessons, at social times and as they move around the school. This is testament to staff's hard work to embed the school's high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Bullying is not common and any instances are dealt with well. Some highly bespoke provisions within the school support the needs of vulnerable pupils and those who need to improve their behaviour, attendance or attitudes to learning. Pupils with autism in the 'ARB' specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (specially resourced provision) thrive emotionally, socially and academically. Leaders have reshaped the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious for all. Training and support for teachers to realise these ambitions is ongoing as new approaches to adapt teaching to meet all pupils' needs are embedded. The school's work is making a positive difference. Pupils are typically learning more and remembering more of what they are taught. Pupils are encouraged to pursue their talents, such as in football, poetry and music. The announcement of this year's school production caused much excitement during the inspection.

What the school should improve

• Some pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise their reading and writing. Sometimes, approaches to structuring writing are inconsistent across the school or do not enable pupils to achieve as highly as they could. This hinders the achievement of some pupils. The school needs to make sure that pupils are given enough opportunities to read and write across the curriculum in a well- coordinated way.
• Sometimes, teaching does not adapt to pupils' individual learning needs well enough. This means that some pupils do not understand what they are meant to learn as well as they could. Some others are not challenged highly enough. The school needs to embed approaches to adaptive teaching so that the achievement of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and the most able pupils, is raised.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)