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PRESS RELEASE - 23RD MAY 2025

"Primary school with 'irresistible' learning environment praised"

A primary and nursery school on the Waterside has come through a quality assurance review with flying colours.

Blackfield Primary and Nursery School received glowing feedback from education charity Challenge Partners, which improves school performance through peer-to-peer challenge and knowledge sharing.

A ‘Leading’ mark was given for overall peer evaluation following the developmental review of the larger-than-average primary school.

‘Leading’ was also given for leadership at all levels and quality of provision and outcomes, along with quality of provision and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with additional needs.

Making learning irresistible

Blackfield Primary and Nursery School, part of the Inspire Learning Partnership multi-academy trust, and with the motto ‘making learning irresistible’, has 441 pupils.

Challenge Partners, a not-for-profit organisation working to improve education outcomes for children, carried out an annual quality review on 28 April at the school’s invitation.

The review provides a peer evaluation of a school’s practice in curriculum, teaching and learning, as well as leadership, and is different to an Ofsted inspection.

In the review report, Challenge Partners referenced that the catchment area includes pupils from across the Waterside, including Calshot, which falls within 10% of the most deprived areas in the country.

Continuing development

The percentage of pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium grant funding, to help improve the achievement gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers, is considerably higher than the national average.

An above-average proportion of pupils has special educational needs and/or disabilities, with 31 pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Claire Lowe, Chief Executive of Inspire Learning Partnership said: “Quality assurance reviews by Challenge Partners matter to us because they support our schools’ continuing development.

“What the teachers and support staff are achieving for pupils at Blackfield Primary and Nursery School deserves wider recognition and the ‘Leading’ accolades mean this has been a review met with flying colours.

Strong progress

“This was summed up in the review, which reported that ‘the school demonstrably cultivates a love of learning, successfully making it ‘irresistible’.”

Claire added: “Encouragingly, the report also stated that, as a result of the school’s first-rate provision, pupils with additional needs make very strong progress from their starting points.

“The achievement of disadvantaged pupils, who do not have additional needs, typically matches or is above that of pupils nationally.”

Also highlighted was the school’s “passionate commitment to ensuring barriers facing disadvantaged pupils are broken down”.

Love of learning

These include multiple layers of wrap-round care, including breakfast club and snacks at break for all pupils.

Disadvantaged pupils are guaranteed access to educational trips and clubs; their experience of “irresistible learning” contributes to regular attendance.

Tariq Sasso is the Executive Principal at Blackfield Primary and Nursery School, which was rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted following an inspection in September 2022.

He said: “It was lovely to read in the report that the school demonstrably cultivates a love of learning, successfully making it ‘irresistible.’

Contagious enthusiasm

“Challenge Partners’ review has inspired us to strive to make even more improvements for pupils, who deserve the best of outcomes.”

Challenge Partners also highlighted that leadership at all levels is “exemplary”.

It continued: “Senior leaders are highly skilled, and their contagious enthusiasm plays a central part in sustaining the inclusive ethos that permeates the school.

“The Executive Principal provides inspirational leadership and is held in high regard by pupils, staff and parents.

Happy and positive environment

“He has fostered strong, positive relationships that contribute significantly to the warm and purposeful atmosphere.

“Senior leaders are highly approachable and actively engage with the school community.

“They warmly greet pupils and parents at the beginning of the day and provide excellent role models for colleagues.

“The palpable, happy and positive environment owes much to the highly enthusiastic leadership team.”

Advancing education

Inspire Learning Partnership, which serves 1,440 pupils and employs 244 staff, oversees Blackfield Primary and Nursery School and Fawley Infant School on the Waterside, as well as three primary schools in Southampton: Kanes Hill, Hightown and St Monica.

Challenge Partners is a charity working to advance education for the public benefit and is not a statutory accountability body.

The QA Review does not audit schools’ safeguarding or behaviour policies and practices.

However, Lead Reviewers and visiting reviewers are expected to follow Challenge Partners’ safeguarding policy and report any concerns as set out in the procedures.