Chartham Primary School

Chartham Primary School Shalmsford Street, Chartham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 7QN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Achievement requires improvement because standards are not as high as they should be, given pupils starting points, despite some recent rapid improvements in pupils’ progress.  The quality of teaching is not consistently good because teachers do not always adjust tasks so that pupils are effectively challenged, especially those of average ability.  Pupils are not always clear what they have to do to improve their work to achieve the next level in their learning.  Pupils are not given enough opportunities to apply their reading skills in other subjects or to become more proficient in their use of inference.  Teachers’ planning within year teams is not sufficiently well matched to the learning needs of all pupils to ensure the best possible progress is made.  Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching are not always effective in providing bespoke training and in setting targets to ensure consistent improvements in pupils’

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

achievement.  Governors do not drive school improvements forward at a good enough pace because they do not use the information they receive on pupils’ progress to rigorously hold staff to account for pupils’ achievement.

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The school has the following strengths

 Behaviour is good and pupils say they feel safe. Pupils are happy to talk about their learning and are enthusiastic in their work.  The progress made by pupils across all year groups is accelerating and more able pupils make good progress and achieve well, especially in mathematics.  Progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Teachers and adults are skilled at planning opportunities for children to develop their vocabulary.  Pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs make good progress because of the effective support provided.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 22 lessons, four of which were joint lesson observations with senior leaders. Additional support groups were also seen. Inspectors listened to pupils read and looked at pupils’ work in their exercise books.  Inspectors met with pupils and talked with them about their work. Meetings were also held with subject and Key Stage leaders, governors and representatives of the local authority.  Documentation covering safeguarding, the measurement of performance of staff, records of behaviour and safety, attendance, and on pupils’ attainment and progress were reviewed.  Inspectors took account of 71 responses from parents and carers to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and 29 questionnaires from staff. An inspector also talked with parents and carers informally during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Howard Jones, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Gillian Keevill Additional Inspector Vanessa Tomlinson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, there are two Reception classes.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils receiving support from the pupil premium funding, which is the extra government support for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children and those from service families, is average. In this school, it relates to pupils who are known to qualify for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those supported at school action is high. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better in order to raise pupils’ achievement by:  ensuring pupils understand what is required of them to move to the next level in their learning  teachers regularly checking the understanding of pupils, especially those of average ability, so they are effectively challenged to achieve the higher levels  providing opportunities for pupils to apply their reading skills in other subjects  developing pupils’ skill of inference to deepen their understanding.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the effectiveness of senior and middle leaders and governors to drive improvements forward at a good pace by:  rigorously checking the quality of teaching for its impact on pupils’ learning and use this to set targets and bespoke training to further improve classroom practice  ensuring teachers within year teams take greater account of the learning needs of all pupils when planning work, to ensure the best possible progress  developing the skills of governors in checking pupils’ achievement so that they have an accurate view of the school’s performance.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement over time is too variable. The progress made by all groups of pupils from their starting points has been uneven. Attainment at the end of Year 2 has been below the national average. Progress across Key Stage 2 has not been good enough, so that insufficient numbers of pupils reach the expected levels for their age in national tests by the end of Year 6.  Pupils of average ability do not always make the progress they could. They are not always effectively challenged and their achievement is restricted because tasks are not adjusted once they demonstrate they have a secure understanding in their work.  The gap in attainment of pupils supported through the pupil premium is wide compared to their peers. In 2012, they were behind by 16 months in English and 17 months in mathematics. Unvalidated test results for 2013 show this gap narrowed for some pupils and school evidence shows the gap is now much narrower as pupils are making rapid gains in their learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Attainment for pupils in the Year 1 linking of letters and sounds check was above average. However, progress in reading is not as strong because pupils are not given enough opportunities to apply their reading skills in other subjects or to become more proficient in their use of inference. Nonetheless, pupils enjoy talking about the stories they are reading.  Pupils across all year groups are now making rapid progress. Gaps in pupils’ understanding are closing quickly in both English and mathematics and the current Year 6 pupils are on course to achieve higher standards than previous years. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are making progress equal to that of their peers because of the impact of tailored support.  Achievement for more able pupils over time is good. They make good progress in both English and mathematics and almost all go on to attain the higher levels in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children make good progress in Reception. The large proportion of children begin the Early Years Foundation Stage with aptitudes and understanding at levels below those expected for their age but go on to enter Year 1 well prepared for this next stage in their learning.  Pupils are effectively developing their competence in physical education. For example, pupils are extending their skills in hockey and basketball and participate in a ‘change for life’ club which promotes their health and fitness. Cross-country running also has a high profile in the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because over time it has not always promoted good achievement. This is because pupils have made inconsistent progress as they move through the school.  Pupils do not always understand how to achieve higher standards in their work. They enjoy the opportunities to check each other’s work during lessons but teachers do not effectively make clear what improvements are needed to lead them to become successful at the next level in their learning.  Pupils of average ability are not always sufficiently challenged. Teachers explain how they can be successful in their activities; however, they do not regularly check and adjust tasks for pupils once they demonstrate a secure understanding in order that they can then move to more challenging work at the higher levels.  Planning does not always ensure work is well matched to all pupils’ abilities. Teachers within year teams work effectively together and develop topics and use a range of resources and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

imaginative activities which serve to engage pupils in their work. However, tasks do not sufficiently reflect the learning needs of all pupils to ensure the best possible progress is made.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage develop their use of language well. This is because teachers and other adults provide opportunities for children to talk about their learning. This was seen in one session based around items which illustrated a forest theme and which adults used as prompts to ask questions and effectively extend children’s use of vocabulary.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs enjoy success in their learning. This is because other adults in the classroom engage pupils in tailored activities in ways which require them to become independent in applying their skills. This is effectively complemented by additional support such as ‘reading recovery’ and play therapy.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where learning is most effective, teaching ensures the level of challenge is sustained. For example, in one Year 1 mathematics lesson, tasks provided appropriate pace throughout the session. Pupils were required to review their learning and adults used questioning along with opportunities for pupils to apply their skills to deepen their understanding.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils both within the classroom and around the school is good. The atmosphere within the school canteen at lunchtime reflects this too. Pupils are friendly and are confident when talking with their teachers and visitors. They work well together and are self- possessed and mature when they check one another’s work and talk about their learning.  Children within Reception have settled in well. They remain engaged in their activities because they are motivated and endeavour to complete their tasks. They move around the setting purposefully and enjoy using shapes to talk about their learning.  Pupils are happy to take responsibility for their learning. However, behaviour is not outstanding as opportunities to become more independent are restricted because pupils are not always clear what they have to do to work toward the next level in their learning and this prevents even stronger progress from being made in lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they feel safe in school. Pupils have a high regard for their teachers and say they always listen to them and act on any concerns they might have. Pupils take on a range of responsibilities, for example acting as buddies for younger children. There is a positive learning environment within the school and pupils who are vulnerable are well cared for.  Pupils say that racist incidents and bullying are rare. They say unkind behaviour is isolated and cyber-bullying does not occur. Pupils say discrimination is not tolerated. Pupils are aware of the risks in using the internet and have an appropriate understanding of e-safety.  Attendance is above average. The school has clear policies and high expectations for pupils to be present during term time.  The overwhelming majority of parents and carers who responded to Parent View (the online questionnaire) say their child is happy and safe and the school makes sure pupils are well

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

behaved and deals effectively with bullying.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher has introduced appropriate strategies to secure improvements. He has taken effective action to deal with weak teaching and has developed leadership across the school. However, achievement over time is not yet good enough despite some recent rapid improvements in pupils’ progress across all year groups.  Leaders are demonstrating the capacity to improve. For example, the school has used regular checks on pupils’ progress to ensure appropriate action to prevent underachievement. Consequently, gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding are being addressed and progress is now accelerating for all groups of pupils. However, year team planning needs to be refined to reflect more closely the learning needs of all pupils within teaching groups.  The quality of teaching is regularly checked. However, although this makes links to pupil outcomes and endeavours to provide support for teachers, it is not always used to set targets

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The leadership and management requires improvement

and ensure bespoke training to secure consistent improvements in classroom practice.  The local authority has an accurate view of the school. It has consequently brokered pertinent assistance as required. The school has also developed partnerships with other groups and schools and, for example, uses the Primary Sports funding to enable professional coaches to develop teachers’ competence in their delivery of physical education.  The subjects taught are designed to cover the National Curriculum. Topic themes such as the Titanic, along with drama and role-play activities, are used to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills and to develop pupils’ competence in extended writing. However, leaders recognise there are not enough opportunities for pupils to apply their reading skills in other subjects or for them to become more proficient in their use of inference.  A wide range of activities serves to develop pupils spiritually, morally, socially and culturally.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

They participate in extra-curricular sports, including cross-country running and take positions of responsibility, for example in dealing with aspects of sustainability within the school. Children in Reception are encouraged to talk about people from other countries.  Safeguarding covers statutory requirements and risk assessments are appropriate. Procedures are in place to ensure discrimination is not tolerated within the school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are supportive and involved in different aspects of school life. The chair of governors and some members have undertaken additional training to help them fulfil their respective roles and there is evidence they have used this to ask appropriate questions of school leaders. However, these have not been thoroughly followed through to make an accurate comparison of the school’s performance with others nationally, in order that school

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The leadership and management requires improvement

leaders are robustly challenged to drive improvements forward at a good enough pace. Governors know how the additional funding to support pupils entitled to free school meals is being used; however, this has yet to be assessed for how effective it is in closing gaps for all these pupils. They understand how the Primary Sports funding has been allocated and the school’s general finances are secure. Governors are aware that the quality of teaching is measured against pupil outcomes and linked to teachers’ progression pay scales. Procedures are in place to address the performance of the headteacher.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 118357 Local authority Kent Inspection number 426466

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 309 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Julia Power Headteacher Dean Jones Date of previous school inspection 23–24 November 2011 Telephone number 01227 738225 Fax number 01227 732175 Email address headteacher@chartham.kent.sch.uk guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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