Goat Lees Primary School

Goat Lees Primary School Hurst Road, Kennington, Ashford, Kent TN24 9RR

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

This is a good school

 The headteacher has very high expectations of staff and pupils. She, and her very able deputy, continually reflect on performance and use expertise, from within the school and beyond, to secure effective provision.  Pupils work hard and make good, and increasing, progress to reach standards that match national average at the end of Year 6. Disadvantaged pupils, and those who have special educational needs or disability, progress as well as other pupils.  Pupils’ reading skills are well developed. They use these skills effectively to help them to write.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is consistently good. Teachers provide well-structured and interesting lessons.  Teaching assistants work closely with teachers to provide good support for learning.  Pupils enjoy lessons and their attitudes to learning are excellent. They are highly motivated to achieve well and take pride in their work.

p.1

This is a good school

 Pupils feel safe in school. They say that adults are kind and listen to their concerns. Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. They are very polite and friendly and they get on well together.  Children get off to a good start in the early years. They make good progress across all areas of learning because teaching is effective.  Senior leaders and subject leaders monitor and track pupils’ progress extremely effectively; pupils who are in danger of underachieving are identified and supported early.  School leaders have an exceptionally clear view of what they are aiming to achieve. They are very well positioned to improve the school further.  Governors consistently challenge the school and hold senior leaders to account by measuring the impact of their actions. They know the school very well because monitoring activities always focus on specific aspects of the school improvement plan.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils are occasionally not provided with the correct level of work, particularly the most able, and this slows progress.  Feedback on pupils’ work does not consistently follow the school’s marking and feedback policy.  Pupils’ problem-solving and investigation skills are not developed well enough in mathematics, leading to a lack of confidence in the application of calculation skills in real-life contexts.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning by ensuring that: – pupils develop good problem-solving and investigative skills in mathematics, which lead to greater confidence in the application of calculation skills – work is matched more consistently to the needs of pupils so that their progress is accelerated further – pupils are given clear advice about how to improve their work in line with the school’s marking and feedback policy.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 Senior leaders and governors are very ambitious for the school and are highly effective as a team that has brought about continuous improvement since the school opened. They have been successful in creating a culture of high expectations in which good teaching and learning, and outstanding behaviour, flourish across the school.  The leadership and provision for pupils who have special educational needs or disability are very effective. There have been a significant number of pupils in the older year groups who have joined the school with particular needs and have necessarily been placed in mixed-age classes. Specialist support is precise and correctly targeted. Leaders check this has a positive impact on learning, for individuals and different groups of pupils. Well-planned activities in classrooms ensure that pupils’ progress is at least good and sometimes outstanding.  Subject leaders make a significant contribution to improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

in their subjects. Training for teachers and teaching assistants has been rigorous and a key feature contributing to the school’s success. Improving the quality of teaching is a constant focus for subject leaders’ work and has resulted in important improvements in teachers’ subject knowledge through a coherent professional development programme.  Sport funding is used effectively to raise staff expertise in the teaching of physical education (PE). Specialist PE coaches work alongside school staff and the school has provided many additional opportunities to enhance sporting skills. These include participation in a range of sporting competitions with other schools and opportunities for pupils to become involved in after-school clubs. The assessment of pupils’ PE skills is robust and the school puts a high priority on developing further improvement in this subject. As a result, pupils’ skills are rapidly improving and there is a high level of take-up of the wide

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

range of sports clubs.  School leaders have introduced comprehensive systems to record and track pupils’ progress. They very successfully use assessment processes, designed for particular subjects, that allow them to check the progress of individual pupils at different times during a series of lessons. These also enable them to take action quickly if a pupil is at risk of falling behind. Consequently, all subjects are viewed as equally important and all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed. Discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.  Leaders have good systems in place to manage teachers’ performance. The teachers are set measurable and aspirational targets for the progress their pupils make and for their pupils’ personal development. Teachers’ progress towards meeting their targets is checked through a range of strategies, including lesson observations and the scrutiny of pupils’ work.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The pupil premium funding is used effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make just as much progress as other pupils in the school. As a result, the standards disadvantaged pupils reach are in line with those reached by other pupils nationally and their progress is good.  The curriculum is very broad and balanced with excellent opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills across other subjects in the curriculum. This contributes to the rapid progress they make, especially in writing. The quality of spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very strong and helps pupils show considerable sensitivity towards each other and to value and celebrate their differences. For example, collective worship gives pupils opportunities to reflect sincerely on their own feelings and experiences and to consider their rights and responsibilities in relation to others. Pupils have a good

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

awareness of values such as courtesy and they are keen to learn about, celebrate and deepen their knowledge of world faiths.  The curriculum promotes British values, such as tolerance and respect, outstandingly well. Pupils’ understanding of British values is promoted very effectively including through learning about democracy when electing the school council. Pupils also know and respect other cultures by linking symbols on flags, such as linking the Ashoka Chakra (the wheel of law) in the centre of the flag of India to the importance of rules. This ensures that pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The governance of the school – Governors have a very good knowledge of the school. They are fully aware of how the pupil premium is spent and ensure that it supports the good and improving progress of disadvantaged pupils. – Governors understand procedures for the performance management of staff, including that of the

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

headteacher. They ensure that the management of teachers’ pay is effective in rewarding teachers for improved outcomes for pupils and for the quality of their teaching. Leaders provide governors with an extensive range of information on different aspects of the work of the school, including performance information. – Governors always use the school improvement plan to provide focus for visits and monitoring activities regarding priority areas. The information gathered is used outstandingly well by governors to challenge the school to improve further. – Governors are exceptionally well aware of their responsibilities towards safeguarding and regularly check that systems and procedures are of the highest quality and keep pupils very safe.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are highly trained, extremely vigilant and make prompt referrals if they suspect children are at risk of harm. The school works closely with many outside

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

agencies to help vulnerable children. Staff are very knowledgeable about the families who need additional support and are quick to offer useful help and guidance.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Due to highly effective professional development, fruitful partnerships between teachers and teaching assistants and close tracking of pupils’ performance, the quality of teaching has improved continuously since the school opened.  Teachers’ questioning is skilful and probes pupils’ learning and understanding well. Staff ask challenging questions to make pupils think deeply about tasks and allow a good amount of time for pupils to give answers. Expectations are usually high, with teachers asking supplementary questions when necessary, to draw out high quality responses that deepen learning.  Teaching assistants provide good support. They have been trained well and closely follow the good example set by teachers. Teamwork between teachers and assistants is effective; all use the same vocabulary and methods so that teaching is consistent.  Good teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) ensures that children in the early years

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

and key stage 1 have the skills they need to read with fluency. As pupils move through the school, teachers ensure that they have opportunities to read widely and for a range of different purposes. Pupils typically comment that they enjoy reading and frequently read at home for pleasure.  Teachers and support staff monitor learning well during lessons. They spot quickly when pupils are struggling with a new idea or are ready to be challenged by harder work. Staff interactions with individuals and groups help them to think about what they are doing, challenge pupils further and help them see how they could improve their understanding.  Writing is taught well. For example, in a literacy lesson, pupils were asked to use adverbs to improve their sentences. Pupils generated many different sentences, which were created through well-used self- assessment and review. For example, pupils wrote sentences such as, ‘I ran quickly but quietly through

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

the wood so I could hear the stories from the trees.’  The teaching of mathematics is good and, as a result, pupils are enthusiastic about their lessons and make quick progress in this subject. Teachers’ good subject knowledge is shared successfully with pupils to ensure that they have a good understanding of number and calculation. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to tackle problem-solving and investigative work in mathematics lessons. As a result they are not always confident using calculation strategies in real-life contexts.  Teachers use assessment information well to establish what pupils can already do. Assessments are robust and accurate, as confirmed by inspectors and checks carried out by the local authority. However, this information is not always used effectively to plan lessons which are sufficiently challenging to improve pupils’ learning even faster, especially for the most able.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Feedback to pupils is regular and where it is most effective it identifies features that pupils can work on to improve in line with the school’s marking and feedback policy. However, this is not consistent across the school and pupils are not always sure how they can improve the quality of their work.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils are articulate and confident. Those wishing to be school councillors and ‘young leaders’ practise their democratic and wider personal skills through both an application and a reporting process. Leadership opportunities in the school help pupils to become self-assured and to develop empathy for others who are younger or less fortunate than themselves through charity work.  Pupils are exceptionally proud of their school. They talk very positively about their teachers and how adults will always support them if they need help. Pupils have a thirst for acquiring information and enjoy discovering new things with their friends and the staff.  Pupils are looked after very well and are supremely confident in talking to any adult about any concerns they may have. One pupil said, ‘They (the staff) will always give you time and listen’ and a parent

p.5

Personal development and welfare

confirmed this by saying, ‘The teachers are always able to listen to parents and children.’  Pupils are very polite, courteous and respectful to visitors. Even the youngest children are confident in entering into discussions with adults about their learning and work in school.  Pupils treat each other with respect and play well together at break and lunchtimes. They are very active playing games and using the trim trail. Pupils have good opportunities to take responsibility. Older pupils look after younger children to make sure they always have someone to play with. Pupils take their positions of responsibility very seriously and undertake their duties with great maturity.  Pupils say that there is very little bullying of any kind, but if it happens it is swiftly dealt with by staff. Pupils know the school’s rules and appreciate knowing that the behaviour system is always applied fairly and effectively so that if any behaviour falls short of the high expectations of staff and pupils, it is dealt

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are able to manage their own behaviour well and are exceptionally polite and courteous to teachers and peers. They respond immediately to their teachers’ questions and requests.  Pupils speak with pride about their school and their part in helping it to improve. They are proud of their appearance and achievement, behave very sensibly when in class, moving around the school and during lunch and playtimes.  The school keeps detailed records of pupils’ behaviour. These show very few incidents of poor behaviour and indicate that good behaviour has been maintained over the recent past.  Pupils are really keen to learn and have a sense of awe about different subjects. A pupil said to an inspector, ‘I was really inspired by the lesson I have just had.’ A parent, typical of many, illustrated their daughter’s enthusiasm for learning and school by saying, ‘My daughter loves going to school every day.’

p.5

Behaviour

 There is a culture of respect, and pupils show great care for the school environment and keep the new building tidy. They take good care of the equipment. Pupils told the inspector that behaviour is usually very good, and nearly all parents and carers agree.  The school has worked hard to improve attendance and has been successful in reducing the amount of time that pupils miss from school. Staff work closely with families to help get their children to school regularly. As a result, attendance has risen and is close to the national average.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils make good progress from their different starting points, which have varied since the school opened. The school quickly assesses pupils so that they can accurately measure the pace of progress of pupils that have joined at different times. This is especially the case in Years 4, 5 and 6.  Published performance information shows that since the school opened there has been an increase in progress in key stage 2 and a significant rise in attainment in reading by the end of Year 6. In 2015, all pupils leaving school at the end of Year 6 made the progress expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics with a good proportion making better progress.  In 2014 and 2015, Year 2 pupils’ performance in spelling, punctuation and grammar was below the national average. The school has very quickly recognised this and provided effective training in the teaching of this aspect. The school’s accurate tracking information shows that current pupils in Years 5

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are good

and 6 are on course to reach above-average standards. Leaders have made sure that interventions are also improving pupils’ skills in Years 3 and 4, especially for disadvantaged pupils.  All groups of pupils, including pupils who have special educational needs or disability, make strong progress across the school. This is because staff know pupils well. The school’s very effective tracking systems ensure that any pupil in danger of falling behind is immediately identified and supported well.  Reading is a strength across the school. The results of the Year 1 phonics screening check have been above national figures since the school opened. This is because teachers reinforce the use of phonics in many lessons and staff are consistent in their approach to developing early reading skills.  Leaders at all levels place a relentless focus on improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. They carefully track their progress in designated meetings and ensure that they have access to clubs.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils are good

Consequently, gaps continue to narrow in terms of attainment and this group mostly makes at least rapid progress similar to others in school. In some year groups, disadvantaged pupils perform better than their peers.  The most able pupils in key stages 1 and 2 make good progress. They are being challenged increasingly well in their work. As a result, their progress is improving, further deepening their knowledge and skills well. However, at times the level of work is not demanding enough and the pace of learning slows as a result.  Outcomes in mathematics are good because resources help pupils to engage fully and understand different strategies to calculate accurately. However, the pupils’ ability to use their knowledge in different contexts is less strong and limits their progress.

p.6

Early years provision is good

 The progress of children in the early years is good because the tasks are usually challenging and interesting so that children give their very best effort. Assessments are regular, accurate and are used carefully to ensure that future learning focuses on the needs for different children.  The proportion of children reaching a good level of development is above the national average and, as a result, children are prepared well for Year 1. This is because staff make the most of the inside and outside areas to engage pupils in thinking critically about a wide range of knowledge linked to different themes.  Teaching is effective because all staff question children well. The most able children are frequently given difficult questions so that they have to think hard and as a result their progress is good.  Children get the support they need from the moment they join the setting. Consequently, children make

p.6

Early years provision is good

strides in their learning, behave very well and develop positive relationships with adults and their peers.  Children say that they really enjoy coming to school. This is because relationships are very good and staff review the environment regularly to make sure that it is meeting the needs and interests of the different groups of children and helping them to learn well.  Easy access to a safe and secure outdoor area enables children to extend their learning outside, especially in mathematics. The space is well equipped and stimulating. Children become absorbed in their activities because staff question children effectively about what they are doing.  The leadership team make sure children are safe, secure and happy. Good leadership and management of the early years has created a cohesive staff team. Staff undertake regular training so that the quality of their work continually improves.

p.6

School details

Unique reference number 136251 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10011708

p.7

School details

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

p.7

School details

Type of school Primary School category Foundation Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 167 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rita Hawes Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Teresa Adams Telephone number 01233630201 Website www.goatlees.kent.sch.uk Email address office@goatlees.kent.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.7

Information about this school

 The school opened in September 2013. There were four classes in its first year, six in the second year and six in the third year. There have been mixed-age classes in the school since it opened. There will be seven classes in September 2016, one class for each year group.  Goat Lees Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, for whom the pupil premium provides support, is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability receiving support is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is below the national average.

p.7

Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

p.7

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed pupils working in 11 lessons. The inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and listened to pupils read. An inspector attended an assembly and both inspectors observed pupils in class and as they moved around the school.  The inspectors held discussions with school leaders, three governors, including the chair of governors, and groups of pupils. A discussion also took place between an inspector and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including pupils’ assessment information, minutes from governors’ meetings and visits to the school, plans and other information relating to the school. Policies showing how the school keeps pupils safe were thoroughly scrutinised.  The views of parents were taken into account by analysing the 76 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. The inspectors also took into account comments made by parents at the end of the

p.8

Information about this inspection

school day. The views of staff were considered by analysing the 18 responses to the staff survey.

p.8

Inspection team

Richard Blackmore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Brenda Watson Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

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.

p.9

Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

p.9

Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.9

Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspection team

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

p.9