Tatsfield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Tatsfield Primary School 3 Ship Hill, Tatsfield, Kent TN16 2AH

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 October 2021

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Outcome

Tatsfield Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the calm and nurturing community of Tatsfield Primary School. It is a safe place for them where they feel happy and cared for. They know that their teachers want the best for them. They describe the adults in the school as people they know they can trust.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers strive to provide engaging and challenging learning for their pupils. They have high expectations of what each pupil can achieve. The school motto ‘Aim high, achieve more’ captures well how teachers encourage their pupils to succeed. Staff help pupils to feel confident in their learning, ready to take on any difficulty.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have made sure that pupils behave well in class and at play. Pupils follow the rules happily. They know they are there to protect them and help them learn. Pupils do not fear bullying because it rarely occurs. They trust adults in the school to put a stop to it if it happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very pleased with what the school provides. One parent commented, ‘My son loves school. His teachers are always spot on when they describe him to us. They really know him and know how to bring out the best in him.’

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders set about strengthening their curriculum content two years ago. They ensured that plans in each subject outlined the precise knowledge and skills pupils should learn. Leaders have checked that learning builds from one year to the next. This carefully considered plan begins in Reception and goes straight through to Year 6. As a result, pupils by the end of key stage 2 are fully ready for secondary education.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers deliver the curriculum with skill. They have secure subject knowledge. They think hard about how to make the learning both challenging and accessible to all. Pupils say that what they love most about the school is what they learn. They talk about their 13 and 14 October 2021

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lessons with real enthusiasm. They can remember key knowledge and explain why that knowledge is important to have. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in all learning. They, too, make strong progress.

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At the heart of the school, there is a focus on reading. Reception children learn letters and their sounds from the start. A love of books begins here. Children adore adults reading to them. They will often pick up one of the many story books in the classroom and leaf through them. Older pupils continue this reading habit. They read regularly and widely. Teachers strengthen this further by making sure pupils learn key words. As a result, pupils develop a rich vocabulary.

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Many pupils become fluent readers quickly. By the end of key stage 1, almost all pupils achieve well in their reading. However, leaders have noted that a few weaker readers take longer to reach this level. Leaders have acted to put this right. They have made significant improvements to how teachers will deliver the phonics programme. They have invested in a new range of reading books. These will accurately match the sounds that pupils have learned.

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Teachers systematically check on all pupils’ progress and development. They identify quickly what pupils with SEND need to learn well. The special educational needs coordinator works with staff to adapt the learning. She ensures that pupils receive the right help at the right time.

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Pupils behave very well. They have positive attitudes towards their learning. Teachers help them, from the earliest age, to be able to work independently. Pupils are also encouraged to help and be kind to others.

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Leaders focus on making sure that pupils have a broad and rich experience at school. They plot out in each year what opportunities for enriched learning each pupil has. For instance, during the inspection, Reception children sat mesmerised by a visit from the local Fire Service. Pupils go on three residentials in their time at the school. They also enjoy the excellent opportunities the extensive site offers. Gardening club and Forest School are popular options.

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The headteacher and his team take the well-being and professional development of their staff very seriously. Staff feel well supported and valued. The trust offers useful support. The local governing body and the board of trustees keep themselves properly informed about the school. Governors are about to resume their monitoring schedule so that they can see at first hand the work of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff at the school are very well informed about safeguarding. They receive thorough training at the start of each year. Leaders refresh important points about safeguarding each term. Staff forge strong links with families. They are ready and alert to any sign of 13 and 14 October 2021

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danger or difficulty. Leaders work closely with health and social agencies to ensure families receive the help they need.

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Leaders are methodical in their record-keeping. All recruitment processes are carried out in a timely way. Leaders and governors do check the records. However, they have not ensured that they clearly log these checks or the actions that follow.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not make the best progress in their early reading. This is especially true of weaker readers. As a result, not all pupils meet the required level in their phonics knowledge by the end of Year 1. Pupils do catch up later, but leaders are right to overhaul their phonics programme, including improving the range of books that pupils read. Leaders need to make sure that the new systematic synthetic phonics programme provides the consistency and precision of delivery to allow struggling readers to make quicker progress in their reading.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Tatsfield Primary School, to be good in March 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 13 and 14 October 2021

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 13 and 14 October 2021

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-size primary school.  Tatsfield Primary School became an academy in May 2017.  On converting to academy status, the school joined the Tandridge Learning Trust.  The school currently uses one alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. She looked at relevant documentation, staff’s recruitment checks and training. She also considered how well adults in the school act on emerging concerns about pupil’s welfare.  Staff’s and pupils’ views were gathered through informal discussions with the inspector. She also considered 47 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 36 free-text responses. There were 14 responses to the staff survey, which was added to the evidence gathered. 13 and 14 October 2021

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 Meetings were held with leaders and governors, including the chair of governors, as well as with the chair of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Curriculum plans were reviewed and discussions held with leaders about other subjects within the curriculum.

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Inspection team

Yasmin Maskatiya, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 October 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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