Shinewater Primary School

Inspection of Shinewater Primary School Milfoil Drive, Langney, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 8ED

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 January 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 19 and 20 January 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Shinewater. Senior leaders have transformed behaviour and the curriculum. The school’s recently refreshed values of aspiration, positivity, resilience, kindness, respect and teamwork underpin pupils’ everyday experiences. Pupils’ personal development is at the heart of their learning, so they develop consideration, tolerance and genuine respect for each other and the wider community. Parents enthuse about the school. As one said, ‘The school has made so many improvements over the last few years; it’s a fantastic place where children are taught to shine.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff quickly get to know each pupil as an individual, fostering warm relationships so they feel safe and secure. Pupils behave well here, and any unkindness or inappropriate behaviour is rare. Pupils value the school’s ‘Rainbow Rules’ and know what is expected of them. They value how trusted adults will listen to and resolve any worries they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop a love of reading. They enjoy their learning and discussing their work. They are supported to develop language skills and a sense of curiosity. Learning is enriched through outdoor learning opportunities, specialist teachers, guest speakers and a wide range of clubs, activities and trips. Skilled teachers and teaching assistants share their infectious enthusiasm and help pupils to really enjoy school.

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better?

The headteacher and her leadership team are inspirational. Together with leaders from the Swale Academies Trust, they have brought about significant improvements across the school. Senior leaders ensure that research underpins their curriculum design and teaching approaches, and they have provided high-quality training for staff. Together they have developed a tight-knit, well-trained staff who share a passion to achieve the very best for each and every pupil.

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better?

Staff ensure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop the knowledge and skills required to thrive. Leaders have implemented bespoke refinements to the curriculum across the school while also expanding provision and reinvigorating the learning environment in early years. This is impressive, particularly as much of this work has been achieved while providing education during the pandemic.

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better?

Leaders’ ambitious and well-structured plans for English and mathematics make it clear what pupils have to learn and in what order. Staff use these, together with their strong subject knowledge, to ensure that learning builds on what pupils already know and can do. Teachers typically use assessment well to craft engaging and thought-provoking lessons that are well-suited to pupils’ starting points. Consequently, over time all pupils are supported to achieve well in English and mathematics. 19 and 20 January 2022

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Shinewater’s provision across other subjects is very strong and particularly impressive in some aspects, such as computing. Typically, teachers work in teams to share subject knowledge and design carefully mapped sequences of learning through the years. In some subjects, staff are at an earlier stage of implementing their plans. Leaders are aware that, in these subjects, teachers need to check pupils’ knowledge more accurately before moving on to deliver new content. Leaders have training and plans in place to achieve this.

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Caring relationships fostered in the nursery promote children’s speaking and listening skills well, enhancing their vocabulary and boosting their confidence. Then, from Reception onwards, staff prioritise teaching early reading skills. Leaders have recently adopted a new approach to teaching phonics. Typically, staff interact well with pupils to develop, assess and enhance their reading skills. Appropriate support is given to any pupils who need it so that all make strong progress. High-quality resources, coupled with engaging story times, promote a love of reading, and pupils enthuse about different authors. Over time, pupils grow into fluent readers, discovering genuine pleasure from reading books.

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The school’s personal development curriculum is first class. As a result, pupils develop self-confidence and a deep understanding of the values of equality, tolerance and respect. Pupils’ physical and emotional health is promoted very well. The huge range of clubs, activities and the scholarship programme on offer helps pupils develop talents beyond the curriculum. Pupils relish the many opportunities they have to take on responsibility by taking on roles such as digital leaders, wildlife warriors or joining the school council. Leaders network with local secondary schools and universities to provide opportunities to promote pupils’ aspirations. Primary careers education is woven into the curriculum.

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Pupils’ behave well. They play happily with their peers at breaktimes and are considerate of others. Pupils value the school’s rewards and routines and so any disruption during lessons is rare. Leaders are working hard with families to ensure that the improvement seen in attendance pre-pandemic is restored. Shinewater Primary endows pupils with resilience, communication skills and confidence. They are well prepared for their next stages of education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created an especially caring community where pupils’ safety, welfare and well-being are their number one priority. Pupils feel safe and happy here and parents confirm this. The curriculum promotes learning how to keep yourself safe, including when online.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding leaders have up-to-date expertise in all aspects of safeguarding. Suitable checks are made on all adults who work with the children in school. Leaders maintain careful records and oversee an effective package of staff training. Staff act 19 and 20 January 2022

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swiftly should any pupils require extra help, sourcing appropriate support from external agencies should it be necessary.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There have been some significant enhancements to the curriculum design and provision across the foundation subjects, but some of these plans are relatively new. In some subjects, teachers’ checking of what pupils know and can do still requires refinement. Consequently, some pupils struggle to recall prior learning or have gaps in their knowledge. More accurate checks are needed by staff to inform future learning activities and so better meet the needs of pupils in science and some foundation subjects.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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 .

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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. 19 and 20 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212119 Type of school Primary

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Shinewater Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2017, joining the Swale Academies Trust. When its predecessor school, known by the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted in 2015, it was judged to be good overall.  There have been significant changes to the senior leadership team of the school since the school joined the trust. This included the appointment of the executive headteacher and two full-time co-headteachers. From September 2021, a sole headteacher has been in place and a new trust deputy headteacher was appointed. Senior leadership roles have been restructured and there have been several changes to subject leadership.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  Leaders have expanded provision in the nursery, so it now offers places to 2-year- old children.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 19 and 20 January 2022

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This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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 Deep dives were conducted in reading, English, mathematics, history and computing. As part of these, inspectors met with leaders, visited lessons, talked to pupils about their work and met with teaching staff to talk about their approach to designing and delivering the curriculum. Inspectors also reviewed plans for the teaching of design technology, science and Spanish.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders and other members of teaching and support staff.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s policies and practices and met with safeguarding leaders to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding. Records of safeguarding incidents were scrutinised and discussed. Inspectors also reviewed the school records of the recruitment checks made on adults working in the school. The views of pupils, parents and staff represented in meetings and the responses to

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Ofsted surveys were considered.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, the CEO and the Primary Director of the Swale Academies Trust.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils to discuss their views about many different aspects of their school. Inspectors also held informal conversations with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime and held conversations with a number of parents at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Matthew Newberry, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Louise Walker Her Majesty’s Inspector Yasmin Maskatiya Her Majesty’s Inspector 19 and 20 January 2022

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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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