Saltwood CofE Primary School

Inspection of Saltwood Church of England Primary School Grange Road, Saltwood, Hythe, Kent CT21 4QS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected since July 2007. 10 and 11 May 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe and enjoy coming to school. Relationships between pupils and the adults in school are warm and caring and expectations are high. Pupils know that there is always a grown-up who can help them deal with any worries. Bullying is very rare and if it happens, staff respond quickly. Pupils celebrate their classmates and nominate them for the weekly ‘Good Citizen’ award. Pupils receive rewards for reading regularly. On self-designed bookmarks, pupils collect points for every book they read. Pupils are proud to show off the huge displays of completed bookmarks around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn that they can make a difference in the world. Each class has chosen its own ‘Courageous Advocacy’ project. These projects raise money for charities and promote kindness throughout the school. The school council voted to bring in ‘reading buddies’, where pupils from different year groups enjoy reading to each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Clubs and trips enhance what pupils learn in the classroom. For example, pupils have enjoyed trips to Brockhill Country Park to re-enact battles with shields they made in lessons. Pupils talk excitedly about the visits they have had from authors, musicians and actors.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to learn a broad range of subjects. Leaders are clear in identifying the ‘big ideas’ and concepts that pupils need to know in each subject area by the time they leave school. In some subjects, such as history and science, these big ideas are not broken down well enough. It is not always clear what pupils need to learn or in what order. As a result, pupils cannot always make a connection between previous and new learning. Leaders recognise that there is more work to do to make sure that all teachers are clear about what pupils should know by the end of each year.

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better?

Pupils learn to read from the moment they start school. They learn to read a wide range of well-selected books that help them become enthusiastic and fluent readers. They enjoy reading aloud to adults and bring in their own books from home to share with their classmates and teacher. Some pupils do struggle to read at first. Extra support each day from their class teacher helps these pupils to keep up.

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better?

Staff in Reception plan a range of exciting learning activities to develop children’s curiosity. For example, inspectors saw children build a dam in a half-pipe to stop water from running down the pipe. The very next day, this dam was bigger and more ambitious than it had been the previous day. Though children enjoy these activities, it is not always clear what the intended learning is. The curriculum does not yet concisely set out what children need to know by the end of Reception, to prepare them for Year 1. 10 and 11 May 2022

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Pupils with SEND are well supported by staff to access the full curriculum. In physical education (PE), leaders have carefully selected sports that are accessible for all, such as tri-golf or sitting basketball. Pupils with SEND have access to a range of support that helps them develop the skills they need in order to learn independently. This is carefully monitored to make sure that pupils get the right support at the right time.

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Classrooms are typically calm places to learn. Teachers have high expectations for pupils to always try their best. As a result, pupils behave well around the school and during breaktimes. Pupils are respectful of differences. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures and can make comparisons with their own experiences. As one pupil explained, ‘Everyone is equal here, everyone has the same rights.’ Pupils learn how to keep healthy and safe when online. Clubs and trips are open to all pupils to nurture their many interests and talents.

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Governors work closely with school leaders, the Diocese of Canterbury and the local authority. Governors have an accurate picture of what is being done well and what needs to improve further. They check that staff workload is manageable and school priorities are clearly defined. Their shared vision of ‘Love, creativity and strength’ is at the heart of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have clear systems in place to make sure that every pupil in the school is safe and known. They have ensured that staff are trained well to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk. Staff know how to report concerns and, when necessary, do so immediately and concisely. Leaders communicate well with external agencies to make sure that families get the right support when they need it.

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Safeguarding

A mental health support worker provides help to pupils who are struggling to attend school regularly. Support is also available to pupils if they feel worried while at school. This service is also open to staff.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not yet identified the critical knowledge that pupils need to learn in all subjects across all phases of the school. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could. For this reason, the transition statements have been applied. Leaders should make sure that knowledge is precisely identified and carefully sequenced in all subjects from Reception to Year 6. 10 and 11 May 2022

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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. 10 and 11 May 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Paul Newton (Executive Headteacher)

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Date of previous inspection

12 July 2007, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school in the Diocese of Canterbury. Its most recent section 48 inspection took place in June 2017.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, staff and pupils. They also spoke with representatives of the governing body, including the chair. An inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority and the Diocese of Canterbury.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, PE and history. They discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, teachers and pupils, 10 and 11 May 2022

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visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed plans for the teaching of science.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including 79 free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the confidential staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the school’s website and policies and met with safeguarding leaders. They also spoke to pupils, staff and governors and scrutinised school records of the safeguarding checks on adults working in the school.  Inspectors reviewed and scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation, including leaders’ plans for improving the school, their evaluation of how well the school is currently performing, minutes of local board meetings, and records of attendance and of behaviour incidents.  A meeting was held with a group of pupils to discuss their views about many

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different aspects of their school. Inspectors also held informal conversations with pupils at break- and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Michelle Lower, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorraine Clarke OBE Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 May 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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