Salehurst Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Salehurst Church of England Primary School George Hill, Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5BU

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 30 November and 1 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy because they are nurtured and valued at this caring school. Staff know pupils well. Pupils’ achievements, both in and out of school, are encouraged, recognised and celebrated. Relationships throughout reflect the focus on being ‘ready, respectful and safe’. Pupils know that kindness is important. Any unkind behaviour is addressed swiftly by staff. As a result, bullying is rare. Pupils are safe and feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to work hard and achieve well in all subjects, but especially in English and mathematics. Pupils rise to these expectations. They find their work interesting and apply themselves diligently. Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. They understand and follow the clearly established routines, both in classes and outside. The school is a calm and orderly environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is at the heart of its community. Pupils are encouraged to take part in local events. This has included making lanterns to take to an upcoming local celebration. Regular visitors help enhance the curriculum. For instance, a pupil could confidently explain how his understanding of art had been broadened by a talk from a local illustrator.

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better?

Leaders have revised the curriculum carefully. The changes that they have made, such as introducing a new approach to the teaching of phonics, have strengthened provision. Consideration has been given to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), experience a broad and balanced curriculum.

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better?

The curriculum in English and mathematics is well structured and ambitious. Pupils achieve well in these subjects, including pupils with SEND. However, the curriculum in some other subjects is at an earlier stage of being implemented. This means pupils are not always reaching the same high standards of developing subject knowledge and skills in the wider curriculum as they are in English and mathematics. Leaders are taking action to address this.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that staff have the subject knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. Staff are positive about this support, including how working across the federation has helped to develop their expertise and support their workload. Subject leaders are passionate about their subjects. However, not all subject leaders have yet checked to see how effective the learning has been in helping pupils to know more and remember more across the school’s curriculum.

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better?

Reading is at the centre of the curriculum. Learning to read is a priority right from the start in Reception. Pupils get off to a good start because phonics is taught well. They practise their skills using books which are carefully selected to help them 30 November and 1 December 2022

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succeed. Staff check pupils’ learning regularly and provide additional support for anyone who starts to fall behind. Pupils like reading and being read to. They are keen to comment about the plots and characters in the stories read to them by their teachers. As they move up through the school, they discuss issues raised by some complex texts with maturity and insight. Pupils are articulate. Their responses are well reasoned.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They get along with each other and their teachers. Right from the start, children in Reception follow instructions and concentrate on their tasks, both individually and in groups. This helps them to learn well. For example, a group of the youngest children spent some time looking carefully at a picture of a natural sculpture before meticulously arranging their own wooden blocks. They then explained their choices in detail to an adult. Any pupils who need additional help to stay on task are given the support they need to learn effectively. Staff identify and understand pupils needs well, including pupils with SEND. They meet these needs with thought and care.

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Leaders have ensured that pupils’ personal development is considered well. The curriculum helps pupils to learn about themselves and others. This includes learning about people who have a range of different beliefs. One pupil explained, ‘We treat everyone the same.’ Discrimination of any form is not tolerated and is swiftly addressed. Pupils understand and demonstrate the school ethos of ‘respect, friendship, courage and compassion’ and use this in how they conduct themselves around school.

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Governance is strong. Governors are highly skilled and make sure that they are well informed. This means that they have a good understanding of the schools’ strengths and needs. Governors use this knowledge well to both support and challenge senior leaders to further develop and improve the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that everyone is trained in safeguarding. Leaders review and, when necessary, report any indications that a child may be at risk of harm. They have introduced an online system to help with recording information. They also use this system well to help identify any patterns that might signify concerns. Leaders know pupils and their families well. They offer timely and appropriate help where it is needed.

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Safeguarding

Leaders manage risk effectively. The curriculum for safeguarding, including online safety, is regularly reviewed and adapted. Governors regularly check that all is as it should be, including processes for recruitment and checks on staff.

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 The revised curriculum has not yet been fully implemented in all subjects. Leaders have not evaluated its impact on helping pupils to know more and remember more across the wider curriculum. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders have the expertise required to fully evaluate the impact of the learning in their individual subjects.  Some subjects in the wider curriculum are at an earlier stage of implementation. In these subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is as ambitious and is implemented as is evident in the core curriculum.

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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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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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241796 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website https://salehurst.thebridgefederation.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 May 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is federated with Staplecross Methodist Primary School as part of the Bridge Federation. The two schools share an executive headteacher and a governing body.  The latest Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools was in November 2016.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 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.  During the inspection, the lead inspector met regularly with school leaders. The lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body and had a 30 November and 1 December 2022

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telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority and Diocese of Chichester.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read.  Records associated with safeguarding were reviewed, including the single central record and appointment procedures. Inspectors spoke to staff about safeguarding and spoke to pupils about the support they have in understanding how to keep safe.  The inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff surveys. An inspector spoke to parents at the school gate.  The inspection team met with groups of staff to discuss their views about the

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school, including workload and well-being. The inspectors met with several groups of pupils, as well as speaking to pupils during lessons, at playtime and around the school.

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Inspection team

Deborah Gordon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sara Wakefield Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 2022

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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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