Ebbsfleet Green Primary School

Inspection of Ebbsfleet Green Primary School Ackers Drive Weldon, Ebbsfleet Valley, Swanscombe, Kent DA10 1AL

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 7 and 8 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and well cared for in this school at the heart of the Ebbsfleet Green community. They learn the school’s values of growth, respect, enjoyment, aspiration and togetherness. Leaders encourage pupils to live out the values in day-to-day school life by focusing well on their lessons and contributing to the school community. Older pupils inspire younger ones to read by partnering with them as reading buddies. At lunchtime, they take their roles as family dining champions seriously, serving out the food on their family group tables with care.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to share their learning when parents and carers come into school for the ‘big outcome’ class celebrations. In these events, pupils become the teachers, leading curriculum activities for the adults to experience. These occasions provide opportunities for pupils to build their self-confidence by working in teams and speaking publicly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for behaviour and well-established routines are applied consistently. As a result, pupils approach their learning positively and concentrate well in lessons. They are calm when walking around school, holding doors open for visitors considerately. Bullying hardly ever happens in this school. If pupils do experience unkindness, they speak to their teachers who help them resolve issues quickly, so it does not happen again.

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better?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils to attain well. They achieve this through the logically sequenced curriculum from Nursery to Year 6, including the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), The Woodlands. The curriculum sets out exactly what pupils must learn and when. The knowledge and skills pupils must develop by the end of each topic, term and year group are captured precisely. Leaders identify pupils with SEND quickly. Teachers adapt the curriculum, planning support before lessons so that these pupils learn the same content as their peers.

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better?

In most subjects, teachers have an in-depth understanding of the curriculum expectations. Subject leaders have supported them, so they have strong subject knowledge and plan activities enabling pupils to commit learning to long-term memory. Teachers use assessment well to understand what pupils know. They use questioning in lessons effectively to identify pupils who need more practice or support. Leaders evaluate more formal assessments to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and which areas of the curriculum need to be retaught. In a few subjects, for example art and religious education, implementation of the curriculum is more variable. This is because subject leaders have not been in post long enough to develop teachers’ knowledge of the curriculum.

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better?

Children have a secure start to their education in the early years. They learn all areas of the curriculum through playing and exploring independently or in groups 7 and 8 March 2023

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guided by an adult. Relationships between adults and children are warm and supportive. Classrooms are organised so children can access the equipment they need independently. Right from the start of Nursery, children become confident in using language through stories, songs and rhymes. This prepares them for learning to read as soon as they enter Reception class.

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Leaders have prioritised pupils learning to read. Teachers in every year group are experts at teaching it. Pupils in the early stages of learning to read have daily phonics lessons. Teachers identify any who need extra practice and make sure they get it quickly. Any pupils at risk of falling behind have carefully planned support to make sure they keep up. Teachers adapt the reading curriculum for pupils with SEND by breaking learning down into smaller steps and repeated revision. Pupils read books that closely match the sounds covered in lessons as they are learning to read. Once fluent, they continue to read books designed to widen their vocabulary and extend their reading skills. Pupils develop a love of reading. Teachers read stories to their classes every day, and pupils enjoy regular visits to the school library.

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Pupils have many opportunities to broaden their experience and develop interests. They visit local places of worship, historic sites and museums and particularly enjoy taking part in after-school clubs such as yoga, French and food technology. Pupils are taught the importance of including everyone through regular assemblies based on the school’s values. They learn about fundamental British values through holding debates and elections and learning about crime, punishment and monarchy in history. Pupils are taught strategies for managing their emotions, including ways to manage anxiety and stay calm.

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Trustees work well with leaders, supporting them as they develop this expanding school. Trustees have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and challenges and hold leaders to account effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are trained to recognise the warning signs that pupils or their families might need help. Staff know the procedures for reporting concerns about pupils and adults and do not hesitate to follow them. Leaders track these carefully and follow up on reports quickly. They know their pupils well, especially those pupils particularly vulnerable, and tailor support for their needs. Leaders challenge external agencies, so pupils get the right level of help.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves healthy and safe. They learn about the value of exercise, healthy eating and how to stay safe on the internet by keeping personal information confidential. 7 and 8 March 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leadership of the curriculum is less well developed in a few subjects. Teachers do not have a deep understanding of the content or how best to ensure pupils learn these subjects. Senior leaders should continue to develop new curriculum leaders’ knowledge and skills so they in turn can support teachers’ practice.

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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. 7 and 8 March 2023

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School details

Headteacher Joanne Wilkinson-Tabi (Executive Headteacher) Kelly Garrett (Head of School) Website www.ebbsfleetgreenprimary.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is an academy free school opened in September 2020 by the Maritime Academy Trust.  The school currently has pupils aged three to nine and will expand to three to 11 by 2025.  The school has a 17 place specially resourced provision for pupils with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.  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 7 and 8 March 2023

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and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the executive headteacher and head of school. The lead inspector also met with the chief executive officer of the Maritime Academy Trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, geography and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding through scrutinising safeguarding records and discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.  The views of parents and carers were considered through their responses to Ofsted Parent View. Further views of pupils and staff were gathered through Ofsted’s online surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the

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inspection.  Inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documents, including self-evaluation reports, minutes of trust board meetings, attendance records and behaviour incident logs.  The inspection team observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at playtimes. They spoke with pupils about bullying, behaviour and leaders’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour.

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Inspection team

Jo Brinkley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mary McKeeman Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 March 2023

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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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