Greenlands Primary School

Inspection of Greenlands Primary School Green Street Green Road, Darenth, Dartford, Kent DA2 8DH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 17 and 18 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy at this friendly school. They feel part of a team. Pupils model the values of the school. They try to ‘treat each other as we would want to be treated’. Pupils explain this by saying, ‘We don’t judge people.’ They also do not worry about bullying because they know that it will not be tolerated. Pupils say that behaviour is improving. The new policy has set out clear guidelines to ensure pupils understand how they need to behave to learn well. This is helping staff to be more consistent in their expectations and many pupils behave positively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

While key improvements have been made across the school, leaders recognise there is more to do. Currently, pupils do not consistently benefit from a fully considered curriculum. In addition, too many pupils do not attend school as well as they should. This hinders their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils do benefit from the increased opportunities that leaders have created for them to be part of the school community, such as the newly formed school council. They are keen to wear the coloured tabards that indicate they are lunchtime monitors. Pupils keenly take part in different sports events. They are proud of their achievements.

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better?

Well-targeted actions from leaders have stemmed a period of decline and staffing instability. These have led to some success in some subjects and in improving behaviour. However, there is still more required to ensure pupils benefit from a consistently good standard of education. Leaders have set about this task with determination and focus. Staff are united with leaders in wanting to secure the necessary improvements to provide the very best for pupils.

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better?

Leaders have put in place a well-structured curriculum in mathematics and reading. This supports teaching from Reception to Year 6 so that pupils build knowledge in a logical order. In mathematics, well-focused checks on pupils’ learning ensure teachers can identify and address gaps in knowledge swiftly. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from effective strategies for support, including digital resources accessed through a QR code.

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better?

Pupils’ reading is improving. A new approach to teaching phonics has enabled staff to teach effectively. Leaders monitor progress in reading carefully and provide additional support for pupils who require it. Staff make sure that pupils read books to practise the phonic sounds they know. Teachers and pupils regularly read from a wide range of books that link with learning across the curriculum.

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better?

Much of the rest of the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. Curriculum plans that sequence learning from Year 1 to Year 6 are in place. However, as yet, 17 and 18 May 2023

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learning in the early years has not been as carefully considered to ensure children make a successful transition into Year 1. In addition, pupils across the school do not always have the prior knowledge they need to learn the curriculum effectively. For example, pupils could not explore the identified activity in design technology because they did not have the background knowledge they needed about electricity. Furthermore, in many subjects, teachers are not adapting learning carefully enough so that it meets the different needs of pupils with SEND. This is limiting how well these pupils with particular needs can achieve.

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Pupils mostly behave well. There is some low-level disruption but this is becoming increasingly rare. Staff are well supported by leaders in managing pupils’ behaviour. Pupils who need additional help to manage their emotions and behaviour are provided for well. They know that advice and support are always at hand. Despite leaders’ ongoing work on raising attendance, some pupils do not attend school as well as they should. This leads to gaps in their learning and has a negative impact on their achievement.

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The curriculum for pupils’ personal development is strengthening. Pupils are increasingly setting goals for themselves and thinking about future ambitions. Leaders are working closely with parents on aspects such as the relationships and sex education policy. This is to further develop how pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. In addition, the school’s curriculum does not fully support pupils in exploring their understanding of other aspects of life in modern Britain, such as democracy.

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Governors know the school well. They work closely with the multi-academy trust and school leaders to help drive the school forwards. Many of the teaching staff are new to the school. They feel well supported by leaders and by the training that has been provided for them. Staff say that their workload is considered and that they are treated fairly and with respect.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training. Staff are vigilant to the signs that could indicate a pupil is at risk of harm. They understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and report any concerns promptly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are sensitive to the challenges that many families face. They work creatively with the multi-academy trust and a range of external services to secure the support that vulnerable pupils and their families sometimes need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work with parents to help develop a shared understanding of how pupils can learn to keep themselves safe, including when online. 17 and 18 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum for many subjects is at the early stages of implementation. Teachers do not always check that pupils’ prior knowledge is secure before they introduce new concepts. This means that pupils do not always learn as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that teachers’ knowledge is sufficiently secure to support all pupils to learn the curriculum effectively.  Sometimes, teachers do not use the information they have about pupils with SEND to adapt the curriculum effectively when needed. This means that pupils with SEND do not always achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that teachers provide effective support for pupils with SEND in all subjects to enable them to learn well alongside their peers.  The school’s curriculum is not yet sequenced right from the start of early years. This means that children do not learn the important knowledge they need to be ready for learning in key stage 1. Leaders should ensure that staff in the early

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

years are clear about all the important knowledge and vocabulary that children need to know and remember in readiness for their future learning.  Leaders’ work on improving pupils’ attendance has not yet had an impact on improving attendance for pupils who do not attend school regularly. These pupils therefore miss out on vital learning. Leaders should continue to work with pupils and their families to improve attendance.

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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. 17 and 18 May 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school opened as an academy convertor in February 2019. It is part of the Cygnus Academy Trust.  The headteacher was appointed in January 2022, following a short period as acting headteacher. Many of the teaching team are new to their posts since September 2022.  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. The 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 inspector also met with representatives from the board of trustees and the school governing body. 17 and 18 May 2023

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and design technology. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils read.  Safeguarding records were reviewed, including the single central record and appointment procedures. The inspectors spoke to staff about safeguarding and spoke to pupils about how they are supported to understand 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 inspectors talked to staff to gather their views about the school, including their workload and well-being. The inspectors met with several groups of pupils as well as speaking to pupils during lessons and at lunchtime.

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Deborah Gordon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Catherine Hylands Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 May 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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