Ospringe Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Ospringe Church of England Primary School Water Lane, Ospringe, Faversham, Kent ME13 8TX

p.1

Outcome

Ospringe Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thoroughly enjoy attending Ospringe School. A culture of kindness and care pervades the school. Everyone is welcome, included and appreciated. Pupils feel happy and safe. They benefit from warm and productive relationships with the staff and their friends. Pupils say that there is no bullying in school and that they trust adults to help them with any worries that do arise.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ethos of ‘Nurture–Grow–Succeed’ is apparent in all aspects of school life. There is a strong focus on emotional well-being, based on leaders’ view that ‘to learn well, you need to feel well’. In addition, leaders and staff set high expectations for pupils’ effort and behaviour. Pupils successfully rise to these ambitions.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic learners. They benefit from a wide curriculum, complemented by frequent trips and visits and opportunities to learn outdoors. Pupils are particularly skilled at working together in pairs and small groups to plan, discuss and review their learning.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have delighted in the planned introduction of a range of new playtime resources. These include used tyres, pallets and mountains of bark chippings. In addition to their enjoyment, during playtime pupils are using, developing and practising a wide range of skills.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and staff know the pupils well. Consideration is given to every pupil’s social, emotional and learning needs, and support is provided whenever required. Consequently, pupils benefit consistently from the rich curriculum on offer.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is enhanced by numerous events and excursions. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is core to the school’s work. Pupils understand the school’s values. For example, during an assembly on ‘courage’, one pupil explained how Rosa Parks had shown courage by challenging arrangements that were ‘unfair and wrong’. 6 and 7 June 2023

p.1

2

Leaders are intent that pupils should thrive beyond school and as they make transitions in education. Opportunities for personal development are exceptional.

p.2

2

In many subjects, including mathematics and geography, leaders have reviewed and implemented new approaches to planning and teaching. In subjects reviewed, lessons are broken down into specific parts. Different elements provide opportunities for revisiting learning, undertaking new learning, and listening, responding and talking with a partner or group.

p.2

2

Teachers understand that by making strong connections with previous learning, pupils grasp new knowledge well. Consequently, pupils tackle increasingly complex learning successfully. For example, in geography, younger pupils learn a range of map-reading skills. In Year 5, pupils use lines of latitude and longitude to locate countries on a world map.

p.2

2

Through questioning and in marking pupils’ work, teachers identify misconceptions and address these promptly. Through formal assessment, leaders monitor what pupils know and check on their progress. For example, assessment information indicates that pupils’ progress in writing is less good than it is in reading or mathematics. The leader for English has supported staff in teaching the different elements of writing. She has created helpful guidance documents that include examples of the standard of writing expected of pupils. Evidence indicates that pupils are now writing increasingly well.

p.2

2

The curriculum review is continuing. Leaders are ensuring that what is to be learned in all foundation subjects is coherently planned and sequenced and implemented effectively. Time allocated to subjects is also under review.

p.2

2

Reading is a priority. Children in Reception begin learning to read soon after settling into school. The school’s phonics programme is planned meticulously. Staff are trained well and are confident to teach the range of sounds. Pupils practise reading every day. All pupils have books that are precisely matched to the sounds that they know. Consequently, most pupils learn to read fluently and confidently. Any pupil who struggles to learn to read receives extra help without delay. More widely, pupils enjoy the selection of books in classrooms and the library. Pupils relish listening to the novels read aloud by their teachers daily.

p.2

2

Pupils are excited to learn, and classrooms can sometimes become noisy. However, throughout the school, pupils respond immediately to instructions from their teacher, and no lessons are disrupted. There are very few incidents of poor behaviour. Any that do arise are dealt with sensitively and swiftly.

p.2

2

Leaders’ strong focus on attendance means that most pupils attend school well. A minority of pupils are absent too often, meaning that they are missing vital opportunities for learning and wider development.

p.2

2

Teaching and support staff feel valued and supported by school leaders and governors. Staff reported that leaders and governors are conscious of their workload when making decisions. Staff appreciate the opportunities for professional development, including 6 and 7 June 2023

p.2

3

attending courses or undertaking visits to other schools. Staff hold leaders in universal high esteem.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders and staff demonstrate a powerful commitment to ensuring pupils’ safety and welfare. Staff are trained in safeguarding, including by undertaking regular updates and induction for new staff. Safeguarding and the range of risks that pupils may be exposed to are understood well. Adults are vigilant and caring and know what signs to look out for.

p.3

Safeguarding

Systems for reporting concerns are understood and used by all staff. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy DSLs work together seamlessly. They implement additional school support, such as counselling, and escalate concerns whenever appropriate. Consequently, pupils receive effective and timely help and support.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils do not make routinely good progress in writing. This means that pupils are not achieving the standards of which they are capable. Leaders should continue with their work to ensure that teachers are confident to teach all elements of the writing curriculum. Leaders should check that teachers know precisely what is required for pupils to achieve, or exceed, age-expected standards in writing. This will ensure that pupils are better prepared for writing in English and across all curriculum subjects as they progress through school and beyond.  In many subjects, leaders have carefully reviewed the knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn and in what order. Leaders have also considered how much time should be allocated to these subjects and how they want pupils to learn new knowledge. However, this is not the case across all foundation subjects, and therefore pupils do not benefit from a consistently strong quality of education in all subjects.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders should ensure that the remaining subjects are reviewed so that pupils benefit from a consistently well-considered and implemented curriculum across the range of subjects.  Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This means that they are missing out on curriculum learning and wider personal development opportunities. These pupils are at risk of falling behind. Leaders should continue their extensive work with pupils, families and wider agencies to ensure that the pupils who are persistently absent attend school routinely. This is so that all pupils benefit from the good education on offer. 6 and 7 June 2023

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 6 and 7 June 2023

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 15 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new deputy headteacher and a new special educational needs coordinator have been appointed, and the governing body has elected a new chair. Three class teachers have joined the school in this academic year.  As the school has a designated religious character, it also undergoes a separate inspection of its religious education and collective worship under section 48 of the Education Act 2005. The most recent section 48 inspection was conducted in October 2019, when the school was judged to be good. The next section 48 inspection will take place approximately five years after the previous inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, English and geography. She discussed the curriculum with leaders, staff and pupils, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ 6 and 7 June 2023

p.5

6

work across a range of subject areas, and listened to pupils read aloud to the deputy headteacher.  The inspector held a wide range of meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, other leaders, and teaching and support staff. The inspector also held meetings with a group of governors and with the school’s improvement adviser. The inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the diocese.  The inspector spoke informally with parents and carers as they brought their children to school. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and the free-text comments made by those who had responded.  The inspector also gathered evidence relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance and wider personal development.  To evaluate the culture of the school and the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector scrutinised the school’s website and read relevant policies. She met with the

p.6

6

DSL and the school’s well-being lead and spoke to staff and pupils. The inspector scrutinised school records of safeguarding checks carried out on adults working at the school. The inspector considered a sample of child protection records and evidence of the school’s work with parents and wider agencies to keep pupils safe.

p.6

Inspection team

Hilary Macdonald, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 June 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7