Regis Manor Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Regis Manor Primary School North Street, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 2HW

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Outcome

Regis Manor Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this diverse and inclusive school. Staff model the school’s values consistently, so pupils know what they mean. Pupils are happy, polite and friendly. Everyone understands the rules, ‘respectful, motivated, proud and safe’. Pupils follow these well. Disruptive behaviour or bullying is not commonplace. Pupils have the utmost confidence that staff will help them quickly to resolve any problems. Pupils feel safe and well looked after.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high standards across all aspects of school life. There is a palpable sense of care and pride. This is manifested in the well maintained, organised and attractive school environment which is valued by all. Children in early years get off to a great start. They are settled and confident.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Trust leaders, governors and staff are ambitious for all pupils, including for those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders provide a wealth of opportunities for pupils to develop as well-rounded individuals. For instance, learning social skills at ‘Lunch Bunch’ by playing games or making crafts, raising money for charity or singing at the O Arena.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Overall, parents are very positive about what the school offers. Many describe it as a place where their children ‘thrive, learn and have fun’, as one parent commented.

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

Leaders provide staff with strong direction and guidance, including for teachers who are new to the profession. Leaders know exactly what improvements are needed because of effective communication and clear reporting processes. To this end, leaders have introduced a new behaviour system. This is understood well by all and proving successful. Incidents of poor behaviour have reduced. Leaders have introduced bespoke and well- considered strategies for pupils who need help to regulate their behaviour. Classrooms are calm, where pupils enjoy their learning and want to do well. 3 and 4 July 2023

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Likewise, improvements in the teaching of mathematics are making a demonstrable difference. This curriculum is carefully designed and implemented consistently well. Younger children get a solid grounding in number and shape. For instance, nursery children use their knowledge of mathematical vocabulary to make dinosaur pictures using triangles, circles and semicircles. Staff give suitable attention to pupils’ accuracy and fluency in mathematics. Teachers check pupils’ understanding precisely and misconceptions are identified swiftly. As a result, pupils enjoy this subject and their mathematical knowledge is improving.

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Leaders prioritise reading. Pupils get off to a strong start when learning to read. Formal phonics teaching starts as soon as children join Reception. Staff are trained well. They deliver the school’s phonics programme effectively. Staff keep a watchful eye on how pupils are getting on. They provide appropriate support for those pupils who need to catch up. To encourage pupils to read widely and often, leaders have introduced a new reading approach with dedicated time in the school day. Leaders have considered the texts teachers share with pupils carefully. This ensures that pupils experience a rich and diverse range of literature and language.

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Pupils study an engaging and interesting curriculum. Pupils with SEND are skilfully supported by adults. Many of these pupils are making impressive leaps from their starting points. From Reception to Year 6, leaders have carefully considered the essential knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn in most subjects. However, leaders accept that there is work to do to make sure that pupils’ learning is logically sequenced and builds on what they already know. In addition, the end points that leaders want pupils to achieve are not clear enough in some subjects. Consequently, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Leaders’ promotion of pupils’ wider development is a strength. Pupils can take part in an impressive array of clubs and trips. They understand, respect and appreciate each other’s differences. A Year 3 pupil confidently explained the concept of discrimination to the inspector and said that, ‘our school is a place where the whole world comes together and everyone accepts each other.’

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Some subject leaders are new to their roles. This means that the oversight of some subjects is not as strong as it could be. Nevertheless, senior leaders support subject leaders well to understand their responsibilities. There is a strong culture of mutual support, collaboration and teamwork among the staff. Staff say that leaders listen to their views and are considerate of their workload and well-being. They are grateful for the opportunities they have to develop their practice. Staff appreciate the recent improvements to managing behaviour, saying that, ‘a uniform approach has been invaluable.’ Staff rightly feel proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 July 2023

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There is a culture of vigilance and care. There are robust systems in place to keep pupils safe. The designated safeguarding leads are knowledgeable. They work together effectively. They make sure that staff are trained well in safeguarding matters. This means staff know how to report and manage any concerns they may have.

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Leaders make the required statutory checks on all adults who work at or visit the school. Records are maintained meticulously. Leaders are aware of the risks to pupils online and make sure pupils have the information they need to help them stay safe when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in some subjects is not sequenced as well as it could be. In addition, leaders have not identified the end points they want pupils to achieve clearly enough. Consequently, pupils do not learn as well as they could in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that the school’s curriculum in all subjects enables pupils to successfully build on what they know so that they are able to know more and remember more over time.  Some subject leaders are new to their roles. They do not yet have a clear enough oversight of their subject. Leaders need to ensure that subject leaders are well trained so they can lead and monitor their areas of responsibility effectively.

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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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2018.

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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.

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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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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School details

Headteacher Jeannine Olivier (Executive headteacher) Matthew Perry (Head of school) Website www.regismanor.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 and 7 March 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Regis Manor Primary School is sponsored by Swale Academies Trust. A new chief executive officer of the trust was appointed in November 2022.  Currently there are three classes in all year groups other than Years 3, 5 and 6 which have two classes. The number of pupils on roll is increasing. The school will, in time, become a three form entry primary school.  Since the previous inspection a new teaching block, the North Street Building, has been built. This block currently houses all classes in key stage 1. The school will accommodate further classes as it expands.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 3 and 4 July 2023

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also looked at pupils’ work in history.  The inspector met with the executive headteacher, the head of school and senior leaders.  The inspector met with the chair of the local governing body, who is also a director of the trust.  The inspector met with the chief executive officer of Swale Academies Trust.  To inspect safeguarding the inspector considered and checked the culture of safeguarding within the school through looking at documentation and talking to leaders, staff and pupils. The inspector checked the school’s single central record and looked at staff recruitment processes. The inspector considered an external review of

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safeguarding at the school commissioned by the trust.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation including attendance and behaviour information, as well as governing body minutes and the school’s strategic plan.  In order to gather the views of parents, the inspector considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and free-text comments. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff survey and gathered the views of staff during the inspection.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school. She met with eight pupils from key stage 2 to find out their views of the school as well as speaking to pupils in lessons about their learning.

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Inspection team

Frances Nation, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 July 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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