Challock Primary School

Inspection of Challock Primary School Church Lane, Challock, Ashford, Kent TN25 4BU

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been subject to a routine inspection since September 2011. 11 and 12 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils prosper at this warm and ambitious school. They show great enthusiasm for learning and for the range of activities on offer. Pupils thrive due to the strong relationships that they build with staff. Pupils routinely strive to meet teachers’ high standards and achieve exceptionally well as a result. By the end of each key stage, pupils master the knowledge and skills set out by the ambitious curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and eager to learn. They behave exceptionally well and greet adults warmly and with respect. This positivity extends throughout. The atmosphere in the school is energised and purposeful. Pupils say that bullying is rare and that they are confident that staff will solve any friendship issues that arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have the highest aspirations for everyone, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have worked tirelessly to build a wide range of opportunities for pupils to flourish and to instil purpose and ambition in pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ learning extends beyond the classroom. They enthusiastically attend a range of trips that support their learning. Pupils build their resilience extremely well. For example, in their ‘outdoor wild learning’ they discover how to work together, building fires for cooking and using woodcraft tools.

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better?

Leaders have designed a thoughtfully ordered, ambitious curriculum that develops inquisitive pupils who love learning. Leaders have made strong connections between the important learning that is taught in each subject. They have also ensured that staff have the expertise to teach the ambitious curriculum very skilfully. Consequently, pupils develop their knowledge, skills and understanding exceptionally well across a range of subjects and particularly in reading, writing and mathematics.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading. From early years, high-quality phonics teaching supports children in quickly getting to grips with learning to read. This solid foundation ensures that pupils are exceedingly well prepared for the next stages of their education. For example, by Year 6 pupils passionately discuss writing styles using the increasingly complicated vocabulary that they have learned. Teachers instil a love of reading throughout the school and pupils thrive on the high-quality books that staff thoughtfully choose for them. As a result, pupils achieve extremely well in reading by the end of each key stage.

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better?

Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. In early years, they make every interaction an opportunity for learning. Pupils’ work is of high quality across the curriculum. Teachers’ use of assessment to support pupils’ understanding is extremely effective. The steps towards clearly defined end points are used by teachers to ensure that pupils deepen their knowledge adeptly as they progress 11 and 12 July 2023

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through the curriculum. Pupils expand their understanding of important vocabulary across a range of subjects and use it confidently in their work. Teachers meet the needs of pupils with SEND extremely well, carefully adapting learning and providing very effective support when needed. As a result, these pupils develop their understanding exceptionally well across all subjects.

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Leaders have very deliberately built a culture of high expectations throughout the school. In Reception Year, children develop high levels of self-regulation with skilled support from adults. Pupils take responsibility for their behaviour and expect great behaviour from their classmates. Teachers consistently apply the school’s rules. Pupils are enthusiastic learners and low-level disruption is very rare. At social times, staff skilfully manage a range of activities and pupils make the most of opportunities to read, play sports or develop their physical health on the outdoor gym. Relationships between pupils and adults within the school are nurturing and caring.

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Teachers take every opportunity to build pupils’ character and celebrate talent. From early years, children enjoy well-planned educational trips. Leaders ensure that there are no barriers to pupils, and particularly disadvantaged pupils, attending these trips or the wide range of after-school activities on offer. Leaders provide a vast range of high-quality opportunities to develop pupils’ understanding of the world and each other. Pupils experience democratic processes in the pupil parliament and demonstrate tolerance through the care ambassador roles. Some become digital ambassadors and offer expertise and leadership in the use of technology. Large numbers of pupils, including those with SEND, represent the school in sporting competitions at town and county level. Pupils perform gleefully in ambitious school performances while others create inventive props for the performers to use.

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Parents recognise the tireless ambition and work of leaders and show genuine positivity about the school. Governors provide leaders with highly effective support. Governors hold leaders to account well and ensure that leaders meet all their statutory duties. Governors are a positive presence in the school and communicate well with pupils and staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have made sure that the appropriate checks are in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Leaders respond quickly to concerns from staff, pupils and parents. They work well with other agencies to make sure that children are safe. Leaders know their pupils well. As a result, leaders assess accurately which pupils may require extra help and work well with families and agencies to provide wraparound support. Staff are well trained and know what to do if they have a concern. Staff are confident that leaders take concerns seriously, and that they act appropriately to keep pupils safe. 11 and 12 July 2023

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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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school use no alternative provision providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector met with the members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also held a meeting with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, 11 and 12 July 2023

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spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to staff.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors held meetings with safeguarding leaders, the governing body, teachers and pupils. They scrutinised the single central record and checked safeguarding records.  Inspectors took account of a range of other information, including the school’s development plans, school policies and governor minutes. They also considered external reports of the school from the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experience of the school. They took account of parents’ and staff’s views through conversations and responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Gavin Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Oliver Allen Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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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