St. Paul's (Slade Green) Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St. Paul’s (Slade Green) Church of England Primary School Slade Green Road, Erith, Kent DA8 2HX

p.1

Inspection dates: 19 and 20 September 2023

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Wendy Cornford. This school is part of Trinitas Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Simon Godden, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Canon David Herbert. 19 and 20 September 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a supportive environment where staff and pupils feel welcome and respected. Pupils are safe and enjoy coming to school. Staff take great care to ensure that new pupils settle in well and learn the routines. Parents and carers value the additional support offered by the school and say they are given the information they need.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for pupils’ learning. Leaders have reviewed and improved the curriculum, and pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. The school sets high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils know the rules and, most of the time, they follow them. Where behaviour interrupts learning, it is dealt with promptly and fairly. Pupils are motivated by the good behaviour awards and are proud to achieve them. Older pupils are encouraged to be good role models for younger pupils.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Alongside their academic learning, pupils learn about their rights and what it means to be a good global citizen. They are taught how to stay safe, including online, in ways that are relevant and timely. Pupils’ confidence grows as they move up the school. They know that mistakes are an important part of learning.

p.2

better?

The school has made significant improvements to the curriculum since the previous inspection. They have established a positive school culture in which staff embrace opportunities for ongoing professional development. Staff support the school’s vision to provide a high-quality education for all and work hard to achieve it. Communication with parents is excellent. Staff know their community well, and parents say staff are friendly and approachable.

p.2

better?

Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum, which is well planned and sequenced. The knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn are clearly set out for most subjects. Changes to the curriculum help pupils to learn and remember more over time. These changes have also had a positive impact on pupils’ behaviour. Typically, pupils are focused in lessons and enjoy their learning. For example, Year 4 pupils talk with great enthusiasm about their learning in English and are keen to share their knowledge of new vocabulary. In a few subjects, curriculum thinking is not as well developed. Leaders have a clear understanding of where further work is needed to address this.

p.2

better?

Most of the time, teachers present information clearly and regularly check pupils’ understanding. Assessment systems are in place to check what pupils know and can do. However, sometimes, teachers move forward through the curriculum before checking that learning is secure. This means that some pupils are not prepared for the next stage of their learning. 19 and 20 September 2023

p.2

3

The curriculum for early reading and phonics is well established. Children are introduced to phonics at the start of Reception. Staff are trained in how to deliver the programme effectively. Staff receive ongoing training and support to help them deliver the programme with consistency. Teachers check pupils’ learning regularly, and those pupils who need further help are quickly identified and supported. Parents can attend phonics workshops, which help them to provide the right support at home. Pupils look forward to their daily story time and take inspiration from visiting authors and poets.

p.3

3

In Nursery and Reception, there is a sharp focus on developing children’s communication and language skills. This helps to prepare children for their learning in Year 1 and beyond.

p.3

3

Staff identify pupils’ additional needs promptly, and there are clear plans in place for their support. The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with speech, language and communication needs. These pupils achieve well. In addition, a growing number of pupils with speech, language and communication needs are supported in the mainstream school. These pupils are helped to develop their confidence. However, a few pupils are not provided with sufficient strategies to communicate their needs effectively.

p.3

3

Leaders, governors and trustees work effectively to promote a shared vision for the school. Leaders have developed a nurturing environment that prioritises staff well- being. Staff value the steps leaders take to reduce their workload.

p.3

3

Pupils’ attendance, while improving, remains a focus for leaders. Persistent absence remains high for the most vulnerable groups. Leaders have taken a robust approach to attendance and are working closely with families to ensure that pupils are not missing out on their education.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, pupils do not have sufficient time to practise and consolidate their learning before moving on. This slows some pupils’ progress. The school should ensure that checking is systematic and that staff have the confidence to spend more time on practising where this is needed.  A few pupils with SEND do not have strategies to communicate their needs. This is because staff are not applying sufficient strategies used to support pupils’ learning to enable their wider communication. The school should ensure that staff are trained to use augmented communication strategies so that pupils who are not able to verbalise their needs and thoughts can communicate successfully. 19 and 20 September 2023

p.3

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.

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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 September 2023

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school makes use of one registered alternative provider.  The school is part of the Trinitas Academy Trust.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with speech, language and communication needs. The school had six pupils in this provision at the time of inspection.  The school has not yet received a section 48 inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 19 and 20 September 2023

p.5

6

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors also met with members of the board of trustees, the local governing

p.6

6

body, representatives of the diocese, an external consultant for school improvement and members of the senior leadership team.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and staff survey, as well as the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

p.6

Inspection team

Polly Haste, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lorraine Slee Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 September 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