Egerton Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Egerton Church of England Primary School Stisted Way, Egerton, Ashford, Kent TN27 9DR

p.1

Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 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 Good 11 and 12 October 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils try their best at this school. They embrace the school’s values of perseverance, compassion, respect, honesty, forgiveness and hope.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe. They enjoy a stimulating learning environment and plenty of space outdoors. Staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those who may have additional needs. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils learn about people, places, cultures and customs that they would not necessarily come across in their everyday lives.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and the atmosphere in school is calm. Pupils are attentive in lessons and use the space available outdoors well. Playtimes are also calm. Pupils trust the adults who look after them to deal with any worries they might have.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have respect for each other and adults. Pupils enjoy a range of trips that bring the curriculum to life, as well as numerous opportunities to develop their own leadership skills in positions of responsibility. For example, pupils enjoy being part of the school council or taking responsibility as house captains.

p.2

better?

The ambitious and well-designed curriculum ensures that pupils achieve well from the very beginning of reception. Teachers are skilled at questioning and plan interesting activities for pupils from early years to Year 6. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum and achieve well. However, in some foundation subjects, teachers do not check on pupils’ understanding well enough. This means that some pupils do not deepen their understanding as well as they could.

p.2

better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly. The school works swiftly to ensure that the correct support is put in place for these pupils. This means that they achieve as well as other pupils. Teachers ensure that pupils at the early stages of reading are supported very well in learning to read.

p.2

better?

Teachers design learning very well, ensuring that pupils progress almost seamlessly from year group to year group. Older pupils reflect on how well prepared they are for moving into higher year groups. Pupils explained, for example, how they are taught to have discussions in circle time in the younger year groups and how this develops into more complex debates about current affairs by Year 6.

p.2

better?

Teachers work hard to ensure links are made across different subjects in the curriculum. They also ensure that pupils understand how their learning connects to real life. For example, older pupils used their geographical knowledge to debate the advantages and disadvantages of building more houses in the village. 11 and 12 October 2023

p.2

3

Pupils behave well and teachers’ expectations are high. These expectations are promoted through the school’s values. They are reinforced in assemblies where there are weekly celebrations of expected attitudes. Staff receive high-quality training to support pupils to behave well. The school works with parents at the start of each year to communicate their high expectations of pupils, particularly around the importance of high attendance. Although the school have introduced strategies to improve pupils’ attendance, too many pupils are persistently absent and the school’s initiatives have not had the desired impact.

p.3

3

Personal development is designed carefully. The school do not leave this to chance, making good use of offers of support and opportunities from the local community, as well as taking part in community projects. Pupils, including children in early years, have chances to take on responsibilities or join clubs to broaden their experiences and develop their talents.

p.3

3

Pupils in Year 1 to Year 6 join the school council and take on projects, such as choosing the charities that the school will support. The personal health and social education curriculum supports pupils in learning how to keep themselves safe physically, emotionally, mentally and online. It also teaches them about financial matters and incorporates teaching the school’s relationships and sex education programme.

p.3

3

Leaders are passionate about improving the school. They support staff well and ensure that subject leaders receive high-quality training. Governors understand their role clearly and ensure that leaders are held to account stringently. The views of the school community are listened to. The pupils are at the heart of everything that this school does and truly live out the school’s values.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not assess pupils’ learning well enough in some foundation subjects. This means teachers cannot build securely on pupils prior learning because they do not have a clear picture of what that is. The school need to ensure that teachers assess pupils’ understanding effectively in all subjects.  Pupils do not attend school regularly enough and too many pupils are persistently absent. The school needs to ensure that pupils’ attendance improves and fewer pupils are persistently absent. 11 and 12 October 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). 11 and 12 October 2023

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 18 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school within the Diocese of Canterbury. The last Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools was in July 2019.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school provides its own breakfast and after-school club.

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This is 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. 11 and 12 October 2023

p.5

6

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders and the special education needs coordinator. They met with members of the governing body. They also spoke with the Diocese Improvement Partner and the school’s Senior Education Advisor for the Local Authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They also listened to some pupils read.  Pupils’ books, from other subjects of the curriculum, were also considered as part of the inspection.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to safeguarding, attendance, pupils’ personal development and behaviour. The views

p.6

6

of parents and staff were also considered, including through Ofsted’s surveys.  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.

p.6

Inspection team

Kate Owbridge, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Paul Bateman Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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