St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School Deanwood Drive, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent ME8 9NP

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Outcome

St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School is a busy, happy hive of activity for pupils. There is always something going on to interest and inform them. For example, during the inspection some pupils were involved in a geography field trip and others were taking part in cycling safety sessions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for. Staff know them well and respond to their needs effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe and heard. Pupils know that if they have any concerns, they can raise them using class ‘worry boxes’. They have confidence in staff to address any issues, which are rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils mostly behave well, in keeping with the school’s expectations. They follow instructions and work hard. Occasionally, a few pupils do not concentrate as well as they should which means they do not learn as well as they might. Disruption in lessons is rare. The school is an orderly environment. At play and lunchtimes pupils enjoy using the extensive grounds. They get along well together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils keenly take part in all that school life has to offer. Whether joining book panels, taking on additional responsibilities, or helping write child-friendly policies, their views are valued and their involvement is strong.

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

The school has developed a curriculum which is ambitious and meaningful for pupils. It starts in Reception and is carefully sequenced through to Year 6 so that pupils build on what they learn over time well. In some subjects, such as physical education (PE), pupils interests are sought and included. Recently, for example, pupils have enjoyed street dance and handball which have been introduced as part of the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified accurately. Detailed and regularly reviewed plans are in place to help support these pupils. However, the effectiveness with which these plans are implemented in classes is a little variable. 6 and 7 February 2024

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The mathematics curriculum is designed well. Pupils learn quickly to recognise and understand numbers in Reception. As they move up through the school, pupils learn multiplication facts. They use their increasing mathematical knowledge to solve a wide range of problems accurately and efficiently. Pupils enjoy the opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-life situations, for example through trips to a local shopping centre or by using bus timetables.

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There is a clear and appropriate emphasis on learning to read. The school has ensured that children begin to learn phonics as soon as they start. Staff are experts in early reading. They check learning regularly so that any pupils who start to fall behind are quickly identified and given the support they need to catch up. Reading books are carefully matched to the sounds pupils know so that they can apply their learning and experience success. Pupils learn to read quickly and well.

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Pupils also learn to love reading. Pupils are surrounded by the interactive ‘reading forest’ display as they walk down the school’s corridors. They are supported to make links with the local library and are read to often from a wide range of books. Pupils enjoy fiction, non-fiction and poetry. They are keen to select their class ‘poem of the month’ for display.

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The school has introduced some new approaches to managing behaviour. Staff appreciate the training they have had to help implement this approach. This is ongoing. Pupils explain how the system helps them to recognise and manage their feelings and behaviours. Pupils value the rewards they can earn for positive behaviour, such as house points and certificates.

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Pupils’ wider development is strong. A carefully planned curriculum helps pupils to learn about staying healthy and safe, including online. Pupils strive to demonstrate the school’s values of being kind, caring, honest, brave, thankful and loving. They appreciate the assemblies that focus on these different values, including those led by a pupil team. Pupils are passionate about equality and respect. They are interested to learn about a range of faiths and cultures. A pupil explained that, ‘We are all unique.’ Pupils are proud of the funds they have raised through their various charity days.

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Governors know the school well. They use a wide range of information to provide appropriate support and challenge for the school. Staff feel supported by leaders. They value the changes to assessment and marking that have been introduced to help manage their workload and help them focus their time on teaching.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, some pupils do not concentrate and apply themselves to their learning as well as they could. This means they do not learn as well as they might. The school 6 and 7 February 2024

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should continue to support staff to secure strong application to their learning consistently for all pupils.  The effectiveness of support for pupils with SEND is a little too variable. Where pupils are not supported as well, sometimes they do not access and participate in the planned learning fully. The school should ensure that the careful identification of pupils’ needs informs provision in classes and across subjects consistently well.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2013.

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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.

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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’ 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). 6 and 7 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 June 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary aided Catholic school within the deanery of the Archdiocese of Southwark. The last denominational (section 48) inspection took place in November 2019.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 the evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with school leaders. The inspector also met with the representatives of the governing body and had telephone conversations with a representative from the local authority and a representative of the diocese of Southwark. 6 and 7 February 2024

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector listened to pupils read.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector reviewed responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff surveys.  The inspector talked to staff to gather their views about the school, including their workload and well-being. The inspector met with several groups of pupils, as well as speaking to pupils during lessons, playtimes and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Deborah Gordon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 February 2024

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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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