Canterbury Road Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Canterbury Road Primary School School Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4SE

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Outcome

Canterbury Road Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy, confident and polite. They enjoy positive relationships with staff and know what to do if they have any concerns. One parent, reflecting the views of many others, summed up the school as being like ‘a family’. There is a strong sense of community in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve and the majority of pupils are learning well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children in the early years are making a positive start to their time in school. Pupils are prepared for their next steps and eager to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally behave well, especially in lessons. They understand what bullying is and know it is not tolerated. The school’s overarching rule about respecting each other is very clear to them. Pupils demonstrate this regularly in their interactions. They know they are safe in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of trips which the school ensures all pupils are able to attend. Older pupils enjoy being positive role models and taking on responsibilities, such as helping younger pupils with reading and sports.

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

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum which is carefully sequenced and structured clearly. Knowledge is revisited frequently. Pupils are learning well, including many pupils with SEND and those experiencing other disadvantages. Children in Reception develop the knowledge and skills they need to be well prepared for their next stages.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of the curriculum and the school ensures they have many opportunities to work collaboratively. Staff also have a clear understanding of the needs of pupils with SEND. There is effective support in place for these pupils, especially 5 and 6 March 2024

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those with the greatest need. However, at times, teachers do not check what pupils have learned carefully enough. This means that some pupils are not making as much progress through the curriculum as they could be, including some pupils with SEND. Some pupils are not achieving as highly as they could.

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Reading is a high priority for the school. Staff have carefully considered the books that pupils will encounter over time, as well as ensuring that those at the earliest stages of learning to read get off to a good start. Children in early years enjoy learning a range of rhymes and songs as well as exploring a variety of books. At times, however, there is some variability in how effectively pupils are taught to read as they get older. The teaching of phonics is not as precise as it could be. Gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not always identified and addressed quickly. While any additional help which is provided for pupils is effective, there is more work to be done to ensure that all pupils learn to read accurately, fluently and confidently as soon as possible.

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Pupils are very capable mathematicians. They can talk about the different processes they use to solve problems and use the correct vocabulary. Their work demonstrates they are achieving well and that they have the knowledge and skills they need.

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The majority of pupils attend school regularly. There are a small number of pupils who do not attend frequently enough yet. However, the school has taken steps to support them to be in school and there have been some clear improvements. The school ensures pupils know how to behave appropriately. Most pupils do so. Those pupils who need more help to do this receive this quickly. Routines are generally well embedded, including for the children in Reception.

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Pupils are provided with a range of valuable experiences. This includes activities like going to the theatre, exploring the local area and hearing from guest speakers. The school has worked hard to ensure these are connected to what pupils are learning about in the curriculum as well as providing them with a wide range of different opportunities. The school also offers a variety of clubs which many pupils attend, such as French club and sports clubs. Older pupils are proud of their roles on the school council and they know that they have opportunities to express their own views. They do this respectfully and thoughtfully and understand that differences between people can be positive.

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The school has carefully considered workload and staff know they are well supported. Their well-being is checked on regularly and they are provided with any help that they may need in order to ensure their efforts are fully focused in the classroom. Much as with parents and pupils, staff enjoy being part of this community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 and 6 March 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While there is a clear curriculum in place for early reading, the delivery of phonics is not always as precise as it could to be. This means that some pupils do not learn to read as accurately and fluently as swiftly they could. The school needs to ensure that all teachers have the subject and pedological knowledge required to ensure all pupils learn to read as effectively as possible.  There is some variability in how effectively teachers check pupils’ learning in lessons. This means that errors are sometimes not addressed quickly enough, and some pupils do not get the right adaptations they need to support their learning. The school needs to ensure that teachers check understanding effectively so they can respond to pupils’ needs in lessons.

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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 January 2019.

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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 5 and 6 March 2024

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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). 5 and 6 March 2024

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School details

Chair of governing body Lindsay Glanville

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 January 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There is a new headteacher in post since the last inspection.  The school runs a breakfast club on the school site.  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 the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, music and mathematics. To do this, she met with subject leaders, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited a range of lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at a range of pupils’ work from other subjects. 5 and 6 March 2024

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 The inspector also scrutinised a range of documents, including the school’s evaluation of the school and their priorities for improvement.  The inspector met with a range of senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  The inspector also met with the chair of governors, and a range of other governors and a representative from the local authority.  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 views of pupils, parents and staff were considered through discussions and a review of Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Zoe Enser, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 5 and 6 March 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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