Poverest Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Poverest Primary School Tillingbourne Green, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 2JD

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 2024

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Outcome

Poverest Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring school, where pupils feel safe. All staff, as well as the school’s dog, Buddy, are attentive to pupils’ well-being and their wider development. Pupils are encouraged to think of others and to treat all people with respect. Pupils demonstrate this in their interactions with one another, the staff team and in how they work with the local community. For example, pupils have written letters petitioning for a new playground in the local park and have contributed to its design. Pupils raise money for charities that are meaningful to the school, such as sponsoring a guide dog for the blind and helping people experiencing homelessness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, underpinned by the school’s new values. Pupils generally behave well in lessons, and they are attentive and focused on their work. Pupils are taught expected behaviour and routines from the moment they join the school. Additional tailored support helps pupils who need extra guidance to manage their conduct.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff have high aspirations for what pupils can achieve. One parent/carer shared their view, which was typical of many: ‘Teachers are consistently attentive to students’ needs, ensuring a secure and encouraging space for learning and self-expression.’ Pupils take on a number of responsibilities, including as peer mediators, who help their friends to resolve issues. Pupil attendance monitors encourage their peers to attend school regularly.

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

The school has made deliberate and careful changes to the curriculum. Leaders identified where previous curriculum thinking had not ensured that pupils were taught a breadth of knowledge to deepen their understanding. The school now has in place an organised and ambitious curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of all pupils, including children in the early years. Teachers value the new subject curriculums, which have had a positive impact on their workload. Leaders have clearly detailed the essential knowledge and skills that they want children and pupils to know and remember. 27 and 28 February 2024

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Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach with clarity. They are supported well by subject leaders, who provide training and guidance to ensure teachers are confident in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils are motivated by what they learn and typically talk enthusiastically about what they remember, know and can do. Sometimes, pupils’ recall of prior learning is not as secure. In some subjects, checks of what pupils have committed to their long-term memory and the identification of any gaps in knowledge are not routinely thorough.

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All pupils are treated equally and with respect. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. Teaching and resources for the majority of pupils with SEND are adapted effectively by teachers. The school ensures that pupils with SEND have the resources needed so that they learn the same curriculum as their peers. For some pupils with the most complex needs, curriculum thinking is being refined further to set out clearly the essential content that pupils need to know.

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The school prioritises the teaching of reading. Children begin to learn phonics early in Reception. There are lots of opportunities for pupils to practise the sounds that they have been taught and learned. Staff check pupils’ reading regularly, which helps to identify weaker readers swiftly. The school gives these pupils extra support to help them catch up and keep up. Leaders have embedded a systematic approach to teaching pupils to read. On occasion, staff do not follow the same approach to help pupils decode and blend words. As a result, some pupils do not have a consistent strategy for blending and decoding and do not become fluent readers as quickly as they could.

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The school has prioritised improving pupils’ attendance to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly. The school supports pupils and families by identifying barriers to attendance. The school has taken steps to motivate pupils to come to school regularly and on time. There has been some impact already and, for a number of pupils, attendance rates have improved.

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The school promotes pupils’ wider development through a broad and diverse curriculum. Pupils are taught about different faiths and are encouraged to demonstrate fundamental British values, such as taking part in general elections in school. Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities to develop pupils’ interests and talents, such as lacrosse, golf and learning to play a musical instrument.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, checks on what pupils know and remember over time are not carried out routinely and, as a result, some gaps in pupils’ recall and understanding are not identified and addressed quickly. Leaders should ensure that all teachers check 27 and 28 February 2024

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routinely what pupils know and remember to strengthen knowledge as well as identify and address any gaps or misconceptions.  Occasionally, staff do not follow a consistent approach to helping pupils learn to read. Some do not routinely apply the same systematic teaching procedures to support pupils to decode and blend words. Leaders should make sure that all staff follow a consistent approach to supporting pupils who are learning to read.

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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 October 2014.

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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). 27 and 28 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has been in post since September 2023.  The school runs a specially resourced provision for up to 20 pupils with autism.  The school does not 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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also considered the curriculum in other subjects as part of this inspection. 27 and 28 February 2024

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 The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record of pre-employment checks; 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 met with senior leaders, teachers and the wider school team.  The inspector met with the chair of the governing body and other members of the governing body.  The inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Kieran Bird, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 27 and 28 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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