Chattenden Primary School

Inspection of Chattenden Primary School Chattenden Lane, Chattenden, Rochester, Kent ME3 8LF

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Julie North. This school is part of the Peninsula Gateway Academy Trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Shorthouse. 17 and 18 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love school. They enjoy the challenges of the school’s curriculum. They have positive attitudes to their learning and take great pride in their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are considerate towards one another. They play together positively during breaktimes. Older pupils organise games for younger pupils and this helps to create a positive atmosphere. When pupils fall out with one another, this is always sorted out quickly by an adult. Pupils feel valued, cared for and well supported by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to live healthy lifestyles. They benefit from taking part in a wide range of different sports, including representing the school in competitions. Their mental health is promoted well, for example through yoga sessions. Pupils know if they have any worries there are trained staff that they can go and talk to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils participate in a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities that are designed to meet their interests and needs. Pupils have the opportunity to apply for one of the many leadership roles within the school. They take part in exciting experiences that help to develop their communication and perseverance. This helps pupils to develop important life skills and attributes. Pupils achieve well, both personally and academically.

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better?

The school has a culture of high expectations. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. Staff get to know pupils’ different abilities and personalities really well. They tailor the school’s extra-curricular offer so that all pupils benefit from the rich and varied opportunities on offer, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

The school’s wider curriculum offer is exceptional. There are extensive opportunities for pupils to develop their individual talents and interests in a wide variety of areas, including sport and music. A carefully planned programme for assemblies teaches pupils about how to stay safe in a range of situations. It also teaches pupils about the festivals and beliefs of different faiths. The school’s careers fair is designed to inspire pupils by introducing them to a range of aspirational careers.

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better?

In the vast majority of subjects, the content that pupils will learn is well sequenced, starting from the early years. This means that when pupils come to learn new things, they are able to build successfully on what they have learned before.

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better?

Leaders work closely with staff, providing support and a wide range of different training. Following low key stage 2 outcomes in mathematics in 2023, there was a renewed focus on teaching mathematics in the school’s comprehensive professional development programme. Teachers are knowledgeable and skilled to deliver the curriculum well. They explain new learning clearly, showing pupils precisely what to 17 and 18 April 2024

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do and how to do it. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well in the vast majority of subjects, including in mathematics.

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Teachers plan appropriate tasks for pupils to practise and apply their knowledge. In the early years, children engage in enticing activities both indoors and in the outside area. Adults skilfully support children during their play, promoting rich and varied language. They help children to learn important knowledge through play. Children are well prepared for Year 1.

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Learning to read is a priority. Children enjoy listening to a wide range of high-quality books in the early years. This ignites a love of books in the children. Strong phonics teaching enables children to make a good start learning the basics for reading. As pupils move through the school, regular book talk deepens pupils’ love of reading. Pupils develop their reading fluency well.

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In most subjects, teachers check precisely what pupils have remembered of the curriculum. They use this information to plan additional activities to help pupils catch up if they fall behind, including in reading. Staff make appropriate adaptations to the curriculum for pupils with SEND. This means that these pupils are fully included in lessons and in all aspects of school life. Pupils find their lessons interesting. They concentrate and work hard.

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In a very small number of subjects, pupils are not yet achieving the ambitious aims of the school’s curriculum. This is because the school is still developing the sequencing of some curriculum content, and how they carefully check what pupils have learned to ensure pupils achieve highly in every subject.

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Currently, too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Leaders are rigorous in following up on cases of persistent absence. Because staff know the pupils and their families so well, leaders have targeted relevant support to help these families improve their child’s attendance. As a result, overall attendance rates are beginning to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum sequencing and use of assessment are not yet fully developed in all subjects. This means that pupils are not yet achieving the ambitious aims set by the school across the whole curriculum. The school needs to ensure that the content taught in every subject is sequenced so that learning builds cumulatively and that the assessment practices in all subjects match that of the best. 17 and 18 April 2024

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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.

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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). 17 and 18 April 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Chattenden Primary School is part of the Peninsula Gateway Academy Trust. It is the only school in the trust. The principal is also the chief executive officer of the trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

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

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the 17 and 18 April 2024

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school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal, senior leaders, staff and pupils. They also met with representatives from the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art and design, early reading, mathematics and physical education. 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 listened to some pupils read. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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.

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 Inspectors met pupils from different year groups to talk about their learning and experiences at school.  The views of staff, pupils and parents were gathered through discussions and through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Leah Morgan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz McIntosh Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 April 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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