Capel Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Capel Primary School Five Oak Green Road, Five Oak Green, Tonbridge, Kent TN12 6RP

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Outcome

Capel Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school places well-being at the heart of pupils’ experience. Pupils feel known and cared for individually. Staff help them to learn about staying safe on the road, the railway, or online. Pupils are confident to talk to staff about concerns or worries. At lunchtime, pupils share the space well with one another, thanks to different ‘zones’, such as for ‘activity’, ‘imagination’ or ‘calm’. Older pupils act as mentors for children in early years, which benefits them both. The school’s approach helps to ensure that pupils are happy here. This is reflected in their strong and improving attendance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that the school has high aspirations for them. This is clear from the curriculum, which supports pupils to achieve well. The termly enrichment days give pupils a breadth of experiences, from theatre visits and guest speakers to new sports. The school makes sure that disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit strongly from what is on offer. Pupils, parents and staff alike feel part of a caring community within the school. They work in collaboration so that pupils enjoy and make the most of their time in school.

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

Leaders map out clearly what pupils should learn and experience over the course of their time in school. Staff consider the needs and aspirations of pupils with SEND, to make sure that the school’s provision is accessible to all. They make effective adaptations to learning, so that pupils with SEND become increasingly confident and independent. Children in early years make a strong start to learning. They learn about sharing and communicating, alongside curriculum knowledge like letters and sounds.

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

Teachers give clear explanations and demonstrations. These help pupils to develop their understanding. In most instances, teachers check what pupils are learning and make sure that every pupil has understood. In some subjects, teachers’ assessment is not as secure, so this leads to gaps in some pupils’ learning. Teachers provide well-chosen resources and tasks. They revisit important knowledge with pupils, such as through practising the ‘daily 14 and 15 May 2024

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basics’. This helps pupils to embed their learning over the long term. Teachers use assessment information effectively. They adapt planned learning based on what pupils need to consolidate further. This also helps teachers to identify and support pupils with potential SEND needs.

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Reading and literacy are given central importance within the school. This supports pupils in learning to become fluent readers. They also become enthusiastic about reading for pleasure. The school has responded swiftly to low outcomes in the phonics screening check last year. Weaker readers receive focused and consistent support, and this helps them to catch up with their peers. Teachers take a strategic approach to developing pupils’ vocabulary in all subjects. This gives pupils confidence to talk about their emerging ideas and knowledge. Overall, pupils are prepared effectively for the next stage in their education. This includes pupils with SEND, who learn well because staff understand what they need, and how to achieve this with them.

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Leaders have worked closely with families to reduce absence from school. The school takes a coordinated approach to addressing potential barriers to attendance. This has been particularly effective for disadvantaged pupils. Pupils know that unkind language and behaviour are not tolerated in school. In lessons, pupils are focused and keen to do their best. They appreciate how the school rewards and celebrates their work. For example, ‘open classroom’ days give pupils a chance to show their parents about their achievements.

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The school seeks out opportunities for pupils to learn about different faiths and cultures. Pupils feel well informed about current affairs. They enjoy exploring questions of right and wrong, for instance through the assembly programme. Teachers help pupils to learn about staying safe and caring for their mental health. They can access ‘calm corners’ in classrooms as well as the ‘haven’ quiet space. As a result, pupils feel known and cared for, and that the school is looking out for them.

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The school’s focus on wellbeing extends to staff as well as pupils. Leaders and governors make sure that staff welfare is treated as a priority. Staff, including early career teachers, feel that support for them is proactive and broad. They can talk to leaders about workload concerns if they need to. This helps teachers to focus their time on helping pupils to learn well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not identified and addressed well enough. When this happens, aspects of pupils’ learning are not as secure as they could be. Leaders need to ensure that they embed approaches to 14 and 15 May 2024

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teaching that enable staff to identify and respond when pupils do not understand fully.

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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 February 2015.

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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). 14 and 15 May 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative providers.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with school leaders including the headteacher and deputy headteacher. The inspector also met representatives from the governing board.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: art and design, early reading and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector 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. The inspector also discussed the curriculum and provision for pupils with SEND. 14 and 15 May 2024

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, governors, staff, parents and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts the pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Daniel Botting, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 14 and 15 May 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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