Goodnestone Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Goodnestone Church of England Primary School The Street, Goodnestone, Canterbury, Kent CT3 1PQ

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 26 and 27 June 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Goodnestone is a happy, friendly little school. It has a strong sense of togetherness. Staff are warm and friendly. Pupils are understanding and accepting of others’ differences. They learn to work and play together, treating each other with care and respect. In this very small community, close relationships lead to both tight bonds and occasionally fractious friendships. The school works patiently to try to resolve any issues. As one parent aptly put it, ‘It is a real community and everyone supports each other.’

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants the best for all pupils. Staff sensitively adapt their approach using their excellent knowledge of each individual. Pupils are motivated to do well. Classrooms are calm places of focus and concentration. Pupils find learning fun, from regular lessons at the farm to messy activities recreating representations of the digestive system. Pupils learn well across subjects, but the school could help them make the quality of work in their books even better.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a say in the running of the school and choice of clubs. This has led to a wide range of activities from sporting experiences to the Rubik’s cube club, as well as to the formation of the school’s rock band, ‘Duck Tape’.

p.2

better?

Pupils learn and develop well academically, personally, socially and emotionally. Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). From early years onwards, children develop a real confidence in their surroundings. Pupils respond well to the nurturing relationships that adults foster. Pupils’ conduct frequently shows their kindness and compassion.

p.2

better?

SEND is always a high priority here. It is an area of expertise and a focus of ongoing staff development. Early years children with SEND are helped to feel secure in the predictable routines. The school works closely with other professionals, parents and carers, relentlessly pursuing what is in each pupil’s best interests. There is a clear commitment to making an extra effort to meet a range of complex needs, including through developing highly individualised bespoke approaches.

p.2

better?

The school has thought carefully about what it wants pupils to learn and when. These plans are continually honed. No time is wasted from the start. The enticing and well-organised early years environment promotes children’s curiosity and attention. Through this, children start to develop helpful independence, as well as increasing focus during more formally taught sessions. Across the school, teachers use their own secure subject knowledge to constantly check pupils’ understanding. Teachers’ explanations and demonstrations are helpful and clear.

p.2

better?

The teaching of early reading and phonics is systematic and successful. The school is determined that all those who can learn to read do. The school persists with any targeted support that is necessary, even if it takes some pupils a little longer to get 26 and 27 June 2024

p.2

3

there. From early years onwards, it is not uncommon to see pupils engrossed in a book.

p.3

3

Pupils increasingly build and connect a wide range of learning, although some of their work does not reliably reflect this positive progress. Sometimes this is because particular tasks do not offer them the best chances of success. Some pupils are not given enough practice to write neatly and fluently with ease. Also, long gaps where pupils are not taught some subjects make it harder for pupils to remember what they have learned and limit the chance to practise skills regularly and get better. The school has already identified this and has imminent plans to address it.

p.3

3

Opportunities to promote and encourage pupils’ personal development are threaded throughout daily teaching and wider enrichment activities. Pupils were involved in developing their own relationships policy and ‘Children’s Charter’ that they will be ‘ready, respectful and safe’. The school has built a wealth of external partnerships to improve and enrich the school’s offer. In turn, pupils are shown their own possible place and contribution as part of a wider community, for example through anti-litter campaigns, local horticulture and charitable events for international causes.

p.3

3

There has been a marked improvement in attendance rates this year. Far fewer pupils frequently miss school. The school closely analyses the reasons behind absences so that it can tackle the right things in the right way. This is making a big difference, but there is still more work to do.

p.3

3

Leaders are frank and insightful about what is going well and where more work is needed. They set high expectations of themselves, but work sensitively with staff to manage the pace of improvement. Well-being is a rightful high priority at all levels.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils are not consistently well supported to produce work of a high quality. Sometimes, tasks do not fully support pupils to show what they have learned. Some pupils are not given enough help and practice to develop the necessary physical dexterity to write neatly and fluently. These factors limit the quality and quantity of what they can produce. The school should support pupils to increase their transcription fluency and stamina, set tasks that match the intended learning closely and maintain consistently high expectations of the work that pupils can produce.  Some subjects are delivered in intensive bursts with sometimes long gaps in between. This makes it harder for pupils to retain and recall aspects of important knowledge and doesn’t always give pupils enough opportunity to practise and 26 and 27 June 2024

p.3

4

build valuable skills as strongly as they might. The school should implement plans to reorganise how the curriculum is delivered to optimise the chances for pupils to consistently build on their previous learning towards even better outcomes.  Despite a marked improvement, some pupils still miss too much school. This limits their potential progress and means they do not do as well as they otherwise might. The school should continue to use all possible and relevant strategies in working with parents to raise attendance further so that no pupil is unnecessarily disadvantaged by their absence.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 26 and 27 June 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 16 to 17 January 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 This school is federated with Nonington Church of England Primary School. Both schools share a governing body and headteacher. The headteacher and chair of governors both started in these positions since the previous inspection.  The school runs its own breakfast club for Goodnestone pupils.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

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 school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and assistant headteacher. The lead 26 and 27 June 2024

p.5

6

inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority and diocese. He also met with the chair of governors and two other governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art and design. 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.  The lead inspector also discussed the curriculum, reviewed documents, looked at work and visited lessons 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.  The inspection team spoke with pupils and staff, observed the work of the school

p.6

6

at different times of the day, including lunchtime, and visited the breakfast club.  Inspectors took account of the views expressed in inspection surveys returned by 11 staff and 24 parents.

p.6

Inspection team

Clive Dunn, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Liz McIntosh Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 June 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7