Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School, Hartley, Longfield

Inspection of Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School, Hartley, Longfield Stack Lane, Hartley, Longfield, Kent DA3 8BL

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is James Baker. This school is part of Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Annemarie Whittle, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Michael Powis.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. 25 and 26 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are immensely proud to belong to this wonderful school. The school values permeate through all aspects of pupils' learning, placing them at the centre of school life. Pupils demonstrate a genuine love for learning. They are confident and happy individuals who feel cared for and nurtured by all staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school consistently strives for excellence. Pupils' success and achievements are rooted in the high-quality curriculum on offer. An inclusive learning environment enables all pupils to access the immersive curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour throughout the school is exemplary. Pupils are focused, engaged and actively contribute to lessons. From early years, children are taught to work together collaboratively. Pupils value and respect their peers’ ideas and opinions. Staff consistently model positive working relationships. Pupils are happy, feel safe in school and are confident adults will listen and support them if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' contribution to making a difference in their school community is significant. The ‘playground team’ work with leaders to create a positive exciting outdoor environment. Pupils are helped to form secure friendships through the school’s ‘Five- Minute Friend’ award that helps pupils develop positive interactions with their peers. Subject ambassadors, the school council and ‘mini vinnies’ encourage their classmates to be active citizens. This includes their leadership of charitable projects such as supporting their twin school in Ghana.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is highly ambitious, interesting and engaging for pupils. It has been designed to ensure learning logically builds over time from Reception to the end of Year 6. Each pupil is given the support they need to learn and achieve highly, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In all areas of learning, leaders have precisely considered and then identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and remember.

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better?

Children in Reception make a very strong start to their education, building secure foundations for future success. They manage themselves exceptionally well because of the clear routines that are in place. There is a high focus on the development of language and communication. Children enjoy using the new vocabulary they are learning, both with staff and each other, to confidently give their views about the world around them.

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better?

Teachers use their excellent subject knowledge to teach with flair and confidence. They know exactly what pupils have learned before to then carefully select what pupils should learn next. Across the school, pupils build their knowledge extremely well. They can remember what they have learned with ease and are eager to share this. This includes the very youngest children who are keen to show their 25 and 26 June 2024

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perseverance and tenacity in acquiring new skills. Teachers select a variety of ways to check that any new learning is secure and to address where pupils may have gaps in their understanding or require additional support. Consequently, pupils of all ages use and apply their knowledge daily and achieve highly in the national end of key stage tests.

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Reading is central to all elements of the curriculum. Pupils take great pleasure in listening to stories that have been chosen to inspire and to appeal to their interests. Staff are experts in teaching reading. They ensure that children start to learn phonics as soon as they start in the Reception Year. Children listen intently, regularly apply and practice their reading knowledge skills. Consequently, they read fluently and with confidence.

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Support for pupils with SEND is highly effective. The school identifies pupils’ needs quickly and puts appropriate, effectual support in place. Skilled staff ensure that pupils with SEND work towards the school’s curriculum goals through a range of adaptations. They, like their peers, acquire the knowledge they need to learn and achieve well.

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Pupils eagerly attend school regularly and their attitudes to learning are exceptional. They are proud of the work that they are doing and keenly share what they have learned. Pupils learn how to be kind and show forgiveness to one another. Teachers invest in helping children to understand how their actions affect others. As they move through school, pupils behave in line with the school’s caring values. This is demonstrated by the mature attitudes that pupils have and the compassion that they show to one another.

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The school’s offer for pupils’ personal development is expertly designed. They benefit from a wide range of experiences, for example through trips out and visitors into school. This helps them to understand their place in society and gives them opportunities to become courageous and thoughtful citizens. Pupils take their responsibilities seriously and they are proud to represent the school in a range of ways. Pupils also appreciate the support that they can get for their well-being, recognising what actions they need to take to maintain their mental and physical health.

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The school is passionate about providing the best educational experience for all pupils. Staff are fully equipped to carry out their roles effectively. Staff are immensely proud to work at this school and the teaching and support they give to the school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25 and 26 June 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). 25 and 26 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School is part of the Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership Trust. The school joined the Trust in November 2014.  The school runs its own before- and after-school clubs.  The school currently uses one registered alternative provider.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 25 and 26 June 2024

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 The inspector held a range of meetings with the headteacher, the CEO, school leaders, and teaching and support staff.  The inspector met with members of the local governing board and trustees.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector heard pupils read aloud to a known adult.  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 inspector took account of a range of other information, including the school’s

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development plans, school policies and trust board minutes.  The inspector considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text comments that were submitted. They also took account of the responses to the confidential staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Numera Anwar, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Sam French Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 June 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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