Fairview Community Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Fairview Community Primary School Drewery Drive, Wigmore, Gillingham, Kent ME8 0NU

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Inspection dates: 29 and 30 October 2024

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Outcome

Fairview Community Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils model calm, warm interactions that reflect the school’s values wonderfully. From the beginning of the early years, children settle into school routines quickly. Pupils are very happy. Pupils’ behaviour is commendable and they feel safe. There are respectful relationships throughout the school, between pupils of all ages and between pupils and adults. Pupils learn about the importance of equality and celebrate difference. As a result, pupils are very proud of their school and enjoy attending.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils enjoy learning because teachers make lessons interesting and fun. The school makes determined efforts for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, to get the most out of their time at school. Consequently, pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to take on positions of responsibility. This includes acting as members of the school council, ‘reading buddies’ and members of the ‘eco-squad’. They gain a strong sense of nature from their learning outdoors. Pupils enjoy the many sporting, musical and cultural opportunities they are given. A wide variety of after-school clubs, such as drumming, walking club and Irish dancing, allow pupils to expand their interests.

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

The school’s curriculum is carefully crafted to ensure that pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need in each subject. The school has identified what needs to be taught in a logical order, and this starts from the early years. It is reviewed regularly to see if it can 29 and 30 October 2024

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be improved further. As a result, pupils’ work is generally of a high quality and they achieve well in different curriculum subjects.

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Reading has a high priority. Investment in books and the library ensures that pupils can access high-quality texts. Daily phonics sessions for younger pupils follow a recognised scheme. Teachers deliver this well. They swiftly identify when pupils fall behind and give them the help they need to catch up. Occasionally, the support provided for pupils struggling with early reading does not meet the school’s high aspirations. This means that not all pupils who need expert support to catch up with reading do so as quickly as they should.

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Teachers explain new learning well across the curriculum. They give pupils time to practise and apply what they have learned. For example, in mathematics, pupils use mathematical terminology accurately. They then apply it to provide reasoning for their calculations. Across the curriculum, teachers usually check how well pupils are learning the key knowledge the school wants them to. The school is developing ways of revisiting pupils’ prior learning to make it even more effective. For example, in key stage 1, teachers are developing methods for pupils to independently revisit knowledge they have already learned and apply it in different ways.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve very well. Staff have high expectations for the achievement of all pupils. They identify pupils’ needs well and make skilful adaptations to their teaching of the curriculum. This enables pupils with SEND, in particular, to build their knowledge and skills. Disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, are part of every aspect of school life. Pupils leave the school prepared for their next steps.

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Pupils are very polite and well-mannered. They understand the school’s values and rules well. They know what they mean in practice and demonstrate them throughout the school day. Most pupils attend regularly and on time. Some pupils need personalised support with their behaviour or attendance. This support is put into place and means that all pupils play a positive part in the school community.

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Personal development is rooted in the culture of the school. Pupils learn about being safe and the importance of values such as democracy. They experience a wide range of workshops, visits and residential trips. They value these opportunities. The school ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught that all people are equal and they need to respect differences.

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Governors, with support from the local authority, have brought about stability as well as rapid and sustained improvement since the previous inspection. Governors hold leaders accountable for the quality of education that the school provides for its pupils. The school takes account of staff’s workload and well-being. The school’s vision motivates the staff. They are proud to be part of this forward-looking school. The vast majority of parents are very pleased with the school and the support that it gives to pupils. 29 and 30 October 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 For some pupils who are not confident readers, the support that they receive from the school does not always address the gaps in their phonics knowledge precisely or quickly enough. This limits their ability to decode texts accurately and fluently. The school should ensure that pupils identified as needing additional reading support receive high-quality provision so that all pupils become confident and fluent readers as quickly as possible.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in June 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. 29 and 30 October 2024

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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). 29 and 30 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher started in September 2021.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders in the school. The lead inspector also met with the chair and other members of the governing board, as well as with an education representative from the local authority. 29 and 30 October 2024

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 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 inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self- evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View, and an inspector also spoke with some parents on the first day of the inspection.  The views of staff were gathered through interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection, as well as the staff survey.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including through classroom visits, the pupil survey and group discussions, as well as at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Chris Parker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Phillip Blagg His Majesty’s Inspector 29 and 30 October 2024

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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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