Borden Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Borden Church of England Primary School School Lane, Borden, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8JS

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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

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The headteacher of this school is Georgina Ingram. This school is part of Our Community Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, David Whitehead, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike O’Connell. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and welcoming school. The values of love, hope and forgiveness are interwoven across all aspects of school life. Strong nurturing relationships exist between staff and pupils. Pupils value how quickly staff sort out any worries that they might have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show kindness towards their classmates. This kindness and respect for others extends to feeding the alpacas that live next door. Pupils conduct themselves incredibly well in classrooms. Pupils’ behaviour during social times is exemplary. They collaborate well and listen to their peers. Children take delight in making sure no one is left out of their play.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve very well here, particularly in English and mathematics. Pupils take pride in discussing their learning. For example, Year 2 pupils eagerly explain the importance of the oceans and how to help prevent pollution.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils across the school are very respectful. The school provides opportunities for pupils to learn about different cultures. Children celebrate the festival of Diwali through dance. Pupils explore objects that are special to them. This helps pupils understand why, for example, in Judaism, the Torah is special to others.

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

The curriculum here is well sequenced. The school has identified the knowledge that pupils need to learn each year. For example, teachers have taught pupils about the particles in liquids and gases. Consequently, pupils use their prior knowledge to explain how temperature affects evaporation.

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

Teachers present content clearly and have good subject knowledge. In the Reception Year, adults explain what a digraph is. This means children quickly spot the two letters that make one sound in words. Children use this phonics knowledge successfully when they write independently. The school identifies pupils with SEND as quickly as possible. Teachers effectively adapt their teaching to meet the needs of these pupils so they access learning alongside their peers.

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

The school successfully develops pupils’ vocabulary. This includes those pupils with SEND. Adults model ambitious language that they expect pupils to use. In reading in the early years, for example, teachers expertly teach children words such as ‘gruesome’, ‘fearsome’ and ‘luscious’. Children then use these words independently in their play.

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

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum here. The school wants pupils to read with fluency and confidence. Therefore, teachers teach children to read as soon as they join the Reception Year. Staff read to pupils in a way that engages them. These experiences develop a love for reading.

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

Staff have received effective training to teach phonics. This means pupils hear the 12 and 13 November 2024

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pronunciation of letters accurately. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading. In the Reception Year, adults check the sounds and letters children know swiftly. Staff address any misconceptions that children have. Pupils who need help to keep up are given the help they need. However, on a few occasions, checking what pupils know is not timely enough. This means some pupils have gaps in their learning, and this hampers their progress.

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Pupils are highly motivated to learn. They learn in classrooms that are calm. Routines are firmly established, which starts in the early years. Learning is not interrupted by any inappropriate behaviour. Pupils learn to respect different peoples’ views. Pupils explain, for example, how Nelson Mandela’s bravery in trying to end discrimination inspires them. In the Reception Year, children vote for their favourite book. This helps them to consider the views of others.

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The personal, social and health education curriculum is exceptional. The school has thought carefully about the skills pupils learn so they become agents of change. For example, pupils grow flowers to improve the playground for others to enjoy. They work hard to be role models by picking up litter in the local community.

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The school has identified what to teach pupils about finance. For example, the parish gave pupils a budget to develop the park. Pupils researched play equipment to help disabled pupils. Their proposal was in budget and successful. These experiences support pupils in becoming responsible citizens.

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The school aims for pupils to voice their opinions. Pupils presented traffic data to the council. The council are now taking action to make the road even safer. Pupils learn how to keep safe within and beyond the school.

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There are a wide range of clubs here. Pupils value how the sporting clubs contribute to their fitness and teach them the importance of supporting their teammates.

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The trust and the local monitoring council know the school very well. They have processes in place to check the school’s effectiveness. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They value the school’s efforts to support their well-being and improve their practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, staff inconsistently check and act upon pupils’ acquisition of phonics knowledge. This means that, in a few cases, support is not sufficiently prompt enough to help some pupils maximise their learning. The school needs to strengthen this 12 and 13 November 2024

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aspect of its work so all pupils achieve well.

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 June 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This school is part of Our Community Multi Academy Trust which consists of 10 schools.  This is a Church of England school under the Diocese of Canterbury. Its most recent section 48 inspection took place in July 2018. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 inspection.  The school runs a breakfast club.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form 12 and 13 November 2024

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the senior leadership team to discuss school development. In addition, they met with subject leaders, groups of staff and pupils.  An inspector met with representatives of the trust, the local monitoring council and with a representative from the diocese.  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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and

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music. 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 also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Deborah Walters, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrea Harris Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 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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