St Nicholas Church of England Primary

Inspection of St Nicholas Church of England Primary School Road, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5PQ

p.1

Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

p.1

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

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Laura Williams. This school is part of the Aquinas Church of England Education 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), Kathy Griffiths, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Giles Lambert. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this unique and exceptional school. From the moment that they arrive in the Reception Year, they benefit from high-quality care and support. They are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. As a result of the school’s broad and ambitious curriculum, pupils achieve highly across the range of different subjects. They perform very well in national tests in English and mathematics.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between all members of this small community are happy and harmonious. Pupils feel known and cared for. The school values of friendship and compassion are demonstrated in the interactions between adults and children. In class, pupils are curious and inquisitive. They show great enthusiasm and excitement for their learning. At lunchtime, they love going to ‘the pit’ to participate in the many activities that are organised for them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils make a valuable contribution to school life. They take on roles including play leaders, digital leaders, charity representatives and sports captains. They conduct parent tours and help to manage the organisation of parents’ evenings. Despite its size, the school is very well represented at local sports, music and cultural events. One stakeholder represented the views of many when they said that ‘St Nick’s is a small school with big ambition’.

p.2

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

The school has thought carefully about what it wants pupils to know and remember as they progress. As a result, the curriculum often exceeds the requirements of what is expected nationally. For example, in science, pupils in Year 4 study conservation before learning about sustainability and the environment in Year 6. In physical education, the school plans for pupils to go beyond the basic aim of swimming 25 metres by doing so using a range of different swimming strokes.

p.2

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

The school has also thought carefully about the order in which pupils learn key knowledge. For example, children in Reception learn computing basics including how to use a mouse. In Years 1 and 2, they learn to create and debug simple programs using block coding. In the older years, pupils code their own programs, using sequence, selection and repetition.

p.2

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

Reading is a key priority for the school. Children learn to decode sounds as soon as they start Reception. Pupils make very strong progress through the phonics programme. By the end of Year 1, almost all pupils can decode well. Pupils who struggle with their reading, including some with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are identified quickly and supported to catch up with their peers. The school works closely with parents and carers to ensure that pupils read regularly at home. As a result of high-quality training and development, staff teach the programme consistently well. A culture of reading pervades the school. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.2

3

The school identifies the needs of the small number of pupils with SEND quickly. It ensures that their curriculum is skilfully adapted to support their learning. As a result, these pupils achieve very well. The school extends the curriculum to support the wider development of all pupils. For example, pupils learn about the natural environment in local woodland. They take part in Robotics day, Darwin day and DNA day. They also take part in trust competitions in debating, coding, poetry and mathematics.

p.3

3

The behaviour of pupils is exemplary. They fulfil the school’s aim of ‘behaving well when no one is watching’. Pupils conduct themselves with great maturity around the unique school site. Children in Reception quickly learn to take turns and work well with others. They focus on their learning and maintain attention very well. Older pupils act as role models and demonstrate what it means to be an effective ‘St Nick’s learner’. The school clearly communicates its high expectations of attendance to families. It follows up on any pupil absence and supports those families who require extra help. As a result, the attendance of pupils at the school is high.

p.3

3

For a small school, there are a very wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils attend many clubs including chess, dance, cross country, coding and typing. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about the importance of equality, human rights and social justice, both in this country and across the world. Pupils also learn about how to maintain positive mental health and emotional well-being.

p.3

3

Staff, parents and pupils are incredibly positive about the school. Parents value both the family atmosphere and the school’s high academic expectations. Teachers and support staff appreciate the support that they receive with their professional development and workload. They particularly value the network support meetings provided by the trust. The trust and governors all play a vital role in the school’s success in providing an exceptional education to its pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.3

4

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). 19 and 20 November 2024

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 July 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Aquinas Church of England Education Trust.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Rochester. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in July 2019. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within eight school years of this last inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.5

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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.5

6

 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.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the school senior leadership team, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with representatives of the trust, including the CEO, the trust primary education director and a member of the trust board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. 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.

p.6

6

 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 considered the views of parents submitted via Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for school staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Christian Hicks, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Dr Ogugua Okolo-Angus Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 2024

p.6

7

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