Brenzett Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Brenzett Church of England Primary School Straight Lane, Brenzett, Romney Marsh, Kent TN29 9UA

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Outcome

Brenzett Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Rowan Wright. This school is part of Aquila Diocese of Canterbury Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Annie Wiles, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Susan Butterworth.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are blossoming academically and emotionally in this caring, safe and ambitious small school. The values of gratitude, friendship, respect, community and resilience permeate school life from the classroom to the playground. Relationships are nurturing and warm between all. This school has consistently high expectations, and pupils meet them impeccably well. Older pupils are proud role models for others, thriving with roles such as play leaders, worship leaders and school councillors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Achievement is good in mathematics and strong in English. Pupils’ reading and writing is particularly impressive by the end of key stage 2. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well as a result of precise support from the knowledgeable and dedicated staff team. The school knows that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some foundation subjects. Consequently, efforts are focused on helping pupils to build a more secure understanding of knowledge over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to embrace diversity and multiculturalism through a well-considered personal development offer. The school ensures that pupils study a range of inspirational people 17 December 2024

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from around the world. Assembly and curriculum activities prepare pupils well for modern Britain. Pupils learn about world beliefs, healthy relationships and how to stay safe.

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

Children make a strong start in early years, where their reading journey begins as a top priority. Expert staff help children to learn sounds and acquire early reading and writing skills well. As pupils move through the school, they become fluent, confident and motivated readers. Staff give effective help to anyone who struggles, using well-matched books to provide valuable practice. Pupils develop passion for reading and enjoy a wide range of genres. The school’s mathematics approach also starts well in early years, with children learning number skills through well-planned activities in a nurturing and language-rich environment. A sharp focus on vocabulary continues through the school. The curriculum is sequenced with precise knowledge, skills and key words to help pupils’ communication and language skills to develop.

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

Effective support from the trust helps teachers to maintain strong subject knowledge across all subjects. Lesson activities are carefully considered to meet the needs of all pupils. Clear communication across the school community ensures that everyone works together to identify when pupils require extra support. The school uses resources and adaptations to enable pupils with SEND to make impressive progress through the curriculum. However, some recent improvements to the curriculum are not yet fully embedded. There have been changes with leadership, staffing and subject planning. As a result, some older pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some wider curriculum subjects. The school is addressing this with a sharp focus on helping pupils to revise and recall their learning more effectively over time.

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

Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils are delightful in their conduct towards each other and staff. This is modelled by leaders and staff, and pupils are proud to follow the positive examples they see. Learning is not disrupted, because classrooms are calm, purposeful and industrious. The school gives valuable support to pupils who need some help to manage their emotions. Parents say that this care extends to families, with many commending the caring ethos of the school. Everyone appreciates the compassion and expertise of staff to put children’s needs first.

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

The school has improved attendance for many pupils, but absence remains a concern. Despite impressive pastoral support and a range of strategies to boost attendance, some pupils do not attend highly enough. Leaders at all levels are dedicated to redoubling their efforts to ensure maximum attendance for all.

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

Personal development is highly prioritised. Spiritual and moral growth are embedded across school life, helping pupils to feel unique and special. The outdoor learning programme is well developed. Pupils learn environmental awareness and skills such as teamwork and resilience. Trips, including the inspirational residential activity visit, enrich pupils’ lives. Sport and music opportunities bolster creativity and teamwork further. Lunchtime clubs and the highly regarded before- and after-school club enrich pupils’ well- 17 December 2024

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being. The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils never miss out on these opportunities.

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Leaders make decisions with pupils at the heart of all they do. Professional development across the trust empowers staff to be the best they can be. Staff feel highly valued. This positive morale contributes to the joyful atmosphere in this thriving school. Governors and trustees provide highly effective support and challenge. Brilliant leadership and shared values ensure that this school goes from strength to strength. Parents are unanimous in their praise, describing the school as ‘friendly and welcoming’ and ‘an amazing community’ where pupils ‘truly flourish and grow’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some of the recent curriculum changes are not fully embedded. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some foundation subjects. The school must implement the wider curriculum effectively in order to ensure that pupils learn and remember key knowledge successfully across the whole curriculum.  Some pupils do not attend school highly enough. This means that they miss out on the school’s high-quality education and personal development. The school must continue to prioritise its work to ensure maximum attendance for all.

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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. 17 December 2024

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2019.

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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 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). 17 December 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Canterbury. The school last received a section 48 inspection in September 2024, and is due to be inspected again by September 2029.  Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes in leadership. The current headteacher took up their post in April 2024.  The school currently uses no 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. 17 December 2024

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 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, assistant headteacher, teachers and support staff.  The lead inspector met with two governors, including the chair of governors. He also met with leaders from the trust, including the CEO and the chair of trustees.  The lead inspector spoke by telephone with a representative from the diocese.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors discussed and evaluated pupils’ work across a range of subjects.  The lead inspector listened to a range of pupils read. The inspector observed catch-up interventions to learn how staff provide extra support to pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 spoke to a range of pupils to learn their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  Inspectors spoke to a range of parents and took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Scott Reece, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sara Wakefield Ofsted Inspector 17 December 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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