Hampton Primary School

Inspection of Hampton Primary School Fitzgerald Avenue, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 8NB

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

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The headteacher of this school is Yvonne Nunn. This school is part of Hampton Collaborative Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lee Shillings. 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ well-being is at the heart of Hampton Primary. Each aspect of school life is designed around pupils’ social and emotional development. Staff know the pupils very well. Relationships are warm, caring and nurturing. Pupils enjoy school. Bullying is rare, and if it does happen, pupils trust the adults to sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour and conduct are guided by the school’s core values of kindness, resilience, reflection and aspiration. Pupils are polite and respectful. In the early years and in lessons, they are engaged and focused. They have positive attitudes to their learning. This supports pupils to achieve the school’s high expectations for their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. The school’s work on mental health enables pupils to recognise and manage their emotions and feelings. Pupils build their character and leadership skills through the varied roles of responsibility available. These include being an eco-warrior, part of the school council or sports crew, a play ranger or a pupil ambassador. The wide range of extra-curricular clubs, trips and visitors enrich pupils’ learning. Becoming a positive citizen of society is promoted through activities such as charity work, litter picking on the local beach, enterprise events and singing in the local care home.

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum begins in the early years, where children get off to a great start. Children fully immerse themselves in the purposeful learning and play activities available. Highly skilled adults use each interaction as a learning opportunity. There is a sharp focus on ensuring children’s readiness for the next stage of their education.

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

The school prioritises reading. From the Reception Year, there is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. Pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds they know. The school quickly identifies any pupil that is at risk of falling behind and puts support in place. The reading curriculum is based on high-quality texts. Reading lessons for older pupils focus on specific skills. Changes to the teaching of reading have been made in response to the provisional 2024 published outcomes, which were lower than they should be. For example, the school is focusing specifically on developing pupils’ fluency in reading. This is supporting pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

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

The school’s curriculum has been carefully designed. The key skills, knowledge and vocabulary have been identified. These build over time. However, recent changes to the curriculum mean that some aspects are not being implemented in line with the school’s expectations. Lessons provide opportunities for pupils to practise and recall prior learning, and teachers regularly check what pupils know. However, on occasion, the activities that pupils complete are not focused sharply enough on the intended learning. As a result, pupils do not always remember what they have been taught. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Individual needs are quickly identified. Pupils with SEND are fully included, and learning is adapted effectively 3 and 4 December 2024

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to meet their needs. For some pupils with SEND who have more complex needs, the school’s newly established ‘woodland class’ provides a bespoke curriculum to meet their needs.

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Pupils’ attendance has been a huge focus for the school. A dedicated attendance officer oversees the robust approach to tracking and checking any absences from school. An abundance of initiatives and actions have been put in place to promote attendance. These include an attendance champion, pupil attendance superheroes and class mottos. These support pupils in understanding why it is important to be in school every day. The well- being team provides family support to help overcome any barriers that prevent pupils from being in school. The school’s work is showing a positive impact on pupils’ overall attendance. However, there is still work to do as absence levels remain too high.

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Pupils’ broader development is comprehensive and integrated with the school’s core values. For example, reflection is taught through assemblies and visitors to the school. The ‘good morning club’ provides opportunities for pupils to discuss and debate thoughts and ideas. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves healthy and safe online. Their talents and interests are developed through workshops, events and visits, such as to the theatre. Pupils develop an understanding that everyone has the right to be treated with respect, and difference is celebrated.

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The governing body, staff, pupils and their parents and carers are proud to be part of the ‘Hampton family’. There is a shared commitment to set the pupils up with the skills they need for life. The governing body provides an effective balance of challenge and support to the school. The school’s work on well-being extends beyond the pupils to the staff and leaders too. Staff appreciate the consideration given to their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of the curriculum are not being implemented in line with leaders’ expectations. Sometimes, the activities that pupils complete are not sharply focused on the intended learning. The school should ensure that subject leaders have greater oversight of the implementation and impact of the curriculum to make sure they are in line with expectations.  Pupil absence remains high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. These pupils are not fully benefiting from the education available. The school should continue to work with pupils and their families so that any barriers to attendance are overcome. 3 and 4 December 2024

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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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 March 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use 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). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 Inspectors also met with the chair of governors and some other governors.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, geography and science. 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.  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 also considered responses from staff to Ofsted’s survey and parents’ responses to Ofsted Parent View.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in the playground.

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Inspection team

Julie Wright, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Hacker Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 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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