St Michael's Church of England Infant School Maidstone

Inspection of St Michael’s Church of England Infant School, Maidstone Douglas Road, Maidstone, Kent ME16 8ER

p.1

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

p.1

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since January 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 3 and 4 December 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this small, welcoming school. They are warmly cared for by kind, nurturing adults. Clear, well-established routines and kind, reassuring guidance from staff help pupils to behave well and feel safe. Pupils know there are trusted adults they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy tackling the challenges of the school’s curriculum. They are curious about their learning and are keen to show what they can do. They achieve well overall and are ready for the next stage of their education. Pupils benefit from ‘wow’ events that bring learning to life. They particularly enjoy local trips, which include visits to the forest to learn outdoors. Learning through workshops enriches pupils’ understanding in different subjects. For example, learning in a mobile planetarium enhances pupils’ learning about space in science.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of friendship, perseverance, happiness and respect are important to pupils. They talk about being kind, being a good friend, and saying please and thank you. Pupils embody these values throughout the day. They get along well. They play and learn together happily. Any friendship issues are addressed promptly.

p.2

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

The school has designed a curriculum that is ambitious. When children first start school, staff quickly get to know them and any challenges or barriers that they or their families may face. Staff use this information to adapt the curriculum and to make best use of the learning environment. For example, the school has developed the outside space to give children the opportunity to garden, build dens and climb. The curriculum is also designed to support pupils to develop important attributes for learning, such as curiosity and perseverance.

p.2

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

The school invests in training for all staff. As a result, staff have the knowledge and expertise they need to teach the curriculum effectively. They support pupils well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school precisely identifies the specific needs of pupils with SEND. Staff make sure these pupils get the help and resources they need to succeed.

p.2

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

The school has identified the knowledge they want pupils to gain over time. In many subjects, including in the core subjects of English and mathematics, this is clear and well ordered. Leaders know that some elements of the wider curriculum are too vague, and that subject specific vocabulary needs emphasis. Consequently, while pupils achieve well overall, they do not learn and remember some of the curriculum, including important language, as well as they should.

p.2

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

The majority of the wider curriculum is taught through continuous provision. Teachers give pupils challenges to tackle. Some are designed for them to practise and apply the knowledge they have been taught independently. Others are guided by adults, who model important concepts and question pupils skilfully to check their understanding. These 3 and 4 December 2024

p.2

3

interactions move pupils’ learning on and deepen their understanding. Pupils are keen to engage actively in their learning. They concentrate and persevere with their tasks. They confidently talk about their learning, using appropriate vocabulary.

p.3

3

The school makes learning to read a priority. The school has recently reviewed and adapted its approach to teaching phonics. There are greater opportunities for pupils to retrieve and practise their phonic knowledge. This is helping pupils, including those with SEND, to remember the sounds they have been taught. Pupils with gaps in their phonic knowledge catch up quickly. This is because staff use the information from the checks they make to carefully identify and address the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Over time, pupils read with increasing confidence and fluency.

p.3

3

Staff make the most of every opportunity to inspire pupils’ awe and wonder of the world. Workshops about fire, road and rail safety teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. Pupils learn about the world around them and how they can be responsible citizens. They support international charities, learning about how to protect endangered species. ‘Eco- warriors’ do litter picking locally.

p.3

3

The majority of pupils attend school regularly. The school supports families effectively to improve attendance when it is too low. Starting in the early years, children learn the school’s high expectations of their behaviour. As such the school is calm and orderly. The school’s restorative approach, for dealing with rare instances of poor behaviour, is having a positive impact.

p.3

3

Staff describe working at the school as being part of a close and supportive community. They feel valued and listened to by leaders. They say that leaders are mindful of their workload and that they genuinely care about their well-being. Governors know the school well. They provide the school with an appropriate balance of support and challenge.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some aspects of the wider curriculum, details of the content that pupils need to learn are not made explicit enough. As a result, while pupils achieve well overall, they do not consistently retain and recall some aspects of the curriculum, including key language, as effectively as leaders expect. The school should identify precisely what pupils need to learn to help pupils to learn important knowledge and achieve the school’s ambitious curriculum goals. 3 and 4 December 2024

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Headteacher Lisa Saunders (Executive headteacher)

p.5

School details

Website www.st-michaels-infant.kent.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2014

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is a part of the St Michael’s Schools’ Federation which means that it is federated with one other school, St Michael’s Church of England Junior School. Both schools share an executive headteacher and a governing body.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Canterbury. Its most recent section 48 inspection was in May 2024.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

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. 3 and 4 December 2024

p.5

6

 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.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, assistant headteacher and other leaders in the school and the federation. They met with representatives from the board of governors, representatives from the local authority and the Diocese of Canterbury.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history, mathematics 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. Inspectors listened to some pupils read.

p.6

6

Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took into account 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 met with pupils from different year groups to talk about their learning and experiences at school, both in small groups and informally at breaktimes.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the online staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Leah Morgan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Jenny Ashley-Jones Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 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