St Eanswythe's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Eanswythe’s Church of England Primary School Church Street, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1SE

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Outcome

St Eanswythe’s 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 Claire Jacobs. This school is part of a single academy trust, which means that other people in the trust have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the headteacher, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Trevor Devooght.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this welcoming school. They are happy, and they feel safe. Staff show compassion and care to help pupils when needed. Pupils enjoy reading to Cooper, the therapy dog. Staff provide a culture where pupils are keen to contribute to school life. For example, pupils deliver plays in assemblies to help their peers learn about the school values. Pupils relish their time with one another and are compassionate towards others. For example, older pupils read and play with younger pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for its pupils. Pupils enjoy learning across the curriculum. They produce work of a high standard and take pride when this is on display in the corridors. Pupils are articulate and gain a wide body of knowledge across the curriculum. The school enhances learning through a wide range of opportunities. For example, pupils visit a local care home to perform to the residents and collaborate on projects in their community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They take pride in doing the right thing. Pupils enjoy the company of their peers. Playtimes are joyful, and pupils enjoy clambering on the climbing equipment and making up stories to enact with their friends. 1 and 2 April 2025

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

The school provides an interesting and exciting curriculum. This ensures that pupils access a wide body of knowledge. Leaders are mindful of the workload faced by staff. As such, staff value the time that they receive to undertake administrative tasks. The school guides teachers in the delivery of the curriculum. As a result, teaching is precise and helps pupils to gain the knowledge needed to succeed.

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

Pupils develop their reading and mathematical knowledge well. They apply what they learn across a broad range of subjects. Children in the early years explore and embed what they learn through meaningful activities both inside and outside the classroom. As a result, children transfer to Year 1 with confidence. Pupils gain their phonics knowledge exceptionally well. This is because teaching is precise and any gaps in knowledge are addressed swiftly. Older pupils read widely and become competent and fluent readers. However, the quality of writing produced by some pupils is not as high as it could be. The school recognises this and has refined recently the curriculum in writing.

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

Pupils gain a detailed body of knowledge across the curriculum. Pupils embed what they learn exceptionally well. The school provides a wide range of opportunities to extend what pupils learn. Trips beyond the school and visitors to the school are commonplace. These link meaningfully to what pupils learn and help them to secure their understanding.

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

Teaching ensures that there is clarity in what pupils know and what they need to learn. The school uses a range of strategies to help pupils to draw on what they have previously learned. This helps pupils to remember and use what they know when learning something new. Staff skilfully question pupils. This helps them to check what pupils understand. Teachers identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities remarkably well. They provide meaningful adaptations to ensure that pupils learn confidently alongside their peers.

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

Pupils’ behaviour in class is exemplary. The school is responsive to the emotional needs of the pupils. Staff help pupils to manage their own emotions. Pupils appointed as hall monitors, for example, encourage and model positive behaviours during social times. This provides younger pupils with positive role models. There is a whole school approach to improving attendance. Staff provide support for families of pupils whose attendance falls below the expected level. As such, pupils’ attendance is improving swiftly.

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

Pupils benefit from a wide range of cultural opportunities. Pupils attend a range of clubs and activities on offer. For example, pupils in one of the five school rock bands develop their musicianship and perform to parents. This helps to build confidence and develops pupils’ talents and interests well. The school celebrates diversity. Pupils learn about this through special event days and across the curriculum. Parents and carers visit the school to talk to pupils about their own cultures. Pupils learn about life in modern Britain. For example, they are knowledgeable about democracy and can explain its relevance to both themselves and to society. 1 and 2 April 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s approach to teaching writing is not embedded fully. This means that the quality of pupils’ written work is sometimes not as strong as it could be. The school needs to continue to embed the newly introduced writing programme so that pupils gain the knowledge and skills needed to be confident and competent writers.

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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 outstanding 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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in March 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. 1 and 2 April 2025

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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

School category Voluntary controlled academy

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary controlled Church of England academy in the Canterbury Diocese. The school last received an inspection under Section 48 for its religious character in October 2021.  The school is a single academy trust. It has a board of directors that act as one governing board overseen by two members. The single academy trust does not have a chief executive officer.  The school is part of the Folkestone Ethos School Improvement Limited Federation. This is a group of seven primary schools. This is a collaborative group with no governance or leadership responsibility for this school. The school has its own governing body, which takes all governance responsibilities.  The school provides a breakfast and after-school club on site. The breakfast club is run by the school, and the after-school club is provided by an external provider.  The school does not currently use any 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.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, members of the governing body, other leaders and a range of staff.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector reviewed a wide range of documents, including those related to

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Information about this inspection

governance of the school.  The inspector considered the views of parents and carers through their responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector spoke to staff and considered the views of staff and pupils in the staff and pupil surveys. The inspector spoke to pupils and parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Graham Chisnell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 2025

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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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