Skinners' Temple Grove

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Temple Grove Academy Friars Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3UA

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Rebekah Leeves. This school is part of the Skinners’ Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the senior executive leader, Ian Anderson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Johnny Aisher.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and are enthusiastic about school. They are happy and feel safe in school. They are confident that staff will deal with any worries they may have. However, staff’s expectations of pupils are not high enough. They do not apply the school’s new behaviour policy consistently. As a result, pupils’ conduct in some classes is inconsistent. This does prevent some pupils from learning the knowledge they need effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has begun to refine and improve the curriculum. However, the curriculum is not embedded consistently well throughout the school. This means that while some pupils do learn the crucial curriculum content they need and apply it effectively, too many pupils cannot currently recall their prior learning well enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute meaningfully to the school community and beyond in a variety of ways. For example, pupils design stalls and the products they sell at Christmas fairs to raise funds for school projects, or pupils perform for residents at local care homes. They also hold a range of school responsibilities, such as play leaders. They help plan changes to the school environment or ensure all pupils have enjoyable activities at breaktimes. Pupils take these responsibilities seriously. 11 and 12 March 2025

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

The school has been through a period of significant change. This includes changes to leadership. The trust has ensured that there is stable leadership. Governors and the trust share the same high ambition for the school. They offer appropriate support to leaders. However, the school has not been able to address all its priorities. As a result, there are some weaknesses in the implementation of the curriculum. The dedicated staff recognise positive changes that are in place and feel well supported.

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

The school has prioritised the rapid improvement of the curriculum. They have identified clearly what they intend pupils to learn. However, in some subjects, learning is not designed precisely enough. This means that teaching does not always build on prior learning or deepen pupils’ understanding.

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

Teachers generally have secure subject knowledge and explain learning clearly. However, the checks that teachers make on pupils’ understanding are not effective enough. This means some misconceptions are not addressed, and pupils do not always learn the content that they need. Children in early years have a positive start. Skilled staff model activities clearly and check on children’s understanding carefully.

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

The school’s support for pupils in the early stages of reading is not always effective. The teaching of phonics is not based on what pupils know already, and some of the books pupils read are not well matched to the sounds they know. This means that some pupils do not become fluent readers quickly enough. The school identifies those pupils who fall behind. Well-trained staff have begun to deliver appropriate support for those pupils. However, this is not yet fully embedded. As a result, not all pupils catch up quickly enough.

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

The school identifies the needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), accurately. However, not all staff understand pupils’ barriers to learning well enough. They do not adapt work to meet pupils’ needs effectively. Consequently, some pupils with SEND do not learn all the skills and knowledge intended.

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

Children in early years can discuss their current topics, and many recall their prior learning. However, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge as the curriculum design is not precise enough. They do not always build on prior knowledge. Older pupils develop the mathematical knowledge they need and write accurately in a range of styles.

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

Skilled staff support pupils who need extra help when managing their behaviour. These pupils access a range of additional high-quality support to manage their emotions. The school monitors attendance carefully. They use this to ensure robust procedures are in place to identify pupils who need additional help to attend well. These include access to breakfast clubs or support from external agencies. These strategies are successful and help pupils to improve their attendance over time.

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

All pupils benefit from the school’s work on personal development. The school enhances the curriculum with a range of trips and visits to deepen pupils’ learning. Pupils also have 11 and 12 March 2025

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opportunities to develop their skills and talents through the clubs and activities the school offers. They can represent the school in a range of sports or perform in the school choir. Pupils enjoy these opportunities and discuss them excitedly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not sequenced precisely enough the detailed knowledge that they want pupils to learn in a number of curriculum subjects. Pupils are not systematically building their knowledge and understanding of necessary subject content over time. The school should explicitly identify what pupils should learn in all subjects so that it prepares pupils for the next stage of their education.  The activities selected for some pupils with SEND are not designed precisely enough. This means that some pupils with SEND struggle to learn the curriculum because it is not adapted to their needs. The school must support staff to plan and adapt teaching with precision so that pupils with SEND learn well across the curriculum.  The checks made on pupils’ knowledge are not systematic enough. As a result, teachers do not identify gaps in learning accurately enough and do not always plan appropriate support to help pupils fill gaps in learning. The school must strengthen

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

processes for assessment so all staff are confident in spotting potential gaps quickly and pupils do not fall behind in their learning.  The teaching of phonics is not always precise enough, and pupils do not always build on their prior learning over time. As a result, some pupils do not learn to read fluently quickly enough. The school must ensure that the teaching of phonics is implemented effectively so that pupils become confident and fluent readers.  Some staff do not apply the agreed behaviour expectations consistently well. Consequently, pupils’ conduct is inconsistent in some areas of the school, and these pupils do not always learn as well as they should. The school must make sure that all staff apply the behaviour principles and expectations consistently.

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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. 11 and 12 March 2025

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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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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 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 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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

CEO of the trust Ian Anderson (Senior Executive Leader)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school currently uses no alternative provision.  The school manages a breakfast club and after-school club for pupils.

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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 the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and other leaders. The inspector also met members of the local governing body, the trust board and the senior executive leader. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 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.  Throughout the inspection, the inspector met with groups of staff and also considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  The inspector met some parents at the start of the school day and had regard to the views expressed through Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Gavin Thomas His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 March 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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