Frittenden Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Frittenden Church of England Primary School Frittenden Primary School, Frittenden, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2DD

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 8 and 9 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy at this small friendly school. Everyone gets along together and looks out for each other. Relationships are warm and everyone is welcome. The school’s values of compassion, respect and joy weave through pupils’ everyday experiences. Pupils blossom in this nurturing atmosphere. They enjoy school and grow in confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations are high. Pupils want to learn and typically work hard. The curriculum has been strengthened, particularly in English and mathematics. This helps pupils to build and then apply their knowledge progressively. Pupils do well in these subjects. They are well prepared for the next stages of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils mostly behave well. A new behaviour policy has helped to ensure that everyone knows what is expected. Staff implement the policy consistently and fairly. Right from the start in Reception, regular routines help children to learn and play together happily and safely.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the opportunities they are given to take on leadership roles or contribute towards the wider life of the school. They discharge their responsibilities as librarians or house captains diligently. Pupils enjoy their visits to local care homes, which help them to understand others and contribute towards their wider community.

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

The school has worked with determination and focus to raise expectations of learning and behaviour since the previous inspection. Staff have been well supported to build their confidence and strengthen their practice. Key approaches have been reviewed and the curriculum has been refined. This has had a positive impact on raising the quality of education on offer for the pupils of the school.

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

The school has ensured that a broad and balanced curriculum is in place that sets out what pupils should learn from Reception to Year 6. Key knowledge has been carefully identified and set out clearly. Teachers routinely recap and check that pupils are learning what they need to know. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified and given any help they need to access the curriculum and be successful.

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

Pupils mostly achieve well across the curriculum. However, occasionally, teachers do not move pupils on or extend their thinking. When this happens, some pupils do not learn as much as they could or deepen their understanding.

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

The school teaches pupils to read as quickly as possible. Children start to learn phonics as soon as they join the Reception class. Pupils who struggle or start to fall behind are swiftly identified and given the help they need to catch up. Books are carefully matched to their needs so that they can apply their learning and be successful. Most pupils become fluent readers by the end of Year 2. All pupils have access to a wide range of books to 8 and 9 July 2025

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read and enjoy. Pupils read and are read to regularly. This encourages them to develop a love of books.

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Pupils enjoy learning. They typically concentrate well in lessons and work well together or independently. Even the youngest children in Reception are able to sustain concentration and stay on task. They are fascinated by the many exciting opportunities that are provided for them to play and explore, such as gardening or adding water to the mud kitchen. Pupils across the school get along well together at social times. They enjoy the games and activities that are organised for them at lunchtimes.

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The school monitors pupils’ attendance closely and works with families to remove barriers to coming to school. Pupils’ attendance is improving. However, some pupils do not come to school as regularly as they should. This means that they miss out on important learning and experiences.

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Pupils benefit from a carefully considered personal, social and health education programme of learning. They learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Trips to places of interest and a wide range of visitors to school help to enhance the curriculum. This helps pupils to learn about different environments, faiths and cultures. Pupils are respectful and kind towards others. They value the ‘shepherding awards’ they can earn for demonstrating the school’s values.

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Staff value the support and development opportunities they receive. They appreciate leaders’ consideration of their well-being and workload. Governors know the school well. They are well trained and well informed. They share the determination of school leaders to secure the best for every child.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, teaching does not help pupils to deepen their knowledge effectively. This means that, sometimes, pupils are not supported to achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils are supported to deepen their knowledge over time.  Some pupils still do not attend school as well as they should. This means they miss out on important learning and wider experiences. The school should continue to work with parents to remove barriers to regular attendance, so that pupils can benefit fully from the curriculum and wider opportunities on offer. 8 and 9 July 2025

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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). 8 and 9 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 23 and 24 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England primary school within the Diocese of Canterbury. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in March 2018.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  There is a nursery on the school site run by another provider.  The school provides wraparound care in the form of a breakfast and after-school club.

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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 and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 8 and 9 July 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with a range of school staff. The lead inspector also met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspector had separate telephone conversations with representatives from the local authority and the Diocese of Canterbury.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. The lead inspector

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listened to pupils read to a familiar adult as part of the early reading deep dive.  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 reviewed responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff surveys and considered a letter from a parent.  The inspectors talked to staff to gather their views about the school, including their workload and well-being. The inspectors met with several groups of pupils, as well as speaking to pupils during lessons and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Deborah Perkins, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Catherine Hylands Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 July 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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