Minterne Junior School

Minterne Junior School

Address: Minterne Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1SB Unique reference number (URN): 144869

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have constructed a curriculum that is ambitious and clearly sequenced. This helps pupils to develop the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. Staff teach the curriculum consistently well across the school. They explain new ideas clearly, check understanding and support pupils to articulate their learning with confidence. Many pupils join this school in Year 3, and staff expertly identify any gaps in their learning to make sure that they are well supported to develop essential skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers help pupils build a secure body of knowledge over time. They provide opportunities for pupils to revise and revisit important concepts before introducing new content. There is a clear focus on core skills. Well-structured spelling and handwriting programmes help pupils to secure firm foundations, and staff support those at an earlier stage of reading and writing so they catch up quickly.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

In English, teachers use inspiring texts to show pupils how to plan their writing so that it flows and has a clear structure. In mathematics, staff break learning into manageable parts and use clear modelling to help pupils learn important concepts. Fluency practice is a regular part of mathematics lessons. Staff also use practical resources and bespoke adaptations effectively to strengthen pupils’ understanding. The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ spoken language. Pupils enjoy reading often.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders make sure that all pupils access the full curriculum. Staff adapt their teaching so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who have barriers to learning or wellbeing learn successfully alongside their peers. Support staff work closely with teachers to provide the right help, especially to the most vulnerable pupils. Staff share a clear focus on helping pupils to secure the essential knowledge they need for their next steps.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have robust systems to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly and accurately. Leaders act promptly to ensure these pupils get the additional support they need as quickly as possible. Rigorous monitoring of pupils’ progress and the support they receive helps leaders to recognise the exact adjustments required. These thoughtful and appropriate adaptations enable pupils with SEND to engage confidently in lessons and other aspects of school life. Leaders and staff work with parents, carers and external agencies effectively.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have adapted a range of effective strategies for pupils attending ‘The Acorns’ to use across the school to support pupils with SEND. This ensures that barriers to learning are swiftly removed. As a result, pupils with a range of needs secure the skills they need to be successful and the knowledge for future learning. Well-planned training ensures that staff have the skills to support and meet pupils’ needs successfully.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Similarly, pupils who are disadvantaged or those who are known or previously known to social care receive highly effective support. Leaders have a detailed oversight of these

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Expected standard

pupils. Disadvantaged pupils are a priority and have clear opportunities to take part in all that the school has to offer. Pupil premium funding is used to positively impact outcomes for pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion is a notable strength. Pupils speak with confidence and pride about their identities and those of others. They demonstrate respect for difference and value the diversity in their school. Pupils describe the school as a place where everyone is welcome. This is evident through the relationships pupils develop with one another.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school’s pastoral provision is highly effective. Leaders provide a wide range of therapeutic and enrichment opportunities that support pupils’ wellbeing. Clubs such as baton twirling, typing and sport contribute positively to pupils’ personal development. These help to nurture talents and interests while also introducing new skills to pupils. As a result of the focus on personal development, the school fosters a strong sense of belonging where pupils feel valued and supported.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have established a comprehensive and carefully considered programme for pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. Pupils develop a clear understanding of how to live healthy and safe lives. They learn to become responsible, respectful citizens who actively contribute to the life of the school and the wider community. They demonstrate this in their behaviour and actions. For example, pupils enthusiastically engage in community projects that support local nursing homes and the foodbank.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils demonstrate a confident understanding of fundamental British values. They show respect for and a deep knowledge of protected characteristics in an age-appropriate way. The school's pupil leadership opportunities for school councillors, prefects and playtime buddies strengthen pupils’ character development. Pupils reflect thoughtfully on their actions and consider how their decisions affect themselves and others. The computing curriculum supports this work effectively by teaching pupils about online safety. This helps pupils to understand both the risks and benefits of social media and the internet. They are able to articulate these with maturity.

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Achievement Expected standard

Over time, most pupils' achievement in reading and mathematics by the end of key stage 2 is broadly in line with national averages. Recently published outcomes show that pupils' attainment in writing is above the national average. Generally, most pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders regularly check on pupils' progress. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities progress steadily through the curriculum. Leaders recognise that disadvantaged pupils, overall, achieve less well than disadvantaged pupils nationally. Leaders have rightly focused their actions to improve how well disadvantaged pupils achieve. They have ensured that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are identified and closed quickly. This is evident in all year groups, where pupils' work indicates that their progress is improving rapidly across the curriculum, including in writing and mathematics. However, this is not yet reflected in disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes.

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Achievement Expected standard

Some pupils join the school with gaps in their knowledge and skills. Leaders focus on supporting pupils to catch up quickly. They put extra support in place swiftly for any pupils who need it. For example, leaders quickly identify pupils who have gaps in their reading knowledge. They adapt the reading curriculum so that these pupils can read fluently by the time that they leave the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' attendance. They have implemented effective strategies to ensure that pupils attend regularly. Whole-school attendance is above the national average. Leaders know pupils well. They have identified the barriers that pupils with low attendance face. The bespoke support they provide helps improve attendance, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, the attendance of pupils with SEND is improving. However, leaders do not use the information that they hold about whole-school attendance to comprehensively identify trends and patterns in absence for pupils eligible for the pupil premium. As a result, the attendance of these pupils as a group is not improving quickly enough.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave very well. Staff and pupils understand and uphold the school's approach. Pupils are friendly, polite, respectful and enthusiastic. They enjoy their lessons, and attitudes to learning are very positive. The school only uses suspensions in exceptional circumstances. Bullying and harassment are not tolerated. Pupils know that adults will sort out incidents of poor behaviour effectively. Prejudicial and derogatory language is never tolerated and always addressed robustly. Relationships and routines reflect the school values, leading to a happy, safe and harmonious school culture and environment. The school's high-quality pastoral care provides highly effective support for pupils who need help to manage their emotions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have developed a school that is at the centre of the community. Pupils, parents, carers and staff are proud of their school. The school is a happy place to learn and work. Leaders have created an inclusive culture where all pupils feel welcome and valued. They put pupils’ needs at the centre of their decisions, including those of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to their learning or wellbeing. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to school and engage well with their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders set high expectations for staff and pupils. Staff support these expectations and work together to help pupils succeed. Leaders understand clearly what the school does well and where it needs to improve. They take effective action to bring about improvements. Trustees and governors know the school well. They have the skills and knowledge they need to carry out their roles. They review a wide range of information, including pupils’ achievement, attendance, safeguarding and finance. They use this information to challenge and support leaders. Trustees and governors also make sure that the school promotes equality and reflects the trust’s commitment to inclusion.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The trust provides leaders with effective support and challenge. This helps leaders to improve the school. Trust leaders, governors and school leaders also pay close attention to staff workload and wellbeing. Staff value the support they receive.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

This is a happy and inclusive school. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and supportive. Pupils behave very well. Leaders provide regular opportunities for older pupils to spend time with those in younger classes. Older pupils are positive role models to others. They demonstrate commitment to behaviour expectations well in their conduct around school and interactions with each other. Pupils carry out their leadership roles, such as prefects, responsibly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders have ensured that routines are well established. Pupils know and understand what is expected of them. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. This helps pupils to settle quickly to work. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They know what to do and who to speak to in school if they have a worry.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are proud of their school and attend well. Pupils from across the school, including those in the specialist resourced provision ‘The Acorns’, talk animatedly about the support they get to do well. They enjoy their lessons and are generally well prepared for secondary school because the curriculum is carefully considered to meet their needs. Staff take effective action to quickly remove barriers to learning for pupils, including disadvantaged pupils or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, these pupils make positive progress from their starting points.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils develop a sense of belonging at the school. They like the fact that pupils are considerate of the needs of others. Pupils do not consider bullying to be an issue. They know that it will be addressed quickly if it does occur. The school provides a wide range of clubs and activities throughout the day and after school. These help to develop pupils’ interests.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue with their work to ensure that disadvantaged pupils consistently achieve well and develop detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum so that they are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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Lead inspector:

Ulric Neblett-Leigh, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Liz McIntosh, Ofsted Inspector Andrea Carter, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data is from 6 May 2026 Leaders should analyse whole-school attendance carefully to spot trends and patterns so that pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium attend school more regularly.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the Our Community Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), David Whitehead, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Debbie Haigh.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, the head of school, special educational needs coordinators, the CEO, the trust executive officer, governors, trustees, staff, pupils and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school hosts a speech and language centre that supports pupils who have an education, health and care plan with a primary need of speech, language and/or communication.

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About this inspection

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (final) 55% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 59% 61% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 79% 74% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 77% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 78% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 68% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 38% 47% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 53% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 52% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 60% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 62% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 64% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 60% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 60% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 4.9% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.5% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.3% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 11.7% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 16.3% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 13.5% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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