Lady Boswell's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Sevenoaks

Aided Primary School, Sevenoaks

Address: Plymouth Drive, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3RW Unique reference number (URN): 118721

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Strong standard

Pupils make significant progress through the curriculum. Their work shows that they build securely on their learning over time and develop increasingly detailed understanding of the subjects they study. This is evident in pupils' high-quality writing and sophisticated vocabulary. Pupils apply their knowledge very accurately. They solve complex problems and reflect carefully on their learning.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Pupils develop detailed knowledge in the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics. They are very well prepared for their next steps. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make rapid progress from their starting points. They learn the same skills and knowledge as their peers and demonstrate the same detailed recall of their prior learning.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Pupils achieve very well in national tests, where results are significantly above national averages across key stages and subjects. These results have been sustained over time. Disadvantaged pupils achieve well overall and their outcomes compare favourably to similar pupils nationally.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils enjoy their time at school. Consequently, they attend very well. Attendance has been consistently high over time and the level of persistent absence is very low. Despite this highly positive picture, leaders are relentless in their work to improve it further. They analyse data carefully and track individual pupils' attendance precisely. This helps leaders to identify those pupils who need additional help swiftly. Their work is highly effective for pupils and their families and leads to rapid improvements.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Leaders identify pupils who need additional help to meet their high expectations for behaviour. Staff provide these pupils with high-quality support that allows them to flourish. The school is a happy place. Pupils are warm and friendly. They show real kindness to their friends and deep respect for staff. Breaktimes are joyful occasions when pupils play together happily. Older pupils act as positive role models for younger pupils and set high standards for them. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. This creates a highly purposeful learning environment which helps pupils to achieve very well. Expectations and routines are deeply embedded and staff apply these consistently well. Leaders monitor behaviour carefully. This helps them to respond proactively to address any issues swiftly, such as bullying. These incidents are very rare.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have created a highly ambitious curriculum that meets all pupils' needs. They have identified precisely the skills and knowledge they want pupils to learn. Leaders reflect deeply on the curriculum and look for opportunities for improvement. This is evident in the changes they have made to the wider curriculum. While this is relatively new, it is already well established and highly effective. Teachers are experts in the subjects they teach. They use their expertise to select deeply engaging activities. These allow pupils to reflect on the skills and knowledge they learn. Teachers model learning precisely. They make systematic checks on pupils' understanding. They address misconceptions and encourage pupils to deepen their learning. Pupils respond very well to this. Staff use their detailed understanding of pupils to adapt the teaching and learning carefully. This ensures that pupils who face barriers to success enjoy

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

the same high-quality curriculum as their peers.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders rightly prioritise the basics in reading, writing and mathematics. Highly-skilled staff teach phonics consistently well. This helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers. There is an ambitious culture of reading, and pupils enjoy high-quality texts every day. They have ample opportunities to write and express themselves creatively. This helps pupils to communicate their ideas very confidently across the curriculum.

p.3

Early years Strong standard

In the early years, children receive an excellent start to their education. Leaders have a deep understanding of early years provision and have used this to design a highly ambitious curriculum. They have rightly prioritised the need for children to develop strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. Expert teachers deliver the carefully selected phonics scheme consistently well. Children become fluent readers swiftly.

p.3

Early years Strong standard

Children benefit from high-quality activities across all 7 areas of learning. Staff have a detailed understanding of the skills and knowledge each child should learn. They explain learning precisely and enhance this through high-quality interactions. Staff model key language highly accurately. They use questions skilfully to deepen children's understanding.

p.3

Early years Strong standard

Leaders work constructively with parents and carers and liaise effectively with other settings. This enables them to gain detailed knowledge of children before they start. Consequently, staff are very well prepared to meet children's needs and capture their interests as quickly as possible.

p.3

Early years Strong standard

Children achieve highly and are very well prepared for their next steps. They gain the detailed knowledge and personal and social skills that they will need in Year 1. Pupils' continued high achievement as they progress through the school is testament to the strength of provision in early years.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have the highest ambition for pupils who face barriers to success. They work tirelessly in these pupils' best interests. There are precisely designed processes to identify pupils' needs. Leaders enhance these through rigorous monitoring of pupils' progress. They deepen their understanding through frequent discussions with teachers. This precise analysis of outcomes underpins leaders’ decision-making. It helps them adapt their work to meet pupils' changing needs very effectively.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established a range of high-quality inclusion strategies. These consistently enhance the experience of pupils, for example those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders communicate these strategies clearly to staff. This helps staff to address pupils' barriers swiftly and skilfully. As a result, pupils make significant progress and achieve very well alongside their peers.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

The training staff receive is of a consistently high quality. As a result, staff adapt learning to meet the needs of all pupils well and provide highly effective support. They ensure that pupils keep up or catch up swiftly with their peers. Leaders' strategy for the use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is aspirational. Leaders and staff apply this strategy skilfully. This helps disadvantaged pupils make significant progress from their starting points, and they thrive as a result.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. They reflect deeply on their work and are determined to identify improvements that will benefit all pupils over time. Leaders have a precise understanding of the strengths of the school. The decisions they make have clear and positive impact on pupils. Leaders communicate their high ambition very effectively. As a result, governors and staff share the same aspirations. This is evident in their commitment to delivering a high-quality experience for all pupils.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders prioritise staff's workload and wellbeing. Consequently, staff are well motivated and very positive about working at the school. They are keen to contribute deeply. Leaders prioritise professional learning. They want all staff to develop an extensive range of skills and knowledge. This approach to professional learning is very well established and staff develop quickly as a result. Leaders work positively with other schools to share their high- quality work and to ensure that their own decisions are rooted in best practice.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors use their experience skilfully. They have developed rigorous processes to ensure they check the school's work effectively. Governors use their checks to identify key priorities. They offer high levels of challenge and support to leaders. Governors undertake their statutory duties with care and diligence. They have a clear understanding of the school’s finances. For example, they oversee leaders' strategy for the use of additional funding. This helps them to support leaders in their aspirations for providing highly inclusive education.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders' ambitions for pupils' personal development are high. They fulfil these through the extensive offer they have developed. It helps to ensure that all pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal, social and health education curriculum is very effective. Pupils develop a detailed understanding of important concepts such as healthy relationships, online safety and right and wrong. They learn about an array of cultures and beliefs that differ to their own and consider these sensitively. As a result, pupils have mature and tolerant attitudes to difference and diversity. There is a precise approach to character education. Leaders place the school values at the heart of this work. They ensure that pupils have opportunities to take risks and consider the views of others. The impact of this is evident in the high levels of confidence and respect that all pupils show. Pupils live out the school's values through the varied leadership roles they hold, such as eco leaders and science ambassadors. They take these opportunities very seriously. Pupils develop extensive skills and talents beyond the classroom. A wide range of clubs,

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

carefully aligned with pupils' interests, is available to all pupils. Leaders track pupils' participation meticulously. They use this information to ensure all pupils have access to the same high-quality offer. Leaders act to ensure there are no financial barriers to pupils' attendance. Pupils can further develop their skills through numerous chances to represent the school. These include a wide range of sporting activities and competitions. All pupils benefit from these opportunities.

p.5

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pastoral care is high quality and accessible to all. Staff identify pupils who have barriers to their wellbeing swiftly. These pupils receive excellent pastoral support from skilled staff. This helps pupils to feel very well cared for and ready to learn.

p.5

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

Pupils work hard to embody the school’s ‘seven gifts’. These key qualities, such as resilience and academic excellence, are evident in pupils' actions. Pupils are deeply excited by learning. This is clear in the purposeful buzz in classrooms. Pupils take risks in their learning and share ideas enthusiastically. Pupils' work shows a deep understanding of the skills and knowledge they learn. They apply this confidently. Staff remove or reduce any barriers to pupils' learning. This helps pupils to achieve very well in national tests. Pupils love school. They show this in their positive attitudes to learning and their joyful play at breaktimes. It is also evident in the consistently high levels of attendance. Pupils value their time in school.

p.5

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

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They work hard to meet staff's high expectations. They have similarly high expectations of each other and are highly positive role models. This helps to create a deeply positive and respectful atmosphere, where instances of unkindness or bullying are extremely rare and swiftly resolved. Pupils are polite and courteous. They care for each other and are keen to help out when they can. For example, pupils are quick to play with peers who use the buddy benches at breaktime. Relationships between pupils and staff are highly positive. Pupils trust staff to deal with any concerns they have. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

p.5

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

Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. They have mature attitudes to difference and diversity. They use their detailed knowledge of cultures and beliefs other than their own to discuss these respectfully. Pupils develop a range of skills and talents beyond the classroom. The school celebrates these achievements proudly. For example, pupils have opportunities to perform in high-quality performances in professional venues. All pupils are fully included in the school's extensive wider offer.

p.5

Next steps

Leaders should continue their work to embed the high-quality approach to assessment

p.5

Team inspectors:

Deborah Perkins, Ofsted Inspector Liz McIntosh, Ofsted Inspector Martin Hacker, Ofsted Inspector

p.6

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.

p.6

Total pupils

across all subjects to help pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding even further.

p.6

About this inspection

The chair of governors in this school is Kate Phillips.

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

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.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors met with the co-headteachers and other leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector met with a group of governors and a representative of the local authority.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

p.6

About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. Its last section 48 inspection of its religious character took place in March 2026.

p.6

About this inspection

One of the co-headteachers has changed since the last inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

p.6

About this inspection

Co-headteachers: Hannah Pullen and Sharon Saunders

p.6

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

What does this mean?

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

p.7

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.

p.7

What does this mean?

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

p.8

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.

p.8

What does this mean?

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

p.9

Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

p.9

Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

p.9

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.

p.10

mathematics

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

p.10

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

p.10

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

p.11

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

p.11

average

2023/24 (final) 63% 59% Close to average

p.11

average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

p.11

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.

p.12

mathematics

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

p.12

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

p.12

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.

p.12

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

p.13

average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

p.13

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.

p.13

Persistent absence

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

p.14

Exceptional

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

p.14

Strong standard

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

p.14

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.

p.14

Needs attention

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

p.14

Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.14

Urgent improvement

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.15

Urgent improvement

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.15

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.15

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.15