Chantry Community Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the good practice that exists already is shared with all staff for the benefit of pupils.
• Ensure that more pupils attain the highest available standards, including in the early years, by providing tasks which challenge pupils across the full range of the curriculum.
• Ensure that leaders of core subjects regularly check that coverage of the curriculum ensures continuity and progression, particularly at transition from key stage 1 to 2.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The new leadership team, established after Easter in 2017, is ambitious for the school. Leaders are keen that Chantry Community Primary School continues to develop and even more securely meet pupils’ learning needs.
• Leaders know the school well. Although the headteacher spent some time over the last year supporting another school locally, she maintained a keen awareness of the school’s progress. In stepping up into the headship, she has put her own stamp on the school. Most parents like the change of style and approach she has brought to the role.
• The headteacher leads with meticulous attention to detail and quiet determination. She is also very willing to take advice and guidance from more experienced colleagues. Good systems, such as those for managing the performance of staff and assessment of pupils’ work, were already in place but are being further improved under her leadership.
• The headteacher is ably supported by her acting deputy. The acting deputy headteacher is committed to the school and the community. She is passionate about its future and the learning of all the pupils. She, too, responds well to constructive criticism and listens carefully to advice and guidance.
• Leadership of the curriculum is strengthening as leaders settle into their new roles. Leadership of the early years is strong, meaning that children are ready for key stage 1, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. There is still work to be done to ensure that teachers in every class are meeting the most challenging requirements of the national curriculum. Pupils sometimes repeat work they did earlier in the school or have already acquired skills or some aspects of knowledge. Leaders have identified this and are working to improve it.
• Leadership of the rest of the curriculum is effective. This means that pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. They understand democracy, the rule of law and the need to treat each other equally and with respect. Leaders ensure that pupils receive good-quality religious education aligned fully to the East Sussex agreed syllabus. This, alongside good-quality assemblies, means that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is catered for well. During the inspection over 100 parents attended a key stage 1 Harvest Festival assembly. Pupils sang worship songs enthusiastically.
• Currently the leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is undertaken part-time by a temporary member of staff. However, there has been no reduction in the quality of this important work. There are relatively few pupils who receive additional support for their needs. Each of these pupils is, however, well known, with good supporting evidence to indicate their type and level of need. Where possible, leaders work closely with statutory and non-statutory services to ensure that relevant support is secured. As a result, most of these pupils maintain good rates of progress through school.
• Progress for all pupils is helped by the increasingly positive relationships between staff and parents. There is strong support for reading from the majority of parents who read with their children and sign the reading records. The parents, families and friends committee regularly raises money to support opportunities for a wide range of learning such as the science week.
• The school receives some support from the local authority. This support was extended when it became apparent that results at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 were lower than anticipated. The local authority is now working with the headteacher to resolve some of the issues which are holding back the school.

Governance of the school

• Governors are committed to ensuring that Chantry Community Primary is a good school. They possess a good range of skills that enables them to ensure that the pupils are safe and that the budget is managed efficiently. For example, governors:
  • ensure that the pupil premium is put to extremely good use; this is recorded in a helpful statement on the website
  • check that the primary physical education and sports premium is used to improve health, fitness and participation outcomes
  • oversee the completion of the single central record of the checks made on staff working or volunteering at the school.
• Governors have recognised the need to extend their expertise by recruiting members who have specific backgrounds in education and understand the full set of governor responsibilities and duties.
• The governors fully support the new headteacher. They are very clear about the improvements they require in the school. This is because governors review aspects of the school’s work and are aware of its shortcomings. Governors were rightly disappointed with the results attained by Year 6 in 2017.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders act decisively to address anything which potentially risks pupils’ safety.
• Leaders ensure that checks on staff and visitors are undertaken properly. All checks are recorded and stored accurately. Records of safeguarding training are also maintained to a good standard.
• The headteacher and safeguarding governor have been trained to carry out recruitment activities in accordance with current safer recruitment practices. Leaders assess all risks associated with school activities such as visits to the beach to support learning in science and geography.
• The site is secure, clean and maintained well. Access to the site is controlled strictly. The pupils are safe. They told inspectors that they feel safe when they are at school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching in most year groups is strong and leads to positive outcomes over time.
• Teachers are trained well and possess good subject knowledge. They are able to use their knowledge to plan purposeful lessons that enable most pupils to move on quickly in their learning.
• Phonics is taught particularly well. This systematic teaching of skills for reading means that pupils cope well with more challenging texts later on in their school life.
• Teachers, governors and parents encourage a love of reading. Pupils have access to a good range of books with the school’s library dispersed across the classrooms. Teachers read stories with flair and passion, using their voices well to add feeling to the text. They use every opportunity they can, while reading, to show pupils how writers build their stories. They also reinforce key messages about correct punctuation and spelling.
• This strong work with literature means that pupils develop their natural curiosity and imagination. Many pupils have an extensive vocabulary and most use the right word at the right time. One pupils said of books, ‘It’s like having a film in your head.’
• Adults question pupils carefully so that they are sure that pupils have understood tasks, advanced texts or important parts of their work. Some teaching ensures that all pupils have made secure gains in their learning before moving on. In a few mathematics lessons, pupils who finish the basic work quickly are given further work which requires them to apply higher-order thinking or reasoning skills.
• Much of the teaching of the wider curriculum is imaginative. In a science lesson, pupils recreated the workings of the stomach in a way which both amused them and captured their interest. In an art lesson, pupils recreated the sketching techniques of the illustrator of their class reading book.
• Teachers use technology effectively to support their work.
• Most teachers follow the school’s simple assessment policy very well. Pupils like the feedback that they get on their work. They also like the rewards that they receive when their work is of a good or better standard. Inspectors found many examples of where teachers’ feedback had helped pupils correct their work or improve it considerably.
• Chantry pupils like to be challenged. When teachers pick up on poor presentation, low levels of effort or careless mistakes, pupils’ work flourishes.
• The teaching of physical education is carried out extremely well. Employees of an external provider lead this important aspect of the curriculum. Teachers, however, join in and then lead a second session in the week to reinforce key learning points. This strategy is helping to raise levels of health and fitness in the school and pupils’ participation in sporting activities. Boys, in particular, take part enthusiastically in a well-run, before-school football club.
• Leaders are currently working to ensure that strong practice in many areas of the curriculum is shared more widely among the staff. This is so that pupils have access to teaching that is at least good in all year groups.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. It admirably helps pupils build self-confidence and grow in self-esteem. Many display a good sense of humour.
• Teachers’ relentless use of praise and their highly positive approach encourage pupils’ enthusiasm. Most are keen to participate in lessons, by answering questions, showing their work or completing examples on the board for others.
• Pupils are not afraid to try things out. They do not fear getting things wrong. This means they learn willingly.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school. They make good friendships and although they sometimes fall out, most disagreements are sorted out quickly.
• Leaders are aware of the complex challenges facing some pupils and do all they can to reduce the impact of these on learning. Leaders work closely with families. Most parents appreciate the care that their children receive, especially when parents are facing difficulties themselves.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school is a calm and orderly place where lessons proceed uninterrupted, for the most part. Pupils move around sensibly. For example, they enter assembly quietly and sit patiently waiting for each event to begin. Leaders use music to create a pleasant atmosphere which further instils a sense of calm.
• The attendance of pupils is remarkable. The proportions of pupils attending regularly are well above the national average. The proportion of pupils persistently absent is half that of the national average. The vast majority of pupils look forward to coming to school. They do not want to miss out on exciting lessons.
• Pupils like the rewards they receive when they do well. They also understand that sometimes they receive sanctions when their behaviour conflicts with the school’s easy-to-understand policy.
• Low-level disruption is rare. When it occurs it is usually caused by less effective teaching which does not inspire pupils or motivate them to learn. Sometimes pupils get fidgety when they complete tasks quickly and have nothing else to do.
• A few pupils have challenging behaviour. Senior leaders are trained well to deal with such behaviour. As a result, the impact on learning in most classes is minimal.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In most year groups, progress is strong. Leaders keep a watchful eye on all pupils so that they can judge how well each one is doing, so that most pupils make good progress over time.
• Standards of attainment are also generally higher than those nationally. For example, the proportion of children attaining a good level of development by the end of Reception is considerably above the national average each year. Leaders have already formed a clear picture of the starting points of each of the children in this year’s Reception class. They judge that this year group have broadly typical starting points on entry.
• Results in the Year 1 phonics screening check are above average as a result of highly focused and structured teaching. Typically, all pupils pass the screening check by the end of Year 2.
• Pupils continue to develop their reading well so that they make consistently good progress and attain above average standards overall by the end of key stage 1. Their results here are reinforced with good outcomes in writing and mathematics too.
• Pupils make less strong progress across key stage 2, having done well by the end of Year 2. For example, in the unvalidated results of 2017, the rates of progress made in reading and writing were below the national averages. There was a considerable drop from the progress score in mathematics in 2016. Leaders showed inspectors several pieces of evidence to support their judgement that this was a blip and not a downturn in the school’s performance.
• Inspectors checked standards in pupils’ books, especially in the current Year 6. They compared them with a sample of work from the previous cohort, now in Year 7. This activity confirmed that pupils had learned well across the curriculum, meeting age-expected standards. Pupils did not, however, repeat this level of work in the tests.
• Work in other pupils’ books, from other year groups, confirms that pupils are working at the right standards for their age. Notably, pupils read books that are aimed at their age band confidently and fluently.
• Pupils like reading and many make rapid progress in their reading with the help of a structured programme which runs across the whole school. Results from this system are impressive, with many pupils making over a year’s progress in a six-month period.
• Disadvantaged pupils keep pace with their classmates. Some of them do better than their peers in some areas of the curriculum. This is because teachers are attentive to their needs and provide additional support to help them overcome any barriers to learning.
• The progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is generally positive. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is adept at identifying pupils who are starting to struggle or fall behind. She ensures that professional external support, advice or guidance is sought so that specific help with communication difficulties or language development is provided quickly.
• Across the school, the most able pupils, including those with high prior attainment, do not consistently exceed age-related expectations. Few go on to work at greater depth in writing or to attain higher scores in reading or mathematics tests. Leaders have rightly identified that improvements in the provision for the most able are necessary. It is a priority in the school’s action plan.

Early years provision Good

• The early years is a strength of the school. The provision is led calmly and efficiently.
• Children make a flying start to their education at Chantry. This is because the team make sure they know as much as they can about each child before the year begins.
• Leaders work closely with parents to find out what children know, understand and can do already. Simple forms are used to gather this information as well as information about each child’s personal likes and dislikes.
• The team quickly establishes routines with the children so that they know what to do at each part of the day. Adults use rhymes and hand gestures effectively to make even the most ordinary activities, such as washing hands, fun.
• Teaching is highly effective in Reception. It is well planned but allows for flexibility if the need arises. Teaching covers all of the essential areas of learning in the early years.
• Teaching is thoughtfully organised to support early reading, the development of early writing and the acquisition of number skills. Inspectors saw several examples of children writing out correctly simple three-letter words, some spelling out their own names and all children enthusiastically counting well beyond the number 20. This was impressive given how early in the year the inspection took place. Given this strong start, not enough children attain even higher levels in reading, writing and number work by the end of Reception.
• Adults make accurate observations of each child’s daily development and record them carefully. This helps identify any who are at risk of falling behind or those who may have additional needs. Leaders use this information to provide or seek additional support. On occasion, they use the information to trigger further external support.
• Children are happy in Reception. They learn through play together using a wide array of different resources and materials. The outside space has been carefully designed to provide multiple learning opportunities. Many of these are adult-led but this means that even those with low starting points catch up quickly.
• Children benefit from skilfully led physical education. Although leadership of the subject is provided by an external company, adults join in each session so that they can reinforce learning at other times. In one of the sessions observed, children were learning to handle a ball securely while moving around, but were also getting support for colour recognition, following directions, and other gross motor skills.
• Children take turns and share resources nicely. Adults encourage these good behaviours so that there is a pleasant atmosphere at all times. Children extend this good behaviour into important school procedures such as lining up to go to lunch.
• Adults ensure that good standards of hygiene are maintained with well-established routines. There are no breaches of the statutory welfare requirements.
• By the end of Reception the large majority of children have attained a good level of development. In 2017, the proportion meeting this standard was above the national average. This repeated the outcomes in 2016 and 2015.
• Disadvantaged children do equally as well as their classmates in Reception. In 2017, for example, they did as well as other children nationally. In 2016, the proportion of disadvantaged children who attained this standard was greater than that of non-disadvantaged children. Leaders are aware that some of these children should now go on to attain the highest levels in tests or work at greater depth in, for example, writing.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 114427 East Sussex 10024673 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Anthony Thomas Rebecca Reed 01424 211 696 www.chantry.eschools.sch.uk school@chantry.e-sussex.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13−14 February 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Chantry Community primary is a smaller-than-average school.
• There are more boys than girls, especially in the current Year 6.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average but is relatively high.
• The vast majority of pupils are from White British households.
• There are very few pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who receive support for special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.
• The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is twice the national average.
• The school has a very stable population.
• The community that the school serves has above-average levels of deprivation.
• The school meets the government floor standards which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment in primary schools by the end of key stage 2.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 11 parts of lessons. One of these was jointly observed with the headteacher. This was in addition to two extended learning walks with the headteacher by the lead inspector on the first day of the inspection.
• Inspectors spoke with many pupils informally. The lead inspector met a group of six Year 6 pupils on the first day of the inspection. Inspectors listened to six pupils read. Inspectors also took account of 15 responses to Ofsted’s confidential online pupil survey.
• Inspectors spoke to 11 parents informally on the first day of the inspection. They considered 58 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s confidential online survey, and 35 free-text responses submitted through that system.
• Inspectors met with senior leaders regularly and conducted meetings with other leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.
• The lead inspector reviewed a wide range of the school’s documentation, including leaders’ assessment of pupils’ current and past outcomes. He also reviewed the leaders’ current self-evaluation document and the school’s improvement plan. The lead inspector examined information relating to safeguarding matters.

Inspection team

Simon Hughes, lead inspector Lesley Fisher-Pink Stephanie Scutter

Her Majesty's Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector