Dame Janet Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that progress for all groups of pupils in all classes is persistently strong and that more pupils achieve greater depth in their knowledge skills and understanding, by:
  • providing more opportunities to develop pupils’ deep learning, especially in the foundation subjects
  • enabling all teachers to have the very highest expectations for what pupils can achieve, including in the presentation of their work.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The executive headteacher, head of school and deputy headteacher work very effectively as a strong team. Their determination and resolute leadership has successfully improved the quality of teaching and learning and consequently raised standards since the previous inspection. Leaders, including trust members and governors, have secured and embedded a positive culture and ethos within the school and raised aspirations and expectations.
• Staff, in response to their survey, express their confidence in the leadership. They agree that the school has improved, share leaders’ ambitious vision and are committed to providing the best for pupils.
• Staff appreciate the professional development opportunities open to them to enhance and develop their skills. They are supported well through opportunities to work closely together in school and develop effective teamwork. Senior leaders set great store in getting the best from staff and developing leadership skills. New leaders have been appointed to increase leadership capacity and are well placed to continue and sustain school improvement. There are beneficial links with other local trust schools for staff and governors and the trust provides specific support and training.
• Leaders’ effective monitoring and evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement are accurate and inform the plans for further development. There are clear milestones for when things will be achieved, which helps leaders and governors to assess the impact and success of their actions.
• The improvements in the quality of teaching and learning and the renewed curriculum have had a notable impact on pupils’ progress. The curriculum is broad, balanced and vibrant, providing pupils with a wealth of exciting and inspiring opportunities. There is a sharp focus on reading, writing and mathematics, but not to the detriment of the wider curriculum. Leaders make effective use of staff expertise to enhance pupils’ experiences of, for example, modern foreign languages.
• Where appropriate, subjects are linked together as part of projects, which provide memorable learning experiences for pupils. Leaders are rightly aware that they are not yet consistently seeing the same depth of learning in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding in some foundation subjects that is evident in their English and mathematics.
• The school values of determination, joy, pride and achievement are woven into school life and have a demonstrable impact on the culture and ethos in the school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, including the promotion of fundamental British values, underpins all aspects of the curriculum and the school’s work. As well as a wide range of clubs and visits, the curriculum is enriched in many ways. For example, the school is a Shakespeare school, which gives pupils opportunities to work and perform with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s learning and performance network. The school grounds are used well to provide outdoor learning opportunities such as forest school, where pupils learn by exploring and creating with natural materials. This range of activities makes a significant contribution to pupils’ outstanding personal development as well as their academic achievements.
• Leaders make very effective use of the pupil premium funding. Disadvantaged pupils, over half of the school population, make at least good progress. Leaders, including governors, monitor the success of the actions taken and are not afraid to adapt approaches when needed to improve their impact as, for example, with reading.
• Sports premium funding is used well. A full-time specialist sports coach works with staff and pupils to enhance skills and improve outcomes.
• Leaders keep a close check on additional funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. They have correctly identified that improving the progress of this group of pupils is a priority and concerted action is in place to address this.
• Too few parents responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, to draw any conclusions. However, inspectors looked at the school’s own survey of parents, which had very positive responses, indicating that parents are pleased with what the school does and are supportive of its work. Parents spoken to at the start of the day echoed this view. Parents who did send in written comments on Parent View expressed their particular appreciation for the care and support given to pupils. One parent wrote that staff ‘go above and beyond to ensure that all children in their care get the best start in life both academically and personally’.

Governance of the school

• Since the previous inspection, the structure of governance has been reorganised by the trust. There is a joint local governing body and a local governance committee. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. As a result, governance has improved considerably since the previous inspection.
• Governors know that they are accountable and hold leaders to account effectively for the school’s performance. A notable improvement has been the checks that governors now make on the pupil premium funding to ensure that it is being spent wisely and making a difference for pupils.
• Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the school.
• Governors understand and fulfil their statutory duties well, including those relating to safeguarding and welfare.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Pupils and parents report care and welfare as very strong aspects of the school.
• There is a very strong culture of safeguarding in the school, with pupils at the heart of all of the school’s work. Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that they are well cared for and supported by all adults. In the school’s own survey, almost all parents agree that their children feel safe in school. All staff agree that the school keeps pupils safe.
• There is very effective teamwork to ensure that no potential issues around pupils’ safety and well-being are missed. Staff are vigilant. They are well trained to identify and act upon any concerns. The systems and procedures that they follow are well established and known by all staff. There are six designated safeguarding leads to ensure that there is always someone on site in each of the buildings for staff to go to if they have a concern.
• Rigorous procedures are in place, including risk assessments, to ensure the safety of pupils and staff as they move between the two school buildings. Similar rigour is established for the forest school and other outdoor activities as well as for trips.
• Careful records are kept of any concerns and any action taken. Leaders work very closely with other agencies, where appropriate, to ensure that pupils and their families receive timely and effective help and support.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Since the previous inspection, leaders have tackled successfully the weaker areas of teaching and learning that were identified for improvement. Across the school, teaching and learning are now good.
• There are very positive relationships between staff and pupils. As a result, pupils are confident to take risks in their learning and have a go, as they know that their efforts will be valued and encouraged. Pupils want to do well and work hard.
• Pupils respond well to teachers’ clear and high expectations for conduct in lessons. Pupils work well together, supporting each other successfully with their learning. Pupils have good attitudes to learning, are engaged and interested. They clearly enjoy what they do.
• Teachers’ good subject knowledge enables them to explain things clearly to pupils. Teachers use questioning well to challenge pupils’ thinking and check what they know. In some groups, however, pupils are not always clear about what they are learning or the purpose of the activities.
• Teaching assistants work closely with teachers and ensure that those pupils who need additional support have the right help.
• Tasks are usually well matched to the different needs of pupils. Sometimes, however, the most challenging work is too easy for some of the most able pupils and so they do not always make the best progress that they could.
• Phonics skills are taught well and used effectively by most pupils to help them read unfamiliar words. These skills get them off to a good start in the early years and key stage 1.
• Reading for enjoyment is promoted well. Teachers include motivating and inspiring texts as part of their project planning to spark pupils’ interest. Pupils in Year 6, for example, were thoroughly absorbed in the class text of ‘Frankenstein’ as part of their project work.
• Pupils write extensively across a range of subjects and learn about the features that make different styles of writing successful, for example writing diary extracts or biographies.
• Effective strategies have improved teaching and learning in mathematics. There is a continuing focus on pupils’ ability to apply their knowledge and develop mathematical reasoning skills. Pupils are increasingly adept at explaining their thinking rather than simply seeking to get the right answer. This approach is helping them to make good progress.
• Within the overall picture of good and much improved teaching and learning, there are occasions where expectations are not always high enough, often, but not exclusively, for the most able pupils. For example, presentation and handwriting are not always of the same high quality in all books in Year 5 and Year 6. In addition, in some foundation subjects, there is inconsistency in the depth of pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding achieved.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Adults provide a very safe and nurturing environment where pupils learn to respect each other and adults, get along together and learn without fear of discrimination of any kind. They are very polite, friendly, caring and welcoming and have curious, lively and enquiring minds.
• Pupils develop very positive attitudes to school and their learning. They are proud of their achievements. They thrive at the school because they are encouraged to develop self-esteem, confidence, and resilience as learners with high aspirations, often from a low base. These attributes help them make strong progress and prepare them very well for the next stage of their education. One parent wrote, ‘I have every confidence that my daughter will do well at secondary school, this is because Dame Janet has made her confident, tolerant and a very caring child.’
• Relationships between adults and pupils are very strong and trusting. Pupils say that they feel well cared for and very safe in school. They understand how to keep safe in a range of situations in and out of school, including when online and using the internet safely.
• Pupils have an excellent awareness that bullying can take different forms. They appreciate the difference between bullying and friends falling out. They say that bullying is very rare in school but are very confident that if any issues should arise, teachers would listen to them and sort things out.
• Pupils have many opportunities to learn about maintaining healthy lifestyles through healthy eating, exercise and making good choices. Pupils’ physical and emotional well-being have high priority.
• Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they are given and take them seriously; these include roles as prefects, play leaders and eco-warriors.
• The breakfast club provides a safe, healthy, social and happy start to the day.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. The atmosphere around the school is calm and purposeful. Pupils conduct themselves well as they move around the school and during playtimes and lunchtimes. They are well supervised and encouraged to take responsibility for their own conduct, which they do well.
• Pupils are mostly attentive in lessons and behave well. Disruptions to lessons are rare and the consequences of any poor behaviour are well known and understood by pupils.
• Pupils demonstrate tolerance and understanding of those who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. Pupils with specific behaviour needs are supported effectively to minimise any disruption to the learning of others.
• Leaders have worked extremely hard and with great determination to improve attendance in the school. Last year, attendance improved from the previous three years and remained close to the national figure for primary schools. The proportion of pupils who were persistently absent last year reduced dramatically, almost halving, from the previous two years.
• The school attendance officer and the education welfare officer for the Thanet TKAT schools work closely together as an effective team with the safeguarding leader and the parental support advisers. The attendance of individuals and groups is monitored carefully. Staff go the extra mile to encourage regular attendance and punctuality.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Improvements to the quality of teaching and learning mean that pupils make stronger progress in reading, writing and mathematics in all year groups than was the case at the previous inspection. Pupils’ stronger progress and their outstanding personal development prepare them well for the next stage of their education.
• For the past two years, pupils in Year 6, including disadvantaged pupils, have made very good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points at the end of key stage 1. School data and work in pupils’ books shows that current pupils are making good progress. Across year groups, classes and some foundation subjects, however, rates of progress are too variable.
• Standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 are steadily improving. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard is close to the national average. The proportion of pupils achieving high standards in their learning has increased in reading, writing and mathematics although it is below the national figures, particularly in mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling.
• The proportion of pupils that reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been close to the national average for the past two years as a result of an improved approach to teaching and learning phonics. By the end of Year 2 in 2018, almost all pupils achieved the expected standard.
• Pupils in key stage 1 make strong progress from their starting points. The proportion of pupils who achieve the expected standard and greater depth in learning is below the national average. Standards are rising, however, particularly in writing.
• Disadvantaged pupils make similar good progress to others and often they do better. The progress of disadvantaged pupils currently in school is generally in line with the school’s expectations, and, as with other pupils, there is a little variation across the classes.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make steady progress from their varied starting points. Leaders have previously identified that there is further work to do to secure the rates of progress required for this group of pupils to match the progress rates of their peers, in school and nationally.

Early years provision Good

• Children make good and sometimes very rapid progress from starting points that are generally well below those typical for their ages when they start in the Nursery or the Reception class.
• The proportion of children who reach a good level of development by the end of the early years has improved year on year, although it remains below the national figure. Most children catch up quickly and are ready to continue learning in Year 1.
• Children settle happily and quickly into the routines of the day and quickly develop confidence and independence. Staff provide a warm, welcoming and safe environment in the Nursery and the Reception classes. Children’s well-being is paramount. All of their welfare needs are met. All necessary actions are taken to support children whose circumstances may make them vulnerable
• One parent wrote about the Nursery: ‘From the start we have always felt very welcome and comfortable. He absolutely loves going to Nursery and always talks in a positive manner about his experiences. He can now count and recognise higher numbers and has really enjoyed learning phonics.’
• The early years is led and managed well. Assessments of children’s achievements are robust: progress is tracked accurately and informs the next steps for development.
• Teaching and learning are good. Adults provide stimulating and motivating learning activities that are well planned to meet the needs and interests of the children.
• The outdoor areas provide experiences in all areas of learning and children benefit from weekly forest school visits. There is an ongoing focus on children making their own choices and initiating their own play and learning to ensure that more children achieve at least a good level of development by the end of the early years.
• There is an appropriate early focus on speech and language and pre-writing skills and lots of singing and stories that capture children’s interest and enjoyment.
• Children are kind and help each other. They listen to adults and learn how to keep themselves safe.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 138972 Kent 10053328 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 465 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Roger Silk Sam Atkinson 01843 591807 www.damejanet-tkat.org office@djpa-tkat.org Date of previous inspection 21–22 June 2016

Information about this school

• Dame Janet Primary Academy is larger than the average sized primary school. There are two classes in the Reception and in Years 1 and 2. There are three classes in each of the key stage 2 year groups.
• The school has a Nursery that provides morning and afternoon sessions. The minimum age of admission is three years.
• The school is a member of The Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT). The management of the trust is by the TKAT Board of trustees. The school also has a local governing body that provides governance for this school and another Thanet TKAT school. The executive headteacher leads both of these schools.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium funding is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average as is the proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan.
• The early years and the Year 1, 2 and 3 classes are in one building and the rest of the classes are in another building. The two buildings, the old infant and junior schools, are separated by a public footpath.
• The school provides a daily breakfast club.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning in all classes and examined work in pupils’ books. Most observations and learning walks were conducted jointly with the executive headteacher, head of school or deputy headteacher.
• Inspectors met with groups of pupils, talked to them about their learning and listened to some pupils read. They observed pupils in the playground and at lunchtimes.
• Discussions were held with the executive headteacher, head of school, deputy headteacher, and other staff with key leadership responsibilities. Meetings were held with the regional executive director of TKAT, the chair of the local governing body and another governor responsible for safeguarding, behaviour and welfare and pupils with SEN and/or disabilities.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents including leaders’ checks on the school’s performance and the quality of teaching, the school development plan, information on pupils’ progress and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safeguarding.
• There were only 13 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, which included nine written responses. Inspectors took account of the school’s own survey of parents which had 124 responses. They also spoke to some parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors took account of 44 responses to the questionnaire for staff.

Inspection team

Margaret Coussins, lead inspector Sean McKeown Graham Chisnell

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector