Benenden Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The determined and focused leadership of the headteacher, senior leaders and governors has secured ongoing improvement since the previous inspection.

As a result, the quality of teaching and learning and pupils' achievement are now good. One parent expressed the views of many with the comment, 'The school has worked hard over the last couple of years to move forward. In very difficult surroundings they make the most of everything they have and the children do not feel hard done by in any way.

This is a testament to the school, the teaching and the leadership within the school.' Inspection evidence fully supports this view. Effective teach...ing ensures that all groups of pupils generally make good progress and attain well by the time they leave the school.

By the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2, standards of attainment are above that found nationally. Reading is a strength in the school. Pupils read widely and develop as confident, fluent readers.

Phonics skills are taught well. Achievement in mathematics lags a little behind that in reading and writing because : pupils, particularly the most able, have not developed good enough skills in reasoning mathematically. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and enjoy their time at school.

They are friendly, caring and respectful to other pupils and adults. Behaviour is good. Pupils feel safe and happy and are well looked after.

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Safeguarding is rightly given a high priority in the school. Governors know the school well.

They hold leaders to account very effectively for pupils' achievement. Children get a good start to school in the Reception Year. They make good progress, develop confidence, independence and a love of learning.

Teachers know the pupils well and provide work that mostly meets their needs. However, sometimes teachers do not use assessment information effectively enough. This means that pupils, particularly the most able, do not always make the best possible progress.

The role of leaders in the foundation subjects is not yet developed sufficiently to have a strong enough impact on the quality of teaching and learning and pupils' achievement.

Information about this school

Benenden is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in six classes.

In the Reception Year, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3, pupils are taught in single age classes. There are two mixed-age classes, one for Year 4 and Year 5 and one for Year 5 and Year 6. Children attend full time in the Reception Year.

Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well below average. The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium funding is well below average.

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school met the 2015 floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The school's long-standing accommodation problems continue.

The school works across five sites based around the village green. The main school building houses the key stage 1 and key stage 2 classes. There is a separate early years building where all pupils have their hot school lunches.

The village hall, the memorial hall and the church are also used. There is no hall in the main school building. It is anticipated that a new school will be built for occupation in January 2018.