Charlton Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Charlton Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Sally-Anne Hanson. This school is part of The Diocese of Canterbury Academies 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), Annie Wiles, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sue Butterworth.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show great pride in being part of this warm and caring school community. They have strong relationships with staff and respond well to teachers' high expectations.

Pupils behave exceptionally well and treat each ot...her with kindness. They enjoy sharing their achievements in assemblies and work hard to earn a place in the 'headteacher's golden book'. Pupils feel safe in school.

They know that staff will address any concerns that they may have.

Pupils are highly motivated and enthusiastic learners who relish discussing their learning with staff. They meet challenges with resilience and work independently to solve problems.

Pupils develop their own ideas and respond thoughtfully to teachers' guidance.

Pupils are very proud of the 'school of sanctuary' award that the school holds. They act as ambassadors for local refugee charities and arrange regular fundraising events that celebrate the diversity of the school community.

Pupils engage in rich debate and regularly encounter views that differ from their own. They show great maturity and sensitivity in their discussions.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has carefully considered what pupils need to learn.

The recently revised curriculum is ambitious and designed thoughtfully to help pupils meet teachers' high expectations. In response to the 2023 low published progress outcomes in reading and mathematics at key stage 2, leaders have made further adjustments to the curriculum and ensured that most pupils now achieve well. However, very occasionally, some pupils do not develop as deep an understanding as they could in some wider curriculum subjects because recent changes to the curriculum are still being embedded.

Pupils produce high-quality work that helps them to strengthen their learning and remember more over time. In Reception, children thrive in a rich and engaging learning environment and are always ready to dive into new learning. For example, they practise their writing as part of well-designed learning activities and participate excitedly in role plays to learn about celebrations.

Teachers explain learning clearly and children are well prepared to start Year 1.

The school has a very inclusive culture. Teachers identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately.

Teachers carefully adapt learning and ensure that those pupils with SEND who need more intensive support receive it quickly. This prepares them to learn alongside their peers. Teachers support pupils well in making connections between previous and new learning.

For example, Year 6 pupils used their knowledge of evacuees' experiences in the Second World War to begin to understand the experience of the characters in the book they were reading. Teachers use assessment purposefully to check what pupils know and remember. In Reception, staff use questioning very skilfully to ensure that children understand what is taught.

Leaders at all levels know that reading is the key to unlocking pupils' potential. As a result, the school prioritises reading. Well-trained staff teach children from Reception to begin to learn phonics swiftly.

Teachers choose a wide range of stories, rhymes and poems to enthuse and interest pupils and they develop a love of reading as they move through the year groups. Pupils' vocabulary becomes increasingly sophisticated as they get older and benefit fully from the school's carefully considered approach to promoting reading.

Pupils are enthusiastic and exceptionally focused learners.

They listen intently to teachers and each other, while showing respect for the opinions of others. Pupils show great courtesy to all, opening doors and happily tidying up after lessons. The school has worked tirelessly to improve attendance and this has had a significant impact.

As a result, pupils attend regularly and punctually. The school monitors the attendance of all pupils carefully and makes contact quickly with pupils who have low attendance and their families. The school makes timely referrals to external agencies, when needed, to help pupils attend regularly.

The school makes sure that personal development is a high priority. It has designed a programme of experiences and opportunities that enables all pupils to develop a rich array of skills and talents. Leaders at all levels are tireless in their ambition to support every child to fulfil their aspirations and become good citizens.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities to explore the local area, such as visiting Dover Castle and Fort Burgoyne. Pupils work hard to complete the aspirational 'Charlton Centenary' activities, exploring nature through pond-dipping and sharing their talents through regular musical performances. Pupils represent the school proudly in sporting competitions in the local area.

They build deep knowledge of world faiths and cultures and learn how to keep safe online and outside.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They know that the school offers support to every child and that staff meet pupils' individual needs well.

The school considers staff workload and well-being when developing policies and provides well-received training that supports staff well.

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The recent revisions to the mathematics curriculum have not yet been embedded fully.

Consequently, some pupils do not develop their understanding deeply enough in this subject. Leaders should continue to embed their ambitious and well-designed curriculum to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2018.