Chelsfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this small, friendly school. The school's values of kindness, unity and ambition are demonstrated by pupils on a day-to-day basis. This begins in Reception, where children quickly learn routines and settle well into school life.

Relationships between adults and children are warm and nurturing. Many pupils describe the school as being like a family.

The school has undergone a period of change recently.

Most stakeholders say that they think the school is 'on the up', although they recognise that there is more work to do. The school is working hard to improve its broad and ambitious curriculum. Some changes have already had a positive impa...ct, for example in the teaching of phonics.

Other changes to the curriculum are still in development. However, leaders have high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Because of this, pupils learn well overall.

Pupils are excited about the new roles and responsibilities that are available to them. Many pupils have joined the school council. It is working towards an 'eco-award' for the school.

Some older pupils run the school's healthy tuck shop. They have used the profits to buy playground equipment. Other pupils have organised 'Chelsfield's Got Talent' and the 'Fun Friday Club'.

Pupils also produce a regular school newspaper.

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

Reading is a priority at the school. Children start phonics as soon as they join in the Reception Year.

This helps them to quickly gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become confident, fluent readers. The books that they take home match the sounds that they are learning in class. Staff receive high-quality training.

This helps to ensure that the phonics programme is taught well. The school identifies pupils who fall behind quickly. It ensures that they receive the correct extra support to catch up with their peers.

This focus on early reading prepares pupils effectively for learning the wider curriculum.

The wider curriculum is framed around the three 'curriculum drivers' of equality, growth mindset and sustainability. The curriculum matches and at times exceeds what is expected nationally.

For example, pupils are expected to use their knowledge of French in daily school life, including during assemblies, when ordering lunch and when greeting staff at the gate. In most subjects, the key knowledge pupils should learn has been selected and sequenced carefully. For example, children in Reception learn about past and present and their own personal timeline.

They then deepen their understanding of wider historical chronology in older years. However, in a small number of subjects the curriculum is still in development. The school has not fully decided on the key knowledge that pupils must learn and remember.

As a result, the curriculum is not as effective in enabling pupils to build up a firm body of knowledge in these subjects over time.

Pupils achieve well and this is reflected in published outcomes. Typically, pupils with SEND are supported to learn alongside their peers, wherever possible, and most achieve well from their different starting points.

This is because most staff make appropriate adaptations to their learning and the environment to support equal access. In most subjects, teachers have strong subject knowledge and explain concepts clearly. Occasionally, this is less secure, and teaching does not check pupils' understanding carefully.

This means that errors and misconceptions are sometimes repeated in pupils' work.

The school recently introduced a new behaviour policy. There are clear routines and high expectations for behaviour.

In the early years, children build up their concentration skills and learn to regulate their emotions. Pupils behave well in lessons and in the playground. They get on well with each other, and disruptions to learning are rare.

When they do occur, staff use consistent strategies to promote positive behaviour. The attendance of pupils is a high priority for the school. Leaders work hard to address any absences.

As a result, pupils' attendance is improving over time.

The school provides pupils with a range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests, for example in art, music and technology. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

They learn about equality and diversity, for example, through the careful choice of whole-class reading texts. They visit a range of places of worship and deepen their understanding of democracy by voting in school elections. Pupils also learn about how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

Leaders and governors at all levels are committed to the school. They collaborate effectively to support ongoing school improvement. Staff value the benefits of the school's joint working with another local small school.

They enjoy working at the school and appreciate support for their well-being and the high-quality training that they receive. The school recognises that further guidance and training are required to ensure that teaching delivers the curriculum consistently well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not, at present, decided on the key knowledge that pupils must learn and the order in which they should learn it. As a result, sometimes pupils' knowledge is not developed in a progressive manner. The school should develop the curriculum in those subjects more fully in order to ensure that pupils' learning deepens as the school intends and pupils remember detailed knowledge in the long term.

• Subject and subject pedagogical knowledge is still being developed in some subjects. As a result, the curriculum is not implemented in classrooms as effectively as it could be. The school should build on its existing work to ensure that there is strong expertise in how to implement the curriculum effectively.

At times, pupils' learning is not checked carefully. This means that teaching sometimes moves on before pupils have fully understood what they are learning. The school should ensure that teaching uses effective checks to ensure that pupils have a secure knowledge and understanding of their learning.