Folkestone, St Peter’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils become active members of the school and local community. They contribute positively to the life of the school through the effective school council and other responsibilities. For example, sports leaders help to plan exciting breaktime activities.

Pupils work with the wider community through a range of projects. This includes collaboration with local artists and music groups. Pupils also plan fundraising events for local charities and participate in annual charity performances.

The s...chool ensures that all pupils can contribute to their local community. Pupils take these responsibilities seriously.

Pupils behave well and have excellent attitudes to learning.

They know the school expectations and follow them closely. This is evident in the focused and purposeful environment. Pupils feel safe and know that staff will manage any issues or worries effectively.

Pupils are happy and enjoy learning at this nurturing and inclusive school. Teachers have high ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard to meet these expectations.

They discuss their work excitedly and are keen to share the skills and knowledge they learn. Pupils' work shows that they are well prepared for their next steps. They learn the important skills and knowledge that they need.

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

The school has responded swiftly to low national assessments in 2024. These results are not typical, and recent refinement of the curriculum has had a clear, positive impact. The school has planned an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils, including those in mixed-age classes.

Teachers have identified the key skills and knowledge that pupils need to learn. This begins in early years. Pupils revisit this content and build on their prior learning effectively over time.

For example, in design and technology, pupils can recall the stitches that they have learned in previous years and know when they should use these techniques.

Teachers have secure knowledge of the lessons they teach. They explain learning clearly and check pupils' understanding carefully.

As a result, pupils generally have age-appropriate understanding of the subjects that they learn. Pupils write in a variety of styles. Their work is well presented, and their spelling is accurate.

Younger pupils write at length confidently. However, there is greater variance among some older pupils, who do not always have enough opportunities to write at length. Pupils learn a variety of mathematical processes.

They can apply these accurately to solve a variety of problems. However, some pupils' recall of number facts is not always fluent enough and they cannot apply this knowledge as effectively.

The school has made reading a priority.

Skilled staff teach phonics consistently well. Pupils in the early stages of reading learn the sounds and letters that they need to become fluent readers. Teachers check pupils' knowledge of these precisely.

This helps staff to plan high-quality interventions that support pupils who fall behind to catch up quickly. Pupils read with increasing confidence and fluency as they move through the school. Pupils enjoy a variety of high-quality texts that they explore through drama activities.

This helps them to recall the texts that they have read.

The school has robust processes to identify the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. This means that teachers know pupils' barriers to learning and adapt their teaching effectively.

These adaptations are high quality and staff use them skilfully. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the same content as their peers and achieve well.

The school has well-designed classroom routines.

Children in early years learn them quickly, and this helps them to concentrate well and play cooperatively. Staff build warm relationships with pupils. Pupils are well-motivated and enjoy school.

The school tracks behaviour and attendance carefully. It uses this to plan appropriate support for pupils who need it. Consequently, pupils attend frequently, and this is improving steadily.

The school prioritises pupils' personal development. Pupils learn how to stay safe online and how to maintain their physical health. They know the importance of a healthy diet and the need for exercise.

Pupils learn important qualities, such as resilience, through the curriculum and the high-quality pastoral support that they receive. Pupils work with the school counsellor and learn techniques to help them manage their feelings effectively. Pupils remember these strategies, which helps them to behave well and persevere at their work.

Governors are knowledgeable and hold the same high ambitions as leaders. They offer appropriate levels of support and challenge. Leaders are reflective.

They know the school well and refine the curriculum to meet the needs of the pupils effectively. The dedicated staff work collaboratively in the best interests of their pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The impact of COVID-19 and the historical teaching of writing mean some older pupils do not have the appropriate stamina for extended pieces of writing. Consequently, a small number of pupils do not write with sufficient length in some of their work. The school needs to ensure that it continues to embed the new approaches to writing for all pupils and improve older pupils' stamina for writing extended pieces.

• Pupils do not always recall key number facts with appropriate fluency. As a result, some pupils cannot always apply their mathematical knowledge accurately enough. The school has begun to address this but should ensure that pupils have opportunities to practise key number skills sufficiently well to improve their fluency and recall.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2015.