Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Since arriving at the school the headteacher has ensured that teaching has improved further so that it is now outstanding. Pupils make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics, as well as many other subjects.

They reach standards which are well above average. Teachers plan work which pupils find exciting and focuses extremely well on developing their skills. Pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium also make rapid progress.

Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs progress quickly because : they are supported effectively by well-trained adults. The most-able pupils are given challeng...ing work to do, and they enjoy grappling with this. They also benefit from wider opportunities for learning at higher levels, through links with some local secondary schools.

The Early Years Foundation Stage is a great strength of the school. Adults provide inspiring opportunities and use children's own play and interests to develop stimulating tasks. Behaviour is exceptional.

Pupils are immensely proud of their school and of the learning they are doing. They feel that teachers give them work to do which is very interesting, and almost always just hard enough. They are also very proud of their sporting, musical and other achievements.

Pupils feel very safe at school, and feel that the school gives them excellent information to be able to stay safe. The new headteacher has quickly gained an accurate view of the performance of the school and developed an effective new leadership team. Together they identify the best practice in teaching, and help all the teachers know exactly what they need to do to improve further.

Governors and senior leaders make sure that all the necessary requirements to keep pupils safe are in place, particularly those to make sure that adults are appropriate to work with children.

Information about this school

This is a school of average size, with one class in each year group. Almost all pupils are White British.

The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action or at school action plus are below average. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium is below average, and very low in some classes, including in the Year 6 class who left in 2013. This is additional funding provided by the government to promote the attainment and progress of particular pupils.

These pupils include those who have been eligible for free school meals, children looked after by the local authority and children of parents serving in the armed forces. The school does not currently have any pupils in the latter two categories. More pupils than average leave or join the school other than at the usual times.

A new headteacher took up the post in September 2013. A new senior leadership team has been developed. The school meets the floor standards set by the government, which set the minimum expectations for the attainment and progress for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2.

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