South Borough Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The executive headteacher and the head of school are ambitious for the school. They have worked effectively with the staff and the trust to ensure that teaching, learning, assessment and behaviour have improved across the school. These elements are now at a good standard.

Middle leaders work hard to ensure that their responsibilities are well managed. The development opportunities offered by the trust and senior leadership are further developing new leaders' skills and knowledge and enabling them to become more strategic in their approach. Most pupils achieve well and make good progress in the core areas of the curriculum.

Recent changes ...in the teaching of reading and writing are having a positive impact on all pupils' achievement. However, some pupils require further support and challenge in order to progress further. Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are well supported and consequently make good progress, particularly in English.

Teaching assistants are skilled and well trained. They work closely with teachers and give effective extra support to pupils. Expectations are high for all pupils.

The curriculum is broad and incorporates many different aspects of learning well. Links across the curriculum are strong. In many areas teachers' good subject knowledge ensures that pupils are engaged and learn well.

However, the work for the most able pupils is sometimes not demanding enough. Pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous and show good concern for the needs of others.

Pupils enjoy school. They are kept safe and feel safe. Early years is well led and the team works hard to ensure that children are well cared for and enjoy a range of learning experiences, both inside the class and outside.

As a consequence, children make good progress. Parents are overwhelmingly positive in their views of the school and are pleased with the recent improvements. They feel that their children learn well and are well looked after.

The local governing body is ambitious for the school. Governors challenge and support leaders effectively. They make regular purposeful visits to the school and consequently understand the breadth of its work well.

Information about this school

South Borough Primary School is an average-sized primary school. Following the inspection of the predecessor school, the school converted to become an academy in 2015 and is part of the Swale Academies Trust. The trust provides development opportunities across all aspects of the school.

Some financial and human resource processes are centralised. The school is in the process of expanding from one-form to two-form entry. Years 3 to 6 currently contain one class per year group and Years 1 and 2 have two classes each.

Reception currently has three classes as the school was requested to take an additional class for this academic year. The school has 26 nursery places in the morning and afternoon and children attend full or part time. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average and increasing.

The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium is broadly average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is broadly average. More than half of these pupils have speech, language and communication difficulties or a moderate learning difficulty.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. The headteacher was appointed as the acting headteacher in 2013, became the substantive headteacher in 2015 and is now the executive headteacher, with responsibility for another school within the Swale Academies Trust. The head of school takes responsibility for the day-to-day running of the school, including assessment and the use of pupil premium.

A deputy headteacher, who is employed by the trust, works across three schools. As part of the senior leadership team he takes responsibility for the core curriculum areas of English and mathematics at South Borough Primary School, the assessment of newly qualified teachers, and trainee teachers under the School Direct scheme. The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for five days a week.

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