Wrotham Road Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher, senior leaders and governors provide strong leadership for the school. As a result of their work, significant improvements have been made since the previous inspection.

Teaching and learning have improved and are now good. Overall, pupils make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 6, pupils' achievement is broadly in line with national expectations.

Gaps between the achievements of different groups are beginning to narrow. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve as well as others by the end of Year 6. Children get a good start to school in the e...arly years.

Their behaviour is outstanding. Children make good progress, develop confidence and independence and are ready to make a positive start to their learning in Year 1. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and want to do well.

They have good, trusting relationships with their teachers and other adults in the school. Pupils behave well in lessons, in the playgrounds and around the school. They are polite and friendly and show respect towards each other and adults.

Pupils feel safe in school and are well looked after. Pupils' well-being has a high priority and staff often 'go the extra mile' to support pupils and their families who may be vulnerable. Parents are supportive of the school.

Inspectors agree with a parent who reflected the views of several with the comment: 'The school has made significant progress in the last couple of years. The teaching and leadership is really positive, with our children making good progress in each year.' There is a shared ambition and determination to build on the improvements already made.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : The quality of teaching and learning is not yet outstanding. This means that not enough pupils make the rapid progress of which they are capable. They are not always challenged sufficiently, particularly the most able pupils.

Although improving, boys' achievement in writing lags behind that of girls. Pupils' reasoning skills in mathematics are not yet good enough. When senior and middle leaders check the quality of teaching and learning, they do not always systematically challenge the few remaining inconsistencies to help lift pupils' achievement.

Information about this school

Wrotham Road is larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils who come from minority ethnic backgrounds is much higher than the national figure. Just under one third of the pupils are of White British heritage and a similar proportion are from Indian backgrounds.

There are smaller numbers from a wide range of ethnic groups. The largest of these are pupils from other White backgrounds. Over half of the pupils speak English as an additional language, which is well above average.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.

Children in the two Reception classes attend full time. Children in the Nursery class attend for a morning or afternoon session. There are two classes in all other year groups.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school provides a daily breakfast and after-school club.