Eastchurch Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 May 2026

Although pupils at Eastchurch are keen to learn and they enjoy school when they are there, too many miss out on their education because they do not attend regularly. These pupils do not benefit fully from lessons or the wider activities on offer. This affects how well they learn over time. Pupils generally enjoy their lessons and respond well to the support that staff provide. However, teaching does not consistently help pupils build securely on what they already know, particularly in writing and mathematics. As a result, some pupils struggle to move on to more complex work. They do not achieve as well as they could. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not receive the support they need to make progress. There is variability in how well staff adapt teaching in some classes, meaning that some pupils do not access the curriculum in full. On the whole, pupils behave well around the school. Pupils are polite, respectful and welcoming. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm. Established habits and routines at the beginning of each day support a calm and purposeful start to each morning. Staff greet pupils personally and know them well. Pupils know who to speak to if they have a concern, and staff support them effectively when difficulties, including bullying concerns, arise. Pupils feel cared for and safe. They know that discrimination is not tolerated. Children in the early years settle happily and build confidence from the start. Generally, pupils benefit from a range of experiences beyond the classroom. These experiences help them develop confidence and begin to understand the wider world. However, some pupils leave school without the knowledge and skills that they need to be well prepared for life in modern Britain and for their next steps.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should further strengthen their work to improve pupils' attendance and reduce rates of persistent absence to ensure that all pupils benefit from regular attendance and full access to the curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that teaching, including in the early years, consistently meets the school's expectations. They should support staff to use appropriate resources, materials and activities so that the aims of the curriculum are realised, and pupils remember more of what they are taught.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils are given the support and practice they need to develop accuracy and fluency in writing, particularly in handwriting, spelling and punctuation, so that pupils write well across the curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is implemented effectively across the school so that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, develop secure knowledge and understanding.
• Leaders and those responsible for governance should build on the school's recent improvements and strategic direction, working in partnership with staff, parents and carers, to further strengthen collaboration to support improved systems and approaches.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)