Elham Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 July 2022

Pupils, staff, parents and governors all praise Elham for its strong, positive 'family feel'. As one parent said, 'The school maintains a real family feel where all the children know each other and look out for each other.' The school is a happy, caring community. Pupils live up to teachers' high expectations and uphold the vision of 'Respect, Support, Inspire'. Pupils enjoy their learning. They know that teachers always help and encourage them and expect them to do their best. Pupils feel very safe in school because their safety and well-being are top priorities. Staff know each pupil as an individual and there are strong, positive relationships between pupils and adults. Pupils behave well. Any unkindness is rare. Pupils are confident to talk to staff if they have any worries or problems. Staff help pupils to resolve any conflicts quickly. This includes any bullying, which most pupils say does not happen very often. Pupils and parents appreciate the wide range of opportunities provided to broaden pupils' experiences and skills. Pupils say that they particularly love learning out of doors, looking after the chickens and going on theatre trips, as well as the after-school clubs, including sports, art, dance and gardening.

What the school should improve

• Some aspects of the curriculum have been introduced relatively recently. Leaders do not yet know definitively the impact on pupils' learning. They need to monitor the implementation of the curriculum carefully and rigorously, making adjustments as necessary, to assure themselves that all groups of pupils are achieving as well as they can.

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