St Augustine of Canterbury CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 October 2024

Pupils are excited to learn and look forward to coming to school each day. Visitors receive a warm welcome here. Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy talking about their learning. They feel safe here. The small team of highly dedicated staff take great care to get to know pupils and their families well. Pupils know there are trusted adults they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns. The school has high expectations for behaviour and pupils strive to meet these. The environment in lessons and around the school is calm and purposeful. Everyone works to embody the school's 'ACE' values. Pupils look forward to the weekly assembly where they celebrate each other's achievements. There have been recent changes to the curriculum which demonstrate the school's ambition for pupils' learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Each term, pupils develop their learning through a wide range of enriching experiences. These include trips to the local woods, a guided tour of the Thames Tunnel and encounters with mini beasts. Pupils take their leadership roles seriously, including being members of the school parliament and eco-ambassadors.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the curriculum does not make clear what the important knowledge is that pupils should learn. Where this is the case, pupils' understanding and recall of their learning is not secure. The school should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects identifies important content so that teachers know which knowledge to prioritise.
• Sometimes, the activities selected for pupils do not reflect the curriculum intent. This limits opportunities for pupils to build on what they know. The school should ensure that the activities set are tightly focused on curriculum aims, so they develop pupils' subject-specific knowledge and skills effectively.
• The school's focus on improving the adaptation of teaching has not been applied to the curriculum for relationships and health education. This means that some pupils, particularly those with high levels of need, are not learning the essential content they need to help keep themselves safe and prepare for adolescence. The school must ensure that staff have the necessary training and support to deliver this content so that pupils develop the understanding they need.

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