'Pupils flourish at this unique and exceptional school' in Kent, says Ofsted

Pupils and staff at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, located in Chislehurst, are celebrating after receiving their fantastic Ofsted report.

After an inspection in November, inspectors graded the school ‘Outstanding’ in all areas.

Following a change in the inspection framework in September 2024, schools are not given an overall judgement, but are graded in four areas: the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

This was the school’s first inspection under the new framework, when it had been previously graded ‘Good’ in 2023. Leaders at the school, which is part of Aquinas CE Education Trust, were delighted that inspectors reflected the positive improvements made, giving the school the top rating in every metric.

Ofsted commended the school’s “broad and ambitious curriculum” which “often exceeds the requirements of what is expected nationally” leading to pupils achieving “highly across the range of different subjects.” This was exemplified in the report by pupils in Year 4 studying “conservation before learning about sustainability and the environment in Year 6.”

The ambitious curriculum coupled with the “high-quality care and support” pupils receive throughout their time at St Nicholas CE Primary School means they are “very well prepared for the next stage of their education.”

Further highlights from the excellent report include:

· “Staff, parents and pupils are incredibly positive about the school.”

· “Parents value both the family atmosphere and the school’s high academic expectations.”

· Pupils “perform very well in national tests in English and mathematics.”

· “Relationships between all members of this small community are happy and harmonious.”

· “In class, pupils are curious and inquisitive. They show great enthusiasm and excitement for their learning.”

· “Reading is a key priority for the school.” “Pupils make very strong progress through the phonics programme.” “The school works closely with parents and carers to ensure that pupils read regularly at home.”

· “The school identifies the needs of the small number of pupils with SEND quickly. It ensures that their curriculum is skilfully adapted to support their learning. As a result, these pupils achieve very well.”

· “The behaviour of pupils is exemplary.”

· “Teachers and support staff appreciate the support that they receive with their professional development and workload. They particularly value the network support meetings provided by the trust.”

Laura Williams, Headteacher at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, said: “I am incredibly proud of this Ofsted report and the hard work of every member of staff, who go above and beyond to deliver an exceptional education.

“I was particularly pleased that Ofsted recognised our family atmosphere and high expectations, which reflects the welcoming and supportive learning environment we endeavour to create for our pupils”.

Kathy Griffiths, CEO of Aquinas Church of England Education Trust, said: “This exceptional report has captured perfectly St. Nicholas CE Primary School. As a trust, we look forward to continuing to work with the school to deliver life transforming learning for children in our community.”