Yalding, St Peter and St Paul Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a good school located in Maidstone, Kent. The school has demonstrated effectiveness in leadership and management, teaching, personal development, behavior, welfare, and pupil outcomes. The inspection conducted in January 2019 highlighted that pupils achieve well both personally and academically, taking pride in their accomplishments across various subjects, including music and physical education. The school promotes pupils' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development effectively, contributing significantly to their overall personal development and behavior.
The Reception Year provides a thoughtfully designed environment that fosters quick engagement for children. By the end of key stage two, pupils attain well in reading, writing, and mathematics, surpassing national averages. The school has seen a marked improvement in the proportion of the most able pupils reaching higher standards by the end of Year six. Leaders and governors have successfully linked learning across different subjects, particularly enhancing writing opportunities in history.
Current senior leadership is focused on moving the school in a positive direction, with high expectations for teaching quality. Senior leaders have made significant improvements and are aware of areas needing further development. While pupils perform well across various subjects, the quality of learning varies, and subject leaders are beginning to take a more active role in improvement strategies. The school has identified several areas for enhancement, although prioritization of these areas could be improved to ensure focused efforts on the most impactful changes.
The effectiveness of leadership and management is evident in the clear and realistic self-evaluation conducted by leaders, which is grounded in reliable evidence. The headteacher articulates expectations clearly and provides a balanced approach of support and challenge to teachers. The promotion of pupils' personal development is a notable success, with pupils engaging deeply in various topics and demonstrating respect for diversity.
Governance is effective, with governors maintaining a dual focus on statutory duties and supporting the school's improvement. They are diligent and committed, using a range of information to stay informed and asking insightful questions to challenge the school’s performance. The safeguarding arrangements are robust, ensuring that pupils feel safe and well cared for.
Teaching quality is generally good, with effective development of pupils' knowledge across subjects. Pupils are engaged and participate actively in lessons, supported by well-deployed teaching assistants. The teaching of phonics is effective, and pupils develop strong reading and writing skills. Mathematics teaching is sequenced logically, although science teaching shows variability in quality.
Pupils' personal development and welfare are well-promoted, with positive attitudes towards learning and a strong sense of self-confidence. The behavior of pupils is good, supported by a refined behavior policy that fosters a culture of forgiveness. Pupils feel safe and are well-informed about keeping safe, including online safety.
Overall, pupils make strong progress from their starting points, with attainment in reading, writing, and mathematics well above national averages. The school has a strong focus on early literacy skills, and children in the Reception Year make good progress. The school is committed to continuous improvement, with leaders aware of areas needing further development to enhance the quality of education for all pupils.
