Rochester Riverside Church of England Primary School

Overview

Rochester Riverside Church of England Primary School is a newly formed academy where pupils are "proud of their newly formed school community" and value their diverse environment. The inspection found that leaders are "keenly focused on continuing to build and develop the school in line with their ambitious vision," resulting in a calm, happy atmosphere where pupils feel safe and supported.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate "kindness and respect" and enjoy a "calm and happy environment" with warm relationships between staff and learners.
• Reading is a clear priority; pupils "quickly develop their phonics knowledge" and enjoy using "exciting reading areas" such as the reading balcony.
• Children make a "strong start in the early years," developing secure mathematical knowledge and applying it independently.
• Staff use "secure subject knowledge to model learning" and question pupils effectively to check understanding.
• The school successfully integrates new pupils, who "quickly learn the school’s routines and high expectations for learning and behaviour."

Areas to improve

• In some subjects, the curriculum does not "identify precisely the sequence of knowledge and skills," limiting pupils' ability to develop detailed, subject-specific understanding over time.
• Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not receive "precise help and support," meaning they do not achieve as well as they could; leaders must equip staff with the necessary expertise.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."