Dunham-on-Trent CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of the early years provision by ensuring that:
  • adults use the assessment information they collect to plan activities that challenge children, particularly the most able, so that they make good progress
  • leaders develop the environment and resources in the outdoor area so that they can support and extend children’s learning and progress.
• Further improve the teaching in key stage 1 so that pupils do well in the phonics screening check, the most able make the progress they should and standards continue to improve.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The leadership of the headteacher and her determined actions have secured improvement during a difficult time for the school. She has built a positive ethos that places rich learning experiences for pupils at the heart of the school’s work.
• Leaders have an accurate view of the strengths of the school and the aspects that they need to develop further. The school improvement plan is focused on these aspects and the priorities it sets out are well understood by the staff.
• Leadership, at all levels, is increasingly strong, particularly subject leadership. The work of subject leaders has had a positive impact on pupils’ progress, particularly in key stage 2.
• Parents and carers value the presence of the headteacher and other leaders outside the school at the start of the school day. They appreciate the opportunity to ask questions or raise any concerns. They said that any issues were quickly and efficiently addressed.
• Leaders make sure that pupils have a broad range of learning experiences and subjects, including drama, music and the arts. Extra-curricular opportunities are a strong feature of the curriculum. Pupils take part in visits within and outside the school community. They are effusive about their residential experiences, environmental studies and outdoor pursuits.
• Leaders ensure that pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. They are taught about faiths and cultures different to their own, and take part in visits to broaden their knowledge. Opportunities such as ‘Samaritan’s Purse’ and ‘Christmas Child’ increase pupils’ awareness of social issues. ‘World Culture’ days celebrate countries that have a special connection for individual pupils.
• Teachers’ performance is managed effectively. Teachers say they have benefited from high-quality training opportunities provided by the local teacher networks and learning hub. Teachers also have access to national training, which has been particularly successful in improving leadership and teaching in mathematics.
• Leaders have ensured that additional funds, including the pupil premium and those to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are spent wisely. These groups of pupils progress well.
• The physical education and sport premium is used thoughtfully and has had a significant impact on the range of sports the school can offer. A large majority of pupils participate in sport. Pupils are often successful in competitions, including in swimming and football. Staff receive coaching from the local secondary school. This further enhances the opportunities for pupils.
• The local authority has recently provided extremely effective support to the school.
• Leaders have been successful in improving many aspects of the school’s work, most notably in key stage 2. Actions to bring similar improvements in key stage 1 are not as advanced and are yet to make a marked difference to outcomes at the end of Year 2, in the results of the Year 1 phonics screening check and to the progress of the most able.
• Leaders have not yet ensured that all aspects of the provision for children in the early years are good.

Governance of the school

• Governors are increasingly effective in their role. They are addressing the findings of the recent governor review decisively. They have an improved understanding of their roles and have appropriate structures in place to more precisely conduct these.
• New members, who have recently joined the governing body, have extended the range of expertise among governors. This allows the governing body to challenge and support the headteacher across a wide range of issues.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Pupils’ safeguarding and welfare are well managed. Good systems are in place to ensure that those pupils in need receive appropriate support in a timely manner. When asked, pupils said that they had many people in school to whom they could turn if they had a problem.
• Teachers receive good training, including from external organisations, on issues that may present a risk to pupils. Routinely, teachers receive updates to keep them well informed, ensuring that staff and pupils are aware, for example, of radicalisation, child sexual exploitation and peer-on-peer grooming. Pupils said that they appreciated learning about matters that worry them.
• The single central record of staff is well managed. Associated staff files and paperwork are well organised and securely stored.
• In this small school, the staff know the pupils and their families well. Parents said that they valued the safeguarding culture within the school community and believed that this added to the safety and welfare of their child.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers’ subject knowledge is used to good effect to plan learning that develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Great care is taken by teachers to provide learning activities that interest, enthuse and engage pupils. Teachers make sure that pupils understand what they are learning and why. Pupils, particularly in key stage 2, said that they thoroughly enjoyed their lessons and felt that they learned ‘a lot of helpful and challenging things’.
• Teachers’ explanations are clear. Little learning time is lost because pupils know what their teachers expect.
• Teachers routinely provide one-to-one or small-group help to pupils in the class. They skilfully spot those that are falling behind and quickly address their learning needs. Strong evidence of this was seen in key stage 2.
• Teachers’ questioning is a developing strength. In key stage 2, the inspector observed precise questioning to encourage pupils’ language development in a reading lesson. Pupils responded to the challenge magnificently and progressed well.
• Teachers in key stages 1 and 2 comply with the whole-school assessment policy. Many pupils receive helpful feedback in class or in their books. They edit and improve their work as a result. Verbal feedback also contributes to deepening the pupils’ knowledge and skills.
• Teaching and learning are good across a range of subjects, including art and music. Pupils spoke with pride about the poetry and artwork they produced to commemorate the Armistice Day centenary. One pupil told the inspector that this work had ‘really helped me to understand the significance of the occasion’.
• The homework policy has been refined, in consultation with parents. Pupils develop their learning at home, particularly their literacy and numeracy skills. The vast majority of parents that responded to the Ofsted survey, Parent View, commented that their child received appropriate homework.
• Teaching in key stage 1 is improving and the work in their books shows that most pupils are now making progress. However, a small number of pupils, including the most able pupils, are not making as much progress as they could because they are not made to think deeply by the tasks they are set.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Leaders have been unremitting in their commitment to ensure that pupils are safe from the threat of bullying. They have engaged the support of external agencies, including the local authority. The school has gained the anti-bullying champions gold award.
• Pupil anti-bullying champions have been appointed. They take their roles seriously, including ensuring that no one is ‘left out’ at playtime. Their actions are appreciated by their peers.
• Pupils gain many opportunities to develop their physical and emotional well-being. Sport is a high priority for school leaders and the vast majority of pupils regularly participate. Pupils value this highly.
• Pupils are taught well how to keep themselves safe in school and outside of school. They are knowledgeable about how to protect themselves when using the internet. The Year 6 pupils who spoke with the inspector were appreciative of the learning received from external visitors to the school, including the NSPCC.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils conduct themselves well around school. They are polite to each other and to their teachers. Lunchtimes are a social occasion enjoyed by the pupils.
• Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, attend school regularly. Persistent absence is rare. Pupils arrive to school on time and ready to learn.
• The school behaviour policy is well understood by pupils and is used consistently by staff. Exclusion is extremely rare. Very occasionally, pupils lose concentration and begin to chatter.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 2 improved in 2018. The proportion reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average. A greater proportion than the national average achieved the higher standard.
• In 2017 and 2018, all disadvantaged pupils achieved the expected standard at the end of key stage 2. They made stronger progress than others in the school. The small number of pupils with SEND made the progress they should.
• Average attainment at both the expected and higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2, over the past three years, has been above national figures.
• In 2018, pupils’ progress in writing was well above the national average. The teachers’ assessments of pupils’ writing were checked externally.
• Evidence seen in lessons and in pupils’ books indicates that pupils are making strong progress across a range of subjects, including the arts.
• Pupils’ attainment in science was in line with national average in 2017 and above the national average in 2018.
• Pupils have many opportunities to read both fact and fiction books. They develop an understanding of the ways in which an author uses language to create atmosphere or communicate facts with clarity. Leaders’ information indicates that more pupils in key stages 1 and 2 make good progress and this allows them to take full advantage of the rich curriculum.
• Outcomes for pupils at the end of key stage 1 in 2018 improved and were closer to the national averages. However, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard and those working at greater depth remains below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has improved. However, it remains below the national average.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Leadership in the early years requires improvement. The plans that adults use to teach the children focus too heavily on the activity without considering in enough detail what the children are expected to learn.
• The outdoor area for learning is poorly equipped and does not promote children’s learning effectively. Leaders do not plan the outdoor curriculum with sufficient clarity to meet children’s needs across the areas of learning.
• Transition activities are not as successful as is needed. Children settle quickly and adopt appropriate routines at their next stage of learning. However, some children do not begin their learning at the appropriate levels as soon as they could. Teachers do not use assessment information as quickly as needed to plan their learning.
• There is an uneven profile of achievement within the early years. In 2017, the proportion of children to achieve a good level of development was above the national average. In 2018, the proportion was below the national average. Leaders’ assessment information indicates that, currently, some children, including the most able children, are not making the progress they might across some of the areas of learning. This means that some children are not as well prepared for key stage 1 as they possibly could be.
• Children enjoy the tasks set for them by their teachers. They are keen to join in with songs and games. When they receive guidance during their learning, they listen carefully and complete the tasks set. At times, opportunities are missed for children’s learning to be further extended because some of the tasks do not hold their attention or sufficiently promote their curiosity or imagination.
• When children lose interest and adults do not direct them to purposeful activities, they become distracted, lose focus and can be silly.
• When adults use appropriate questions, they spark children’s interest and promote their progress. The inspector observed positive interaction between additional adults and children. One child was particularly absorbed with the ‘sorting circles’. She was skilfully helped to understand the principals of sorting and how this could be used in different ways.
• The early years leader knows the children and their families extremely well. She ensures that children are well cared for and enjoy coming to school.
• Communication with parents is strong. Parents receive frequent updates about the progress their child is making. They can regularly contribute to their child’s learning and comment on successes at home. Parents were keen to say how much they appreciated this.
• Leaders have ensured that appropriate risk assessments are in place and that statutory guidelines are met.
• Routines are well established. Children are increasingly independent, for example they can dress themselves, put on their coats for outdoor play and take responsibility for their snack and drink.
• The early years leader considers carefully the social needs of the children. Extensive effort is taken to help pupils feel included.
• Safeguarding arrangements in the early years are fit for purpose and regulations are met. Children are well cared for and kept safe. Children’s attendance is good.

School details

Unique reference number 122758 Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council Inspection number 10056198 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 5 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 100 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Liz Bakewell Headteacher Julia Wallace Telephone number 01777 228383 Website www.dunham-on-trent.notts.sch.uk Email address office@dunham-on-trent.notts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection May 2018

Information about this school

• The school is a much smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The school is a voluntary aided Church of England school.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is much lower than the national average.
• No pupils speak English as an additional language. The majority of pupils attending the school are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils within each class, or children in the early years, with SEND is too small to report upon because it may identify individuals.
• A section 8 short inspection of the school, previously judged by Ofsted as good, was undertaken in May 2018. An external review of governance was undertaken as a result.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed learning in all classes across a range of subjects and in the early years. All lessons were jointly observed with the headteacher.
• The inspector looked at pupils’ work in lessons and a sample of books of pupils in classes 1, 2 and 3. Learning journals and other records of learning for children in the early years were also seen.
• The inspector held a range of meetings, including with two local authority representatives, the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the English leader and the leader within the early years.
• The inspector spoke with governors, including the chair and vice chair.
• The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, before school and during breaktimes and lunchtimes.
• A group of Year 6 pupils were spoken with formally; other pupils and children were more informally spoken with in lessons and as they played at lunchtime.
• The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, its improvement plans, information about the attainment and progress of pupils, records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding, and information on the school’s website. The effectiveness of external funds to the school, including the pupil premium, was reviewed. The inspector checked the school’s single central register and the school’s system for recruiting staff.
• The inspector, headteacher and a Year 6 pupil representative toured the school to review the safeguarding and welfare provision for pupils and the work of the anti-bullying champions.
• The inspector considered the 29 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey. There were nine responses to the staff survey and 70 responses to the pupil survey.

Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector