Danesfield School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school The exceptionally dedicated headteacher leads the school with an absolute determination that all pupils can achieve highly and be happy in a nurturing environment.

Leaders' and governors' vision for school improvement and their strategic planning are real strengths, enabling the school to constantly improve. Pupils achieve exceptionally well in reading, writing and mathematics. They make good or better rates of progress to achieve the standards expected for their age.

Many pupils exceed expected standards to attain highly. Pupils are exceptionally well behaved in this friendly environment. They enjoy school, attend regularly and a...lways try their best.

The highly engaging curriculum is a strength of the school. Pupils learn very well across a range of subjects, but particularly in reading. They develop skills which are equipping them very well for life and work in modern Britain.

Leaders use additional funding effectively to make sure that disadvantaged pupils and services children achieve highly and are exceptionally well cared for. Children in the early years benefit from high-quality teaching and learning experiences. They develop excellent social and communication skills and a love of learning.

Teachers use assessment information effectively to plan imaginative activities which hook pupils' interest and ensure that they make great progress. Leaders have made sure that the quality of teaching has improved to meet the needs of the new curriculum. Strategies to further improve pupils' progress in mathematics and writing have worked well.

Sometimes, leaders' evaluations of the difference that their actions are making to the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are not precise enough. Commendably, leaders aspire for every pupil to achieve highly. They know that a few boys make less progress in writing than their peers.

Strategies are in place to tackle this and are already paying dividends. The vast majority of parents are exceptionally positive about their children's experience at Danesfield. All agree that their children are safe and well cared for.

Information about this school

Danesfield is a larger-than-average primary school. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well below average, as is the proportion that speaks English as an additional language.

There have been significant changes in the leadership of the school since the last inspection. The current headteacher was appointed in February 2015, with the deputy headteacher joining in September 2015. The chair of the governing body supports other governing bodies as a national leader for governance.

Very few pupils are eligible for the pupil premium. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is much lower than average. The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school during the school year is above average.

Much of this movement arises from the postings of families belonging to the Royal Air Force personnel. The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school meets the government's floor standards that set out the minimum expectations for primary schools.