Dunton CofE VC Lower School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. They have positive attitudes to learning, starting from the early years.

They take pride in their work and want to do well. Pupils enquire, question and want to find out more. They know that staff have high expectations of them and work hard to fulfil these.

Pupils behave well. They know that staff have their best interests at heart and will work hard to support them. Pupils can describe how they are feeling and why they are feeling that way.

They feel safe in school and will speak to an adult if they have any problems.

Pupils have leadership opportunities available to them in the school, for example as school council memb...ers and house captains. They understand the democratic process when choosing the school council.

Pupils aspire to be in these roles as they see the older pupils being positive role models. Pupils are proud to be part of a 'house' that they can contribute to. They work hard to gain points for their house and are proud when they win the cup.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has been through a period of considerable change, with many new staff starting at the school. Staff have worked closely with the federated school to develop the curriculum. They are ambitious for the pupils who attend.

The school's curriculum plans are clear and build on pupils' previous knowledge. Pupils have frequent opportunities to recap previous knowledge and to demonstrate it, for example in quizzes. This helps pupils to easily recall their learning.

Children in the early years have been learning about space. They could share information and vocabulary that they have learned about planets and astronauts as well as asking questions to find out more.

Children in the early years fully engage with well-planned activities.

They enjoy learning new experiences. They carefully use hammers and vices to complete woodwork activities, for example. However, pupils in the older years are not as able to clearly demonstrate or describe some subject-specific practical skills.

For example, they are not secure in how to make predictions or present evidence when completing scientific investigations.

The school prioritises early reading so that pupils become fluent and confident readers. Staff know the phonics scheme well due to the high-quality training that they receive.

Staff ensure that pupils have books that match the sounds they know. This is so pupils can practise and build confidence with reading. Pupils who need extra support receive it quickly, so that they can keep up.

The school uses a range of strategies, such as 'reading cafés', to support parents to read regularly with their children. Pupils, parents and staff enjoy these opportunities to share texts. There are lots of opportunities throughout the day for staff to share texts with pupils.

Staff carefully consider the texts that they read with their classes so that pupils access a rich range of genres.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have high-quality provision to ensure they progress. Staff know pupils and their needs well.

This helps with the adaptations they make to the curriculum. Staff use pupils' support plans effectively. Pupils access and make progress with the same curriculum as their peers.

The school has prioritised getting pupils' attendance back on track. Strategies to improve pupils' attendance are working. More pupils are now attending school regularly.

Pupils know that there are clear routines, which they respond positively to. They are polite and consistently demonstrate good manners. This all contributes towards a respectful environment.

Pupils follow a carefully planned personal, social and health education curriculum. They learn about differences and what makes people unique. Pupils are advocates for being mentally and physically healthy.

They know how to use breathing techniques for moments of calm. Pupils' enrichment in the wider curriculum is not as well planned to develop other talents and interests.

As the new staff have started at the school, they have come together to produce a clear vision for the future.

Many new systems and processes are in place. The benefits of these are starting to show. Parents are highly positive about the changes that have taken place in the school recently.

They are very supportive of the staff and especially appreciate the communications that they receive about their children.

Staff feel well supported and enjoy the 'team spirit' that they have working alongside colleagues from the federated school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, pupils do not recall how to use the practical subject-specific skills they have been taught. This means that pupils are unable to build on these practical skills as they progress with their learning. The school should ensure that the practical skills are explicit in their curriculum plans and that teachers understand how to provide opportunities for pupils to use them properly and appropriately.

• There are a limited number of extra-curricular opportunities for pupils. Therefore, pupils do not have sufficient opportunity to develop their talents and interests. The school should review its planning of the wider curriculum so that pupils have access to a wide, rich set of experiences.

Also at this postcode