Boughton-under-Blean and Dunkirk Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Boughton-under-Blean and Dunkirk Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this loving school. They are respectful of the views of others.

They are kind and caring towards their peers. Pupils enjoy the company of one another. They clamber on the climbing equipment and enjoy playing in the mud kitchen at playtime.

Pupils are safe. They know that the adults are there to help them if they have a worry. Pupils behave well when moving around the school and when at play.

There are clear rules and routines in place that pupils follow. The...y uphold the school values of friendship and forgiveness. Pupils appointed as 'anti-bullying ambassadors' sensitively help children to resolve disagreements.

The school is ambitious for pupils' achievements. Most pupils gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed. They enjoy their time in class and show interest in what they learn.

Pupils speak articulately. They delight in performing musical and dramatic shows to their parents and carers. Pupils engage in a wide range of activities on offer that enhance what they learn.

This helps them to develop their interests and talents well.

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

The school has sustained the standards since the previous inspection. Leaders undertake their roles diligently.

They are clear about the improvements needed to enhance the school. Governors are knowledgeable. They use information provided by the school to both challenge and support school staff.

Subject leaders review the impact of their curriculum. They use this information to guide the support for staff well. Leaders help teachers to manage their workload.

This enables teachers to focus their time productively in class.

The school provides an interesting and relevant curriculum. The content of the curriculum connects with the needs and interests of the pupils well.

Teachers receive purposeful training that refines the way that they teach. As such, teachers are clear about what to teach and how this is delivered. They use questioning in class to help pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding.

This allows teachers to pick up on what pupils do not understand. They use this information effectively to refine future learning opportunities.

Pupils gain knowledge and understanding in English and mathematics broadly well.

Children in the early years quickly gain the phonics skills needed to read simple words. While some pupils have fallen behind in their reading, the school supports them well. As a result, they quickly gain the knowledge and skills needed to become confident, fluent readers.

Older pupils apply what they learn in reading lessons to the way that they write. As such, they write with confidence across a range of subjects. Most pupils develop the mathematical knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

However, some older pupils have not yet secured their multiplication number facts. This means that some pupils are less confident when presented with mathematical problems.

Teachers engage pupils well in a wide range of subjects.

They identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They draw on a range of adaptations to ensure that pupils with SEND learn with confidence alongside their peers. As a result, there is high ambition for all pupils to achieve well.

Pupils gain a broad range of knowledge across the curriculum. Children in the early years explore their learning both inside and outside the classroom. This helps them to gain the knowledge and confidence needed as they move to key stage 1.

They undertake investigations in science that deepen their understanding of the world. Children learn about a range of musicians from different cultures and backgrounds. In general, the school's strategies for helping pupils remember key knowledge over time are effective.

However, in a few subjects, the school's approaches to delivering the curriculum are less effective. This means that some pupils struggle to recall and apply what they have learned to new knowledge.

Pupils behave well in class.

There are clear structures in place to support staff to manage pupils' behaviour. While some pupils can become distracted in class, teachers remind them how to behave and they respond well to this. Leaders address any poor attendance diligently.

The school supports families of pupils whose attendance is low to attend more regularly.

The school's offer for wider opportunities is fulsome. The school makes sure that all pupils have access to a wide range of clubs.

As a result, pupils develop their talents and interests well. Trips beyond the school are commonplace. These link to what pupils learn in class and develop their cultural capital well.

Visitors to the school provide pupils with a meaningful connection to their local and global communities. For example, religious leaders from the mosque and local churches have spoken to pupils, while 'wellbeing walks' take pupils to local beaches and woodland.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects beyond English and mathematics, the school's approaches to delivering the curriculum are less effective. This means that some pupils struggle to retain what they have previously learned. The school needs to ensure that all subjects are delivered in a way that supports pupils to recall and apply what they have learned to new knowledge.

• Pupils are not given enough opportunities to embed their recall of number facts, such as times tables. As such, some pupils struggle to answer more complex mathematical problems that rely on this knowledge. The school needs to provide further opportunities for pupils to secure and apply their mathematical fluency.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2015.

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