Charles Darwin Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school School leaders and managers, supported by the Inspiration Trust and governors, have successfully established a culture of high ambitions for staff and pupils. Expectations, in all respects, are notably high.

Leaders have constructed a curriculum that supports pupils' academic, personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well. Pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to be successful learners and responsible citizens. An extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities (electives), trips and visiting speakers enhance pupils' classroom experiences and allow them to pursue and develop their pe...rsonal interests.

Teaching is highly effective. Teachers use their subject knowledge to plan interesting, purposeful activities that support pupils' learning extremely well and capitalise on pupils' highly positive attitudes to learning. Teachers match activities to the needs and capabilities of individual pupils very well.

As a result, pupils, including the most able, those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make strong and substantial progress. Leaders use pupil premium funding to very good effect. They carefully analyse the impact that it has on pupils' achievement and attendance.

As a result, disadvantaged pupils' achievement and attendance are improving strongly. The trust and governors have a detailed understanding of the school. They provide an appropriate balance of support and challenge to school leaders.

This has been instrumental in supporting leaders to provide a high quality of education and to improve achievement. Children get off to an excellent start to their education in the Reception classes. They quickly become confident, inquisitive learners and make very strong progress.

Children are well prepared for learning in key stage 1. Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. Exceptional relationships between pupils and with adults contribute positively to pupils' self-confidence and learning.

Absence has been above the national average in the previous two years. Leaders' decisive, thoughtful actions have reduced absence significantly. However, absence is still too high for a small number of pupils.

Information about this school

Charles Darwin Primary School opened as a free school on 1 September 2016. It was established by the Inspiration Trust, which is responsible for governance. The trust has delegated some responsibilities to a local governing body, which is shared with another primary school in the trust.

The trust provides support through its director of standards, specialist subject leaders and training and professional development opportunities. Trust representatives, including the CEO, regularly check on the work of leaders and the quality of education provided. The school works collaboratively with other schools in the trust and local schools to check the accuracy of teachers' assessments.

School leaders have led developments in the early years curriculum and key stage 1 curriculum in the trust. The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. It currently has pupils in classes from Reception to Year 3 but will eventually provide for pupils from Reception to Year 6.

The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. However, the proportions of pupils who are from other ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language are much higher than in most primary schools. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is slightly below the national average.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average, including the proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan. The school does not make use of any off-site alternative provision. A nursery provision, Charles Darwin Nursery, shares the school site but is registered and inspected separately by Ofsted.

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