Darite Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Darite Primary Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Tom Whipps.

This school is part of Bridge Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Adrian Massey, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Maria Ashurst.

What is it like to attend this school?

Darite Primary is a community-centred, warm and friendly school.

Pupils form positive relationships with staff. This helps them to feel happy and safe. Children in the early years are confident and enj...oy their time in school.

Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around the school. The school has high expectations for pupils' achievements. Pupils meet these and are successful in their learning.

Pupils are enthusiastic about the range of extra-curricular clubs they attend. These include football, gardening, cooking and enjoying a hot chocolate with the headteacher. Pupils benefit from going on trips in the local area and further afield, for example, walking up to the moor and visiting the National Marine Aquarium.

Pupils are proud of their recent success in a national coding competition.

The school encourages pupils to share their views about school life. School councillors are elected by their peers.

They meet regularly with governors to suggest improvements to the school. Pupils are passionate about the community and helping others. For example, many took part in a 'reindeer run' to raise money for charity.

After being inspired by a visit focusing on recycling, pupils successfully requested the donation of litter picking devices to the school. Pupils also support the local food bank.

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

The school has recently adapted its class organisation, moving from three to two classes.

This significant change has been unsettling for staff, pupils, and parents and carers. However, school and trust leaders have managed this well. The required curriculum changes, to ensure all pupils receive their full entitlement, have been carefully considered.

Parents are positive about the impact of these changes on their child. Pupils have settled quickly and formed new friendships.

Pupils at Darite learn a broad curriculum that makes interesting links across different subject areas.

For example, a study of ancient Egypt in history leads to a piece of extended writing in English. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Staff are well trained to identify and support the small number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively.

These pupils have clear targets that are regularly reviewed with them and their parents. This ensures that they progress well through the curriculum.

Lessons provide opportunities for pupils to recall their previous learning.

However, there are occasions when teachers provide work to pupils that they find too easy or too hard. Additionally, teachers' checks on what pupils know and remember can be infrequent and lack focus. Therefore, in these instances, pupils' learning is not as secure.

Reading is an important part of school life. The whole-school 'reading buddies' weekly event enables pupils of all ages to work together and celebrate reading. Children in the early years work with older pupils to help tell stories and develop their vocabulary through play.

Pupils enjoy visiting the school library, which has a rich range of fiction and non-fiction texts.

Pupils learn to read through the effective delivery of the school's chosen phonics programme. Staff check pupils' understanding of previously learned sounds carefully before introducing new ones.

Pupils with any gaps in their reading knowledge are supported to catch up quickly.

In lessons, pupils focus well on their learning. They are keen to do well.

Pupils respond quickly when staff remind them of the school's high expectations of behaviour. Children in the early years thoughtfully plan which areas of the classroom to explore, for example the investigation station, creative area or small world. They concentrate for extended periods of time on these activities.

Pupils enjoy their playtimes. They make good use of the extensive outside space and the equipment that is provided by the school. As a small community, pupils of all ages play harmoniously together.

If any negative behaviour does occur, staff act quickly to ensure pupils understand why it is not appropriate.

The school seeks opportunities to develop pupils' understanding of important issues in society. One way is through their work with Devon and Cornwall Police on the 'Mini Police' programme.

Pupils learn about internet safety, anti-social behaviour, road safety and environmental activities.The school and trust have taken steps to improve pupils' attendance. However, the overall attendance of pupils, including for those who are disadvantaged, remains too low.

This is having a detrimental impact on how well pupils who are regularly absent learn the curriculum.

Staff are well supported by the school and the trust. They appreciate this, particularly with the recent changes that have taken place at the school.

Staff enjoy the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from other schools in the trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The tasks set for pupils are not always well matched to their different starting points.

Additionally, teachers' checks on pupils' understanding of the curriculum are at times not frequent or focused enough. As a result, gaps in knowledge persist and some pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they could. The trust should ensure that the work provided to pupils is consistently appropriate and adapted in response to what pupils already know and can do.

• The overall attendance for pupils, including for those who are disadvantaged, remains too low. As a result, these pupils miss significant periods of learning and are not able to build their knowledge of the curriculum successfully over time. The trust should ensure that prompt and effective action is taken to improve the attendance of pupils to school.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2019.