Darley Churchtown Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school.

They are confident learners and say that staff are kind. One pupil said, 'We don't worry about making mistakes. It's part of learning.'



Staff have high expectations of pupils. The school motto urges everyone to 'Be the best they can be'. Pupils behave well.

They are friendly to one another. There are few bullying incidents. If there is bullying, staff act quickly to stop it.

Pupils know there are caring adults they can turn to if they have any worries. Pupils told us that they feel safe in school.

Pupils achieve well.

They learn about all the subjects in the national curriculum. However, they a...re better prepared in some subjects than in others for when they move to secondary school.

The school is at the heart of the local community.

Pupils join in local events such as the 'Great British spring clean'. Staff are always looking for ways to broaden pupils' experiences. These include residential visits for pupils in key stage 2 and visiting older people in a local care home.

Pupils told us they enjoy taking part in different clubs at school, including archery, dance and cheerleading, as well as the handbell group.

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

Leaders have put in place a curriculum that broadens the pupils' horizons and prepares them well for the next stage of their education. They have made sure that most subjects are planned and sequenced well.

Leaders make good use of external expertise to improve the curriculum.

Pupils are achieving better than they have done previously in reading, writing and the early years. There are other subjects where the curriculum is not developed as well, for example history and computing.

When children begin school, a top priority is to get them reading. Staff teach phonics well. They give extra help to any children falling behind.

Teachers check that pupils read at home. They recommend books and use rewards to encourage pupils to read more. Pupils were confident reading to me and talking about their favourite authors.

In mathematics, the curriculum allows pupils to build on their understanding step by step. Teachers revisit and revise concepts throughout the school year. This helps pupils remember their mathematical knowledge.

Pupils have accurate and quick recall of multiplication tables.

The science curriculum builds up pupils' knowledge and skills as they move through the school. Teachers find many ways to bring learning alive.

For instance, pupils visit Carsington Water to learn about the forces of water flow. At the National Space Centre, they deepen their understanding of the solar system.

Pupils enjoy history.

However, the curriculum is not as well thought out or planned as it is in other subjects. Pupils are not able to make connections with the knowledge that they gained in previous history topics. It is not clear what pupils are expected to learn and remember about their history work.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about British values, such as democracy and respect. Pupils visit a range of places of worship to learn about different faiths. In lessons and assemblies, pupils consider how their actions can help or hurt others.

Each year, pupils play their part in deciding the 'Churchtown Champions'. These are six virtues that adults and pupils aim to model. Pupils love being congratulated in assemblies for showing these characteristics.

Children play and learn happily together in the early years. They listen to adults and respond quickly to instructions. Adults make sure that the curriculum is relevant.

Stories, songs and rhymes are at the heart of many activities. The children loved acting out the adventures of 'The naughty bus', driving their vehicles through beans, mud and water. Staff in the early years and key stage 1 class work well as a team.

They know the needs of each child. They plan activities well to meet these needs in all areas of learning.

In classes and around school, pupils are kind and considerate to others.

Behaviour is good and there is little disruption to learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. They learn alongside their classmates and have full access to the wider curriculum.

Leaders put the interests of the pupils at the heart of every decision. Staff feel well supported by leaders and are proud to work at the school.

The trust and the local governing body work well together.

They are playing important roles in improving the quality of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that there are clear arrangements for keeping pupils safe.

They act quickly to keep pupils safe from harm. Leaders are persistent when seeking the right external support for pupils and families.

There are a number of staff who provide helpful support for pupils.

Parents and carers value the assistance they get at difficult times for their families.

Pupils understand the potential dangers they face when online. Visits to the school by organisations such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children also help pupils stay safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders are putting in place a rich and exciting curriculum. However, the curriculum is not coherently planned in all subjects. As a result, pupils do not currently learn as well as they should in some subjects.

When this is the case, leaders are already taking action to ensure that the curriculum is being implemented more successfully. For this reason, the transition arrangement has been applied in this case. Leaders need to ensure that they implement their new curriculum plans for all subjects so that pupils progressively gain subject-specific knowledge and skills.