Darley Dene Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this kind and happy school.

They live the school values of 'we all belong' through their positive interactions. Pupils feel accepted and part of their school community. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful.

Pupils know that if they have a worry, they can speak to trusted adults who will support them. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons is good.

Staff promote positive behaviour by encouraging pupils to make 'green choices' when considering their learning and conduct. Celebration assemblies, house points and 'gold leaf' rewards are highly appreciated by pupils.

Pupils benefi...t from a well-designed personal development curriculum.

This includes a thoughtfully considered personal, social and mental health programme. Pupils learn new skills through the range of extra-curricular opportunities offered. Trips and visits to places of interest are carefully planned to build on the curriculum.

Pupils are proud of their school and interested in making it better. They enjoy the responsibilities they have and make positive contributions to the school. For example, play leaders support the younger pupils at breaktimes.

Student librarians manage the mobile library and encourage extra reading.

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

The school has high aspirations for pupils' learning and achievement. Most recently, leaders have been focused on making key improvements to the school's curriculum.

The impact of this work can be seen in some of the school's most recent published statutory assessment results. The proportion of pupils who met the expected standards at the end of key stages 1 and 2 has increased, reflecting that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are now achieving well.

The school has identified the important knowledge pupils should remember across subject areas.

Staff receive effective guidance on how to teach this knowledge. Some areas of the curriculum, however, are still new and not yet fully embedded. In these areas, pupils are not as confident in recalling their prior knowledge.

The school has started to establish effective systems to check what pupils know and remember in much of the curriculum. However, in a few subjects, teachers are not always precisely checking where pupils are unsure or unclear about what has previously been taught. As a result, new learning does not always build on what pupils know and can do.

Children in Reception and Nursery get off to a strong start. They settle into school life quickly. The well-designed curriculum promotes a love of learning through curiosity and sustained focus during learning activities.

Adults provide a stimulating and effective learning environment. This supports children to learn and behave well.There are clear expectations of what children need to learn.

Consequently, children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

Pupils with SEND receive effective support to learn well across the curriculum. Those who access the Learning and Additional Needs Centre, also known as Owls class, have their learning carefully adapted to meet their identified needs.

The curriculum is bespoke to these pupils' stages of learning and enables them to develop independence.

The school prioritises reading effectively. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they settle into Reception.

Staff are experts in delivering the school's phonics programme. Pupils quickly develop their understanding of phonics. The books that pupils read are well matched to their reading ability.

If pupils fall behind in the phonics programme, they are quickly identified. These pupils have access to appropriate support, which helps them to catch up quickly.

Pupils are polite and courteous.

The school environment is calm and orderly. As a result, pupils mostly concentrate on their learning. They understand learning routines and why it is important to do their best.

In early years, children are motivated, share and cooperate well with each other.

Attendance is a priority for the school. Leaders take appropriate action to support families to help improve attendance.

There are a minority of pupils who are not yet attending school regularly. These pupils have missed out on important learning. The school is aware and continues to work with these individuals and their families closely.

Pupils' personal development is prioritised. The school embraces the local community's diversity. Pupils learn about their different backgrounds, cultures and faiths.

This helps them to understand and value Britain's multicultural society. Pupils are curious about the world around them. They develop an understanding through a range of different experiences on offer.

These include themed events, visiting speakers and trips. Pupils' well-being is actively promoted. They learn how to keep themselves healthy, including practical ways of looking after their mental health.

The school accurately understands its strengths and where further developments are needed. Staff feel well supported and appreciate the help and training they are given in ensuring that the education provided helps pupils consistently learn and achieve well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in some subjects is very new and is still being embedded. As a result, pupils have some gaps in their knowledge and therefore find it more difficult to form links with their previous learning. The school should ensure that teachers have the knowledge and expertise in all subjects to implement the curriculum effectively.

• In some subjects, the school is still developing how teachers check what pupils have already learned before moving on to new learning. Consequently, teachers are not always clear on how lesson activities could be adapted to help pupils learn and secure the intended knowledge. The school should ensure teachers have the training and support to ensure pupils know and remember more across the full curriculum.

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