Delves Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Delves Lane Primary School is a happy place where relationships between pupils and teachers are respectful.

Pupils enjoy and are excited by their learning. Pupils are proud of their achievements. All staff have high expectations of what pupils will achieve.

Adults are committed to giving pupils the best opportunities they can. As a result, pupils are well supported. Staff are proud to be part of the Delves Lane family.

Behaviour is good. If any bullying does occur, pupils know that staff will resolve it quickly. Leaders recognise the importance of providing opportunities for safe outdoor play, due to the location of the school.

Pupils enjoy the range... of activities available to them at playtime. They enjoy coming to Delves Lane School. They are safe and well cared for.

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to ensure that it is well planned and sequenced. This ensures that pupils are ready for the next step in their education by the time that they leave. Pupils have a rich understanding of the topics they have learned.

Leaders have prioritised reading and phonics. Pupils say that they love the wide range of reading activities in school.

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

The curriculum in subjects such as reading, mathematics, science and history is well-sequenced.

In these subjects, leaders have provided teachers with high-quality training. Staff are supported by skilled subject leaders. Support from local English and mathematics hubs has resulted in improved staff knowledge and skills.

As a result, pupils are well supported to learn the curriculum in these subjects.

The mathematics curriculum is taught effectively and pupils are appropriately challenged. The curriculum is designed to support pupils to know and remember key facts.

Carefully selected resources support pupils to be independent. In other subjects, such as in art and design technology, the curriculum is very new. Leaders have not yet monitored the impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning.

They do not know whether the changes are helping pupils to know more over time.

Teachers deliver leaders' chosen phonics programme with consistency. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified and given the help they need to catch up.

Personalised support is used very effectively to ensure these pupils are included and have their diverse needs met. Leaders have accessed funding from the National Tutoring Programme to provide pupils with high-quality reading support. Leaders have invested in a diverse range of quality reading books.

Pupils say that they enjoy reading the books that are available to them. They say that they love the 'drop everything and read' approach that leaders use to get them reading. Pupils welcome the time they get to relax and read together.

Newspapers and comics are available alongside a range of exciting books.

Behaviour across school is positive and supports learning. Classrooms are calm, quiet and purposeful.

Pupils are encouraged to do well. Staff work together as a caring team and have high expectations of behaviour. Leaders are aware that the attendance of all pupils is not yet good enough.

They have sought external support to help them to improve pupils' attendance. Leaders agree this is a continued priority, so that no child falls behind.

Leaders have prioritised the development of the early years.

A new curriculum is beginning to be implemented. The classroom environment has recently been improved. Leaders provide engaging learning opportunities for children.

However, not all staff challenge children's thinking as they play and learn. Some adults miss opportunities to correct misunderstandings and extend children's vocabulary. This is particularly the case in phonics and when children write.

Subject leaders in school do not fully understand the role the early years plays in pupils' curriculum journey. However, provision in the nursery is much stronger. Two year olds are also nurtured and extremely well supported.

The school curriculum ensures pupils have a range of opportunities to understand the world around them. Pupils learn about a wide range of cultures and religions. Classroom texts are carefully chosen to support pupils to develop an understanding of diversity.

These well-planned opportunities in the curriculum result in pupils showing a deep respect and understanding of other beliefs and cultures. Roles and responsibilities are important to pupils. They take their responsibilities seriously.

Governors are committed. They know and understand the school well. They are keen to support leaders in their drive for continued improvement.

Leaders provide governors with the information they need to challenge them on their actions. Leaders have created a highly positive culture among the whole staff team. Staff say that the Delves Lane family works well together.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Adults work effectively to keep pupils safe. Staff have received safeguarding training and accurately identify pupils who may be at risk.

Safeguarding records and checks are thorough and detailed.

Leaders are tenacious. They work with outside agencies to ensure pupils get the help they need.

Leaders work closely with families to keep pupils happy and safe. Leaders recognise the impact COVID-19 has had on pupils' well-being. The caring school team works to support those pupils who need it.

Pupils know and understand how to keep themselves safe online. They know to tell an adult if they are worried.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In subjects such as art and design technology, leaders have completed a review of the curriculum.

However, subject leaders have not monitored the impact of these changes. As a result, leaders are not clear on how the curriculum is helping pupils to know more. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders rigorously monitor the curriculum changes they have made so that the impact on pupils' learning is known.

• Adults in the early years do not consistently promote and model the language and skills that children need to develop. As a result, opportunities to challenge children's thinking in the early years are missed. Leaders need to ensure that all adults in the early years promote children's phonics, language and writing as they learn through play.

• Even within the context of the pandemic, rates of absenteeism remain too high. Too many pupils are missing too much of the curriculum and this is leading to gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should identify pupils at risk of being persistently absent as early as possible and work closely with parents and outside agencies to overcome barriers to pupils' attendance.