Denham Village School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils identify kindness as one of the main characteristics of this school. Pupils know staff want the very best for them and say they can rely on each other too. Pupils of all ages play together and know each other well.

Because of this, pupils feel happy and safe at school.

Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They learn in calm and purposeful lessons.

Because staff know them so well, they benefit from personal help and support. Pupils enjoy working together. One pupil commented, 'I learn so much at school that it seems boring at home!'.

Pupils are active members of the school community. The school council includes pupils of all ages. T...he council, alongside eco-warriors and playground pals, keenly supports the school community.

Pupils and families take part in poetry readings and make good use of the school holiday community library.

Pupils benefit from a range of additional opportunities. They enjoy different clubs, including sports and art activities.

Leaders use the school's small size as an advantage when helping to develop pupils' shared experiences. A recent whole-school trip to the pantomime was popular and memorable. Pupils liked being there together, and they enjoyed the show and the ice cream.

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

In many subjects, pupils learn through a carefully considered curriculum that meets their differing needs. This is particularly evident in reading, writing and mathematics, but it is also evident in other subjects across the wider curriculum. In these subjects, teachers have strong subject knowledge, which they use to deliver the intended curriculum confidently.

As a result, pupils quickly develop their knowledge and skills. However, this is not the case in those subjects that are in the process of being redeveloped. In these subjects, teachers are less clear on the order of when to teach some of the important knowledge.

This means pupils are not always secure in their understanding before moving on to new learning. Leaders have rightly prioritised this work to ensure pupils learn well across the full curriculum.

Teachers regularly check what pupils know.

Where pupils find aspects more difficult, teachers efficiently review and recap previous learning. Pupils are helped to 'warm up' before embarking on new learning, and this builds their confidence. Because teachers know their pupils very well, they can quickly adapt lessons based on individual needs.

All staff are dedicated to ensuring that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve as well as possible. Any identified needs are well understood. This means the individual support and care provided help pupils with SEND to flourish.

Reading is carefully considered. The phonics programme is adapted effectively to ensure that all pupils develop their fluency regardless of their starting point. Phonics teaching starts early in Reception.

Reading and writing activities are embedded across many areas of learning. Reception staff have a strong understanding of the needs of each pupil and put effective support in place to meet these.

Pupils are expected to behave very well.

They rise to this challenge and are proud to do so. As a result, behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Secure relationships help pupils feel confident to take learning risks and try their very best.

Leaders regularly check that all pupils benefit from the school's positive behaviour approach. Help is quickly provided to those pupils who need additional support. Leaders' relentless focus on punctuality and attendance has been effective.

They continue to strive to understand their families well, leading to personalised help and advice where required.

Pupils hold a deep connection to the school's values and consider them to shape the positive way that staff and pupils treat each other. Pupils reflect on the school's mantra of 'happy and safe', which they all know how to sign, as a way of considering others.

They are helped to explore their understanding of concepts such as equality and diversity. Leaders are continuing to strengthen the personal development curriculum, to help pupils develop a much greater awareness of society and life in modern Britain.

Pupils understand about the link between keeping physically and mentally healthy.

They use sports activities and equipment to keep active at break and in clubs. The nurture groups help pupils to develop individual strategies where they are needed. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the pastoral help their children are given.

Parents, pupils and staff were highly positive in their responses to Ofsted's questionnaires, include Ofsted Parent View. They rightly value the positive impact of the new leadership team, as well as the school's 'family feel'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not yet as precisely considered as it is in others. This means that learning does not always build sequentially, which can lead to pupils having gaps in their knowledge. The school should continue to fully implement curriculum developments and to provide staff with the required training and support to teach each subject as well as possible.