Denholme Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like going to school. They speak proudly of the school moto 'happy learners, high achievers' and the '4Rs', Readiness, Resilience, Reflection and Respect.

The school takes great care to teach pupils about becoming valuable members of society. Pupils know what racist and homophobic language is. They say that sort of language and any form of bullying is not acceptable in their school.

This is a very inclusive school. Pupils show great respect to new people they meet and their peers. Expectations are high in all aspects of school life.

Pupils rise to meet these expectations. From Nursery to Year 6, pupils behave well and are eager to learn. Pupils achieve... well.

Leaders have planned opportunities for pupils that go beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils enthusiastically recall the residential trips they take part in. They speak of responsibilities they have in school such as being lunch leaders.

Some roles that pupils led previously have not been set up this academic year. Pupils say they would welcome the opportunity to take on more responsibilities in school. This means that opportunities to develop pupils' skills of responsibility and leadership are being overlooked.

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

The school makes sure that the curriculum gives pupils knowledge that will help them in their future lives. The curriculum is broad and is supplemented to develop pupils' interests and talents. For example, each class has an allotment space where they grow vegetables to then use in school.

Other pupils get the opportunity to play the guitar or learn karate. One of the school's 4Rs, respect, is central to everything that happens in school. Pupils are taught about how we are all different, sometimes in how we look or how we behave, or because we have different beliefs.

Difference in this school is accepted, welcomed and respected.

The curriculum that pupils study is ambitious and builds steps of knowledge over time. For example, from Nursery to Year 6, teachers give children and pupils a wealth of opportunities to manipulate materials and learn techniques, and how to use them successfully.

Consequently, the quality of art and design technology around the school is exceptional. Younger children make peg dolls. Year 1 pupils use everything they have learned since Nursery to make moon buggies.

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading. Good routines have been established to help pupils learn phonics. Where leaders have identified weaknesses, action has been taken.

For example, pupils now have three extra lessons a week to improve the fluency of their reading. The school is a text-rich environment. There is a well-stocked library and class book areas, which promote a love of reading.

Teachers prioritise speaking and listening. All staff consistently promote a wide range of useful vocabulary. For example, adults in Nursery model positional language when asking children to sit next to them or opposite them.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Expectations are high for these pupils. Pupils who access The Orchard provision move between this class and the mainstream classes when it is right to do so.

Class teachers think carefully about what support pupils with SEND need to enable them to learn alongside their peers. Physical resources to support learning are plentiful. Sometimes, the resources to help them access the academic curriculum are not always suitable.

For example, pupils struggled to understand a two-dimensional map, when a globe may have made the learning easier to understand. School leaders know that a very small minority of parents express concern that the school is not meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.

Subject leaders and the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) take the time to consider the blocks of knowledge that pupils need to help them understand what they are learning.

They spend time considering work in books and speaking to pupils. They work closely with class teachers. However, they do not focus enough on pupils' learning in the classroom.

Therefore, some weaknesses are not identified, and occasionally learning is not as good as it could be. For example, in some classes, occasionally, repetition of prior learning is not clear. In others, learning is not broken down into small enough steps.

Senior leaders know their school well. Trustees, governors and senior leaders know the part they play in school improvement. They know the advantages and disadvantages of being a small school.

They know what needs to be done to improve the school further. When areas of weakness are identified, such as reading fluency, action is taken to fully address and remedy them.

Staff feel very well supported by senior leaders.

They speak of honest and respectful relationships where everyone is working together towards the same, shared vision. Parents speak positively about the work the school does. Parents say that this is 'a great place, warm and friendly' and that they are 'forever grateful to all the amazing teachers'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Subject leaders and the SENDCo do not get enough opportunities to focus on the implementation of the curriculum. A small minority of them do not have the knowledge to be able to evaluate implementation effectively.

Consequently, different and isolated areas for improvement are not being dealt with quickly enough. The impact of this is wide ranging and, ultimately, means some pupils do not grasp knowledge as securely as they should. For example, some pupils require knowledge to be in smaller steps, while others need more reinforcement of prior knowledge.

Some pupils require more precise adaptations to be able to access learning. Senior leaders need to ensure that these leaders are provided with more opportunities for professional development and training. Senior leaders also need to ensure that these leaders get the time to review and evaluate the implementation of the curriculums in the classroom.

• The school has not reinstated some of the roles and responsibilities that pupils previously held. Pupils want to take on responsibilities and are disappointed that they currently have fewer opportunities to develop skills of responsibility and leadership. The school needs to consider different ways of developing leadership roles to help pupils further their personal development.