Dial Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this nurturing and caring school. They are polite and welcoming to visitors. Leaders and staff are highly ambitious for the achievement of all pupils, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders have created a strong sense of community at this school. They have also created a strong sense of inclusion. Pupils have an effective understanding of equality.

They know that everyone is equal, regardless of any differences. Pupils are proud of their leadership roles such as well-being leaders or equality ambassadors.

Pupils feel safe.

They have an understanding of different types of bullying. Leade...rs deal with the rare incidents of bullying effectively. Classrooms are typically calm.

This allows pupils to do their best in lessons. Teachers have high expectations for behaviour. Pupils behave well.

Pupils benefit from a programme of high-quality opportunities that enhance their learning and personal development. They enjoy learning and playing in the outdoors. This helps them to be active and healthy and to take responsibility for their own safety.

Pupils also take part in a range of activities after school, including football and netball. They participate in a variety of trips and visits, including adventurous outdoor activities.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

This ambitious curriculum starts when children join the school as two-year-olds in the early years. Leaders have identified what pupils must learn and in which order. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum has a strong focus on outdoor learning.

In most subjects, teachers use a range of assessment systems well to check that pupils are learning and remembering the curriculum. This helps pupils to develop secure subject knowledge in these subjects. Where teachers identify misconceptions in pupils' learning, these are usually addressed swiftly and successfully.

While the curriculum is often well delivered overall, in a few subjects, teachers' assessments have not identified clearly enough how well pupils are remembering what they have learned. Therefore, pupils do not have the depth of prior knowledge that they need to connect new learning in these subjects.

In a small number of subjects, leaders' understanding of how well their subject has been implemented and the impact on pupils' learning is still developing.

For example, they have not checked how effectively teachers revisit earlier learning to ensure that pupils' previous knowledge is secure. As a result, in these subjects, some pupils do not remember some of the important knowledge that they need to be successful in future learning.Leaders have recently introduced a clearly sequenced phonics curriculum.

Children learn phonics from the early years. Teachers in the early years and key stage 1 build pupils' phonic knowledge skilfully. They make sure that pupils read books that are well matched to their phonic knowledge.

Teachers are swift to spot any pupils who may be falling behind with their reading. Staff help these pupils to catch up quickly. Older pupils are developing effective reading habits.

They speak enthusiastically about books and authors they have studied.

Children in the early years settle into school life quickly. They have a well-developed understanding of classroom routines.

Leaders ensure that children have ample opportunities to explore the outdoors. This helps them to successfully develop their confidence and independence. Children develop their language and number skills very well.

Across the school, teachers encourage pupils, including children in the early years, to extend their vocabulary.

Leaders and teachers accurately identify pupils with SEND at the earliest possible stage. They check carefully that the right support is in place for these pupils as they move through the school.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are able to take part in all aspects of school life, including most of the curriculum content, trips and visits.

Pupils behave well. They rarely disturb the learning of their peers.

Pupils learn about their rights and responsibilities as future citizens. They understand the importance of developing respectful relationships with people who may be different from them. Pupils take part in trips to places of worship.

These opportunities support pupils' understanding of religious differences. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Governors are well informed about the quality of education that pupils receive.

They know the school and its community well. Staff feel respected and valued. They appreciate the ample opportunities that they have to participate in professional development and training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The safeguarding team uses its expertise and local knowledge to support vulnerable pupils and their families. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training so that they can stay alert to the signs which might indicate that pupils are at risk of harm.

Staff report any concerns quickly. Leaders follow up on these concerns diligently. They work with a number of agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive timely and well-tailored support.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. This includes learning about online safety and road safety. Older pupils develop their understanding of personal safety through a visit to a locally arranged safety workshop event.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders' work to gather information on the impact of the curriculum is at an early stage of development. This means that in these subjects, leaders do not have a clear enough understanding of how well the curriculum is implemented and the impact it has on pupils' learning. Leaders should ensure that in these subjects, they check that the curriculum is well implemented and is helping pupils to build up their knowledge securely over time.

• In a small number of subjects, teachers' assessment information is not always sufficient to highlight what pupils have remembered. Gaps in prior learning are not being identified and addressed. This means, at times, pupils do not remember the important knowledge that they need to be successful in the future.

Leaders should ensure that teachers sharpen their assessments strategies in these subjects so that pupils can embed and deepen earlier learning and build securely on what they already know and can do

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