Dingle Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel that they are well looked after at the school. They know that teachers want them to be confident and to do well academically. They appreciate the fact that adults are attentive to their needs and care about their well-being.

The school motto is 'learning to learn for life'. Teachers encourage pupils to be inquisitive. The wide range of subjects pupils study are taught in a way that makes them enjoy learning.

Leaders want pupils to have a good understanding of the world they are growing up in.

Pupils enjoy the variety of activities they do at school. They make rockets, grow vegetables at the gardening club and learn how glass is made when visiting ...the Glass Cone museum.

Pupils told inspectors that school is fun.

Pupils told us that they rarely see people being upset or falling out at playtime. Bullying is rare.

It is not tolerated, and staff deal with it swiftly when it does happen. Pupils behave well. They show respect to each other and to adults.

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

The quality of education has been improving rapidly since the appointment of the new headteacher. Senior leaders are implementing plans that set high expectations for pupils and staff.

Pupils get on well with their teachers and enjoy learning.

They are making increasingly strong progress across the curriculum.

Leaders have designed new plans for what pupils have to learn in each subject. Teaching is organised to help pupils remember what they have learned.

For example, in mathematics, teachers make sure that pupils can apply what they have studied before they move on to the next topic. The majority of subjects follow a similar approach. However, in a few subjects, for example history, teachers are still in the process of adapting teaching to follow the new system.

Leaders have appointed teachers to be in charge of each of the subjects. The role of these teachers is to implement the new teaching plans and ensure that the quality of teaching continues to improve. The headteacher has arranged for these subject leaders to work with colleagues from the local secondary school to develop their expertise and that of their colleagues.

However, subject leaders have only been in post for a very short period of time and are still to have a significant impact.

Teachers are developing simple and manageable ways to check what pupils have learned. They use these assessments well to make sure that all pupils are making enough progress.

In the Reception Year, children who experience difficulties when they start learning to read are identified quickly. As early as in the first week of school, staff intervene to make sure that those children catch up. Staff provide extra support to avoid pupils falling behind throughout key stage 1, so that all pupils can become fluent readers.

Leaders and staff have the firm belief that all pupils must achieve to the best of their ability. The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Leaders make sure that all pupils can take part in all the activities on offer.

Staff provide extra academic, pastoral and physical support to pupils with SEND when they are at risk of falling behind.

Trips and visits, the study of other cultures, and the development of the appreciation of art and music are integral parts of the school's curriculum. There is a large number of activities on offer in after-school clubs.

Assemblies provide opportunities to learn about and reflect on important aspects of life in modern Britain, such as the rule of law and democracy.

In the early years, children are well looked after. Staff make the most of the indoor and outdoor areas to develop children's skills.

Children settle in quickly. They enjoy the activities staff have planned for them. While playing, children develop their social skills as well as their ability to read and count.

Adults are attentive to the children's needs. Staff have effective systems to record children's progress.

Leaders are keen for parents to be involved in school life.

There are regular information meetings where teachers discuss with parents what their children learn and how they are taught. Parents are invited to attend various school events, including assemblies that celebrate pupils' successes.

Governors know the school well.

They work well with leaders to ensure that the school is managed effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The culture of safeguarding is consistent with the caring ethos of the school.

Staff receive regular training and are vigilant. They can confidently identify pupils who may be at risk, and take appropriate action when required. Leaders follow up safeguarding issues rigorously.

They work well with external agencies and families to support pupils who need help.

Pupils are taught to keep safe in a range of situations, including when using the internet or social media. Leaders are aware of the risks that are specific to the local area.

They run a number of activities to inform pupils of those risks.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In reaching their judgement, inspectors have taken into account the fact the school is in a transition period as far as its curriculum is concerned. Leaders have taken effective steps to implement an ambitious and balanced curriculum.

The way pupils are taught is well planned and sequenced in most subjects, including the core subjects. However, it is not yet fully the case in some of the foundation subjects, including history. Leaders need to ensure that the adjustments that are required in the few subjects concerned are made as a matter of urgency.

The leaders of most of the foundation subjects were appointed at the end of last term. Senior leaders need to ensure that these new subject leaders are fully supported to develop their role. It is important for all the new leaders to have access to ongoing appropriate training to develop their subject expertise and that of their teams.

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