Dinnington Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at this school. They are tolerant and accepting of people who live differently to themselves.

Pupils learn about fundamental British values in assemblies. They apply them to how they live. Bullying, racism and homophobia are not tolerated.

Pupils have a range of opportunities for developing leadership skills. They can become school councillors and eco-leaders. Sports leaders are rightly proud of the impact that they have had on positive behaviour at lunchtimes.

The school is beginning to raise expectations for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should achieve. The school has improv...ed the curriculum. However, over time, pupils have not studied a suitably ambitious curriculum and so do not achieve as well as they should.

Despite some improvements to the curriculum, pupils struggle to remember what they have been taught. This hinders their progress through the curriculum.

Leaders enhance the curriculum through a range of trips and experiences.

Pupils enjoy these experiences. They have visited a zoo, woodlands, safety talks at the Crucial Crew and a residential visit to Whitby. Authors visit the school.

Leaders are working hard to encourage pupils to read widely and enjoy reading for pleasure. The school has invested in two brand new libraries and a wide range of texts.

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

The school has been on a considerable journey in recent years.

It is a place of warmth and increasingly high ambition. The school, with the support of the trust, has been swift to address some of the recommendations from the previous inspection. The school has focused its attention on improving the behaviour and attendance of pupils.

The impact of this work is extensive. Pupils' behaviour is much improved. Pupils now attend school more frequently than they did.

The teaching of phonics is now secure. Pupils now achieve similar outcomes to their peers nationally in the Year 1 phonics check. Those pupils who need additional help with reading receive effective and timely support.

The school has improved the curriculum in some subjects to ensure that it is clear what pupils should learn and how their knowledge should build over time. The school is still making some refinements to these curriculums to further suit the needs of pupils. There is still work to do to ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is clear and well implemented.

For example, the teaching of writing across the school does not lead to pupils achieving well. The curriculum does not enable pupils to develop the skills that they need to write in different styles and genres or use some aspects of grammar and punctuation successfully.

Despite the recent improvements to the curriculum intent in some subjects, these changes are not yet leading to pupils achieving well.

The school does not carry out effective checks to make sure that pupils consistently acquire the knowledge set out in the new curriculum. Pupils struggle to remember what they have been taught.The school does not effectively identify where pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

This means that pupils repeat the same errors and misconceptions over time and do not have the prior knowledge needed to build on and deepen their understanding.

Children in the early years get off to a positive start. The school has adapted the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils.

Staff prioritise the teaching of sharing and building friendships. Staff effectively support pupils who initially struggle with some of the routines and expectations of school. There is a sharp focus on the teaching of reading through the well-delivered phonics scheme.

Staff design appropriate learning activities that help children to build the knowledge and skills that they need for key stage 1. Children apply themselves to activities with increasing levels of stamina and focus. Staff ask questions of children to prompt their thinking and get the most out of learning activities.

The school has made recent improvements to how it identifies pupils with SEND. These changes help the school to identify pupils' additional needs and address them. Adults provide support for some pupils with SEND in lessons.

However, the school does not effectively identify whether some pupils with SEND make progress from their starting points.

The curriculum enriches pupils' experiences and broadens their horizons. Leaders are determined to give pupils opportunities that they would not otherwise have.

Pupils and staff appreciate the 'Check In, Check Up, Check Out' initiative throughout the week. This enables pupils to speak about their feelings and emotions. In turn, this is helping pupils to manage their own feelings and react to situations with increasing maturity.

An academy improvement board (AIB) and additional senior leaders have been appointed to strengthen leadership in the school. The AIB is becoming increasingly effective in its role. The school has engaged well with support from the trust and external partners to address some areas, including some of those relating to the quality of education and the early years provision.

The school is now on the right track. It has the capacity to bring about further improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school does not use assessment carefully to identify and address the gaps in pupils' knowledge. Some pupils repeat the same errors and misconceptions over time and do not have the prior knowledge needed to build on and deepen their understanding. The school should ensure that staff check what pupils know and can remember and adapt the curriculum to help pupils transfer learning to their long-term memory.

• The school has not identified how pupils should develop the knowledge they need to be effective writers. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge of writing effectively over time. The school should ensure that the English curriculum enables pupils to develop the skills and knowledge they need to become successful writers.