Doveridge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Doveridge Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this small school where they know everybody. A typical pupil comment is, 'Everybody is friendly and will listen to your thoughts.'

As a result, pupils say they feel safe. They say that bullying is rare. Pupils know who they should talk to if they have any concerns.

They are confident that they can always talk to a teacher about their worries.

Pupils know the school values of 'ready, respect and safe'. They understand why these are important.

Teachers are ambitious for pupils. Pupils say, 'They don't give up on you and help you to get it r...ight.'

Pupils behave well in the school.

They listen to each other respectfully. Pupils are kind and considerate. They know learning is important.

Pupils try their best.

This school is at the heart of its rural community. Parents appreciate the many opportunities their children are offered at the school.

The majority of parents spoken to feel that staff listen to any concerns they raise and respond swiftly. One parent, whose comment was typical of many, said: 'The pastoral support at this school is strong.'

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

Leaders have adopted a new approach to the teaching of phonics.

They have clear expectations of how phonics needs to be taught. Staff have received appropriate training, and many have been quick to use this to improve their daily practice in teaching phonics. However, some staff still need more training to further refine their practice.

Checks on what pupils have learned are thorough and detailed. This means that teachers know what each pupil's next step is. Extra support is provided to pupils who are at risk of falling behind in phonics.

Pupils read from books that help them to practise the sounds they have learned in school. They read accurately from these books because they match their phonic knowledge well.

Other subjects are also well planned.

Leaders have devised 'ladders' that detail the important skills that pupils need to be taught. These skills are built on year by year. Alongside the 'ladders', leaders have identified the important knowledge that pupils need to know in each subject.

Teachers have thought carefully about the gaps in pupils' learning that have emerged during the three national lockdowns. Pupils receive additional teaching so they do not miss out on important parts of their learning. Not all staff are equally skilled in the delivery of key knowledge as leaders expect.

For example, in lessons, not all staff are using assessment information well enough to ensure learning matches pupils' needs. As a result, a minority of pupils are not learning as well as they could.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive appropriate support.

Leaders use information from assessments and support from outside agencies to identify next steps for pupils. Staff work alongside pupils with SEND in small groups or individually to provide help and guidance. However, the support pupils receive is not always closely linked to the targets they have been set.

Therefore, they do not achieve as well as they could.

Parents and pupils value the many opportunities that leaders provide to support pupils' wider personal development. Pupils enjoy learning outdoors.

They learn how to start a fire using a flint and steel and how to use a knife safely to carve. Pupils pursue and extend their interests through the clubs on offer in school. They enjoy opportunities to attend archery, dance and choir clubs.

Pupils who are members of the newly formed 'action group' are working together to think of ways to raise money for new equipment in school. They are gathering ideas from other pupils using a suggestions box.

Children get off to a good start in the early years foundation stage.

The environment offers them a broad range of learning opportunities. In the forest school, children scavenge for seeds after receiving a letter from a 'fairy'. They use words such as 'nocturnal' and 'diurnal' to describe animals they might see.

Children learn about Henri Matisse and make a collage using his work as inspiration. Other activities on offer provide important opportunities to practise important skills which adults have taught them.

Staff appreciate the support they receive from leaders.

They feel well supported and say their workload is manageable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have forged good relationships with parents and carers.

This enables them to provide the right help and support to vulnerable pupils and their families. The safeguarding lead is committed to ensuring the well-being and safety of all pupils. Safeguarding records are detailed.

They show that leaders respond swiftly to any concerns raised.Leaders have created a clear process for staff to report their concerns about pupils. This is understood by all staff.

Staff and governors receive comprehensive safeguarding training. Leaders make regular checks to assure themselves that staff understand their duties and can spot the signs of possible abuse.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of staff are not as skilled as others in implementing leaders' clear expectations for how pupils should be taught.

As a result, pupils are not learning as much as they could. Leaders need to provide further training and support to ensure all staff can teach effectively. ? Some learning activities are not matched precisely enough to pupils' needs.

For a small number of pupils, this means they do not always acquire the intended learning. Leaders need to ensure that all staff use assessment information to provide learning activities that will support pupils to learn as well as they can.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2013.