Drybrook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an inadequate school The school is failing to provide pupils with an acceptable standard of education. Leaders have failed to take the necessary steps to rapidly improve teaching, particularly at key stage 2. Consequently, too few pupils reach the standards expected of them.

Leaders' improvement plans are imprecise and monitoring of the quality of teaching by all leaders is vague. This limits how well leaders, including subject leaders, can accurately evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and drive further improvement. Assessment is inaccurate and, consequently, teachers' expectations are too low.

Teaching objectives are often unclear and not consiste...ntly matched to pupils' age or ability. Leaders do not robustly check the accuracy of assessment and, as a result, teachers are not held to account for improving teaching. The curriculum is poorly planned and restricted.

Consequently, pupils do not develop deep knowledge and understanding, including secure reading, writing and mathematics skills, across the range of subjects. Teaching support provided as a result of pupil premium funding does not consistently accelerate pupils' progress. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are not making enough progress to catch up.

Governors, many of whom are new, have a limited understanding of how to evaluate the school's effectiveness, so they cannot challenge leaders. They have not ensured that the website is up to date. Absence for several pupils, including those who have SEN and/or disabilities, is still too high, despite improvement.

Teachers' intervention in pupils' learning does not consistently help them to pick up on pupils' errors or move their learning on. Early years leaders do not plan precisely enough, and check the effectiveness of their actions, to ensure that children are provided with rich learning experiences. This limits children, especially those who are disadvantaged, from making strong progress.

The school has the following strengths Recent improvements to teaching in the early years and key stage 1 have led to more pupils achieving the standards expected of them in phonics and at the end of both key stages. Adults form positive relationships with pupils and provide appropriate pastoral support for pupils who need extra help.

Information about this school

The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the curriculum, the phonics scheme, the special educational needs report and the accessibility plan.

Drybrook Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The majority of pupils are White British. There are a minority of pupils for whom English is an additional language.

The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is in line with pupils nationally. The proportion of pupils receiving support for special educational needs is slightly higher than the national figure. Several pupils have an education, health and care plan.

The school provides an after-school club for pupils which is managed by the school. The school does not meet the government's floor standards at the end of key stage 2. The school is receiving support from the local authority and is a member of the West Gloucestershire Support Partnership of primary schools.