Dulverton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Dulverton Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now.

The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils welcome and include everyone. Leaders have created an ethos that ensures that pupils aim high and focus successfully on their learning.

Parents and carers, staff and pupils understand and are fully supportive of leaders' vision.

Pupils are delighted to take part in the wider life of the school. They are keen to be responsible house captains and ...student council representatives.

This is because of the support and encouragement that leaders give them. Pupils enjoy their educational outings. These are planned to complement pupils' learning and help them to discover more about the world around them.

Pupils understand and embrace the rules and routines that leaders have introduced to promote positive behaviour. In lessons, pupils try hard and are keen to learn. They offer their ideas readily and settle down to work quickly.

Bullying is rare. Parents and pupils know that it would be quickly nipped in the bud by staff if it did occur. Pupils are kept safe and are well looked after by staff.

They especially like being able to spend time with the school dog.

Pupils achieve very well across a range of subjects because the curriculum is ambitious and delivered effectively. Parents and carers value all that leaders do to secure pupils' success, including ensuring that the needs of those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well met.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all subjects, including in the early years. Subject leaders have based their curriculum thinking on the aims and content of the national curriculum. Leaders work systematically to strengthen the curriculum taught in each subject.

Leaders and staff know exactly what should be learned and by when. They work together closely to ensure that their goals for pupils' learning are realised and that pupils know what they need to achieve. A key factor in the curriculum's success is that pupils get to revisit and practise important knowledge frequently.

This helps them to know more and remember this knowledge securely and deeply.

Teachers know pupils well. They make sure that their teaching approaches enable all pupils to fully understand the key concepts that they learn.

Teachers have an in-depth understanding of how the curriculum in each subject is sequenced across the school. They use their expertise to select tasks and activities that increase pupils' knowledge progressively. In mathematics, for example, teaching enables pupils to become increasingly confident and fluent working with fractions.

Pupils readily draw on what they have learned before to take their understanding further.

Assessment is used carefully to make sure that all pupils, including those with SEND, are learning the curriculum as intended. Teachers adjust activities and tasks effectively to make sure that pupils' knowledge develops successfully.

Leaders' ambition for pupils is also clear in the way they continually review and tweak the curriculum to ensure that all are achieving well.

As soon as children join in Reception, they begin learning phonics. Leaders, teachers and pupils all understand how important reading is.

Reading has been prioritised by leaders throughout the curriculum. The phonics programme is delivered, so that all pupils learn, and practise sounds together. Careful checks on pupils' knowledge mean that those who need extra help with reading are identified quickly.

They are supported straight away, so that they do not fall behind their peers.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are identified promptly. The additional support that these pupils receive is extensive and well targeted to their individual needs.

All pupils learn the same curriculum as their peers.

The behaviour of pupils is highly positive. They are supportive of each other and all members of the school community.

For example, unprompted by adults, pupils hold the doors open for each other and staff. They speak to everyone in a polite and respectful way. Leaders have worked hard to ensure that this is the case.

This means that the school is a harmonious learning environment.

Leaders work to continually improve the provision in place for pupils' wider development. Supporting pupils to develop positive character traits is at the fore of much that leaders do.

Leaders and staff use every opportunity to promote and teach pupils about the school values, which include integrity, friendship and kindness. They show pupils how to put these values into practice and pupils try their best to use them as they play and learn together.

The programme of enrichment, including the visits and clubs that leaders organise, is well appreciated by pupils.

This programme is wide and rich. Year 6 pupils spoke glowingly about what they learned and experienced during their involvement in an opera performance.

The governing body works closely with leaders to ensure that all staff receive appropriate professional development and that their well-being is supported.

Staff spoken to said how much they appreciate this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders maintain a strong culture of safeguarding at the school.

Staff are thoroughly trained. They demonstrate a clear understanding of the policies and procedures in place to protect pupils' welfare. Staff report concerns promptly, and leaders follow these up appropriately with parents and external agencies.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. They know that there are trusted adults in school that they can talk to if they had a concern.

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 January 2013.