Dunstall Hill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Dunstall Hill Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The head of school of this school is Reena Chander. This school is part of Perry Hall Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Amarjit Cheema OBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Brocklehurst.

There is also an executive headteacher, Tom Hinkley, who is responsible for this school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Dunstall Hill Primary places pupils and their families at the heart of what they do. Central to the ...school is enabling all pupils to thrive and preparing them to become responsible, respectful and active citizens.

The school achieves this because of the wider opportunities it provides pupils and the decisions it makes about the chosen curriculum. The school has high academic ambitions for all pupils. Most pupils achieve well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils are proud of their school. They are happy in school and enjoy their time there. This is a calm and orderly place for pupils to learn and play.

Pupils are friendly and polite. They know the importance of keeping themselves mentally and physically well. They learn about risks they face online and know to seek the support of trusted adults should they feel unsafe.

The school provides an abundance of opportunities for pupils beyond lessons that nurture their talents and interests. These include a range of sporting activities, and chances to learn musical instruments. They also enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities, including taekwondo, sewing, construction and science clubs.

Other activities such as trips and visitors into school enhance pupils' experiences.

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

The school teaches a broad and balanced curriculum that matches the ambitions of the national curriculum. Despite changes in staff and the disruption of the pandemic, the school has maintained a sharp focus on ensuring that pupils know and remember more.

Pupils make progress through the curriculum, from relatively low starting points, knowing more and remembering more. This learning starts in the early years, where children get off to a flying start. One reason for this is because the school prioritises staff's focus on teaching key aspects of early English and mathematics.

Skilled early years staff support children well and routines are quickly established.

The school places an emphasis on staff training and this makes a positive difference to the implementation of the curriculum. Whilst most of the staff make useful checks on learning in lessons, this is not always the case.

This leads to some variation in how effectively staff identify and address any misconceptions. When this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

The school recognises the increasing numbers of pupils with SEND.

Therefore, it is providing training for all staff to further develop their expertise in adapting learning to enable all pupils to do well. Where necessary, some staff receive additional coaching to enhance their practice. Pupils with complex SEND benefit from the expertise given by external professionals and from across the trust.

This means they receive a bespoke curriculum, which enables them to access learning to meet their needs.

Early reading is prioritised by the school. Pupils encounter a love of reading from an early age and also build their fluency through a well-organised approach to teaching phonics.

The school's systematic approach means that most pupils learn the sounds they need to be able to blend words and develop their reading skills. Where this is not the case, pupils receive additional support to help them become more confident, fluent readers.

Most pupils behave well in classrooms and around school.

They display positive attitudes to learning and want to do well at school. Pupils respect the school rules and understand that they are there to keep them safe. Some pupils need extra support to follow the school's high behaviour expectations.

This is effective and leads to positive improvements. Promoting regular attendance is a key priority in school. While some pupils still miss school too often, many are now attending more regularly than they were previously.

Preparing pupils for life beyond school is a key strength. Pupils enjoy the chance to apply for the many pupil ambassador roles on offer. They are also proud of the diversity maps outside each classroom, which show the many countries that pupils come from, and the 45 languages spoken.

Pupils told the inspector that `we are all different, but we are all one family'. They have an exceptional understanding of fundamental British values and how this relates to them. This demonstrates the school's commitment to inclusion and equality.

School leaders at all levels, including the trust and local governing board, are highly effective. They are relentless in their drive to improve their school. This was evident in the improvements made to the early years and the wider curriculum since the last inspection.

Staff value working at this school. They also appreciate how well leaders support them and consider their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is some variability in how well teachers check pupils' understanding within lessons, resulting in lost opportunities to address misconceptions. When this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could. The trust should continue to ensure that all staff become experts at this.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in April 2019.