Duston Eldean Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are incredibly friendly, polite and well-mannered at this school. They consistently live up to the high expectations of the school's 'FISH philosophy'. Pupils seek ways to fully involve themselves in the life of the school.

They respond to everything with a positive attitude. The school instils a 'great goal' for everyone to always be kind and thoughtful. A regular focus on different ways to achieve this goal has supported pupils' exemplary behaviour.

Pupils have earned an impressive reputation in the local community.

Pupils are proud to contribute positively to school life through their leadership roles. They lead assemblies, promote kindness, monitor... behaviour in corridors at lunchtimes or check that the school is environmentally friendly, for example.

Older pupils mentor younger ones. Pupils say that their opinions are valued. They feel empowered to make improvements for others.

A highly ambitious and varied curriculum inspires pupils. Alongside their academic growth, the school focuses on pupils becoming increasingly articulate, lifelong learners that are respectful of diverse cultures. Pupils enjoy learning and consistently achieve strong outcomes in national tests.

They achieve well in many areas of the curriculum.

Parents and carers feel overwhelmingly positive about the school. They cannot praise the school enough and highly recommend it.

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

The school's ambitious curriculum is well designed. It sets out the important knowledge that pupils should learn from the Reception Year onwards. In all subjects, this knowledge is skilfully sequenced so that it builds progressively over time.

Central to the curriculum, is a sharp focus on pupils learning to read well. From their first day of school, pupils benefit from the highly effective teaching of phonics. The school works extensively with parents to gain their support in ensuring pupils practise phonics and reading regularly.

Staff carefully check pupils' progress in reading. They quickly identify pupils who are not keeping up and provide effective support. Pupils soon become fluent and ardent readers.

They enjoy time in the school library, selecting books and discussing their preferences.

Over several years, leaders have carefully crafted a formalised approach to teaching the curriculum. It is based on research and their own evaluations of effective learning.

Through rigorous training, teachers consistently follow this approach. They present new knowledge clearly to pupils. They emphasise important vocabulary and check pupils' understanding.

The delivery of the curriculum is mainly strong but especially in mathematics. The impact can be seen in pupils' confident recall of knowledge and consistently high attainment. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage.

The school has not ensured that the curriculum is taught equally well in all subjects. In a small number of subjects, the checks teachers make on pupils' learning do not always ensure that they are building on what they were taught previously. In those subjects, the learning activities selected sometimes lack ambition and hinder the depth of knowledge that pupils can reach.

As a result, pupils' knowledge is sometimes not as secure as it could be. In a small number of subjects, the work pupils produce is not consistently of a high-quality.

The school has appropriate systems to ensure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified.

Across the school, well-trained staff adapt the curriculum appropriately for these pupils. Due to the nature of their needs, the school has committed to a bespoke provision for a few pupils. These pupils are well supported by trained staff in a more suitable environment.

Pupils have highly positive attitudes towards their learning. They listen intently in lessons and are eager to share their views. They work well together or on their own.

Pupils learn that criticism can be helpful. They engage well with the regular feedback they receive about their attitude. Pupils have high expectations of themselves.

For example, in weekly 'reflection time', they discuss how they have learned well. They set targets on how to improve.

Right from the early years, the school focuses on pupils' oracy skills so that they can speak and share their views clearly.

Pupils learn to debate ideas and views with confidence. They use 'talking hand' gestures to respectfully agree or disagree. The provision for pupils' personal development is well considered.

It supports pupils to develop a secure understanding of diverse life in modern Britain. Pupils also learn about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe, including online.

Staff speak highly of the supportive culture of the school.

They appreciate the focused support on developing their practice. Governors have a clear vision for the school. They know their responsibilities well.

Their regular checks of the school's work are sharply focused on achieving the best outcomes for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the checks that teachers make on pupils' knowledge do not always ensure that pupils are effectively building on earlier learning.

Additionally, the school has not ensured that all the learning activities given to pupils reflect the curriculum ambition. As a result, pupils are hindered from developing detailed knowledge and producing work of a consistently high quality. The school should ensure that all learning activities and the checks made on pupils' learning support pupils to achieve consistently well in all subjects.

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