Fell Dyke Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff at this school make everyone feel welcome.

Pupils are polite and considerate of others. They understand that some pupils find school more challenging and respect this. Pupils are safe and happy in this school.

The work that leaders have carried out to promote pupils' personal development is having a significant impact. Pupils feel safe to express their opinions. They understand how to manage themselves and how to be independent and resilient.

Leaders have developed a positive culture in which both staff and pupils understand their expectations. As a result, staff are more knowledgeable about why pupils may exhibit certain behaviours. Consequently, pupil...s respond well to the support and nurture they receive.

This results in calm, purposeful classrooms and a warm, secure feeling around school. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that if it did occur or if there is any inappropriate behaviour, adults would quickly sort it out.

Pupils work hard and understand that the school values of 'excellence, determination and friendship' can help them prepare for the next stage of their education.

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

Since the last Ofsted inspection, leaders have significantly improved the school.Effective and decisive action taken by senior leaders, governors and the local authority has raised ambition and expectations for pupils and staff.

There is now a collective responsibility and accountability to ensure that pupils fulfil their potential.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that helps pupils remember vital knowledge. In most subjects, the curriculum has been planned with a step-by-step approach.

This means that what pupils learn in Year 3, for example, will support their understanding of what they study in Year 4. Leaders ensure that pupils in mixed-age classes receive content that is specific to their year group. However, in some foundation subjects, leaders are aware that further developments are required to plan what is taught with greater precision.

Leaders have provided training to help adults develop their understanding of pupil behaviour and child development. As a result, pupils who find school more challenging or have additional pressures in their lives are now supported effectively. Leaders have introduced rewards and sanctions that pupils understand.

As a result, pupils make good choices, behave well and are able to learn in class without disruption.

Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) study the full curriculum. Support is generally provided in class by teaching assistants where required.

However, teachers also ensure that pupils have individualised timetables, carefully adapted resources and high-quality emotional support. Pupils who have an education, health and care plan have a weekly timetable that ensures that their statutory targets are addressed within the curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

In the early years, leaders help children to get off to a strong start in their education. From the moment children start nursery, they are supported to develop their speaking and listening skills. Staff make sure that reading is a priority.

Children enjoy reading and listening to a wide range of literature, including nursery rhymes, poetry, songs and storybooks. Children also use the 'voting station' in Reception Year to encourage them to talk about books and choose which one they would like adults to read. Staff deliver a phonics programme that helps children remember the sounds that letters make.

Consequently, by the end of Year 1, the majority of pupils are able to apply the sounds that they have been taught and read with fluency. Pupils are given books that match the sounds they are learning. This helps them to practise these sounds and become confident readers.

Leaders have implemented a strong personal, social, health and economic education programme. This focuses well on areas that school leaders feel pupils need more guidance with. As a result, pupils have a greater understanding of diversity, equality and healthy relationships.

Governors carry out their roles diligently. They receive regular information from school leaders about pupil performance and visit the school frequently to see the impact of leaders' decisions. They hold leaders to account and provide a listening ear for staff when required.

Leaders engage well with external agencies and have benefited from effective local authority support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding lead and family support worker play a vital role in the life of the school and community.

They provide emotional and practical support for children and families as well as ensuring that the right external agencies are supporting as required. Pupils at potential risk of harm are quickly identified. Any safety concerns are meticulously recorded and monitored.

Attendance for all pupils is carefully tracked. As a result, pupils identified with lower attendance receive ongoing support from leaders.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe and are knowledgeable about how to stay safe when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some foundation subjects are not planned with sufficient organisation and structure. This means that pupils do not build a secure bank of knowledge that they can apply when introduced to new, more complex concepts. Leaders should review these subjects so that a progressive, sequenced curriculum is put in place.