Peak Dale Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This small village school is 'full of heart'.

It has a shared vision for all its pupils to achieve highly, both academically and in their personal development. Pupils work hard to fulfil these expectations. The school wants to ensure that every child is well prepared for their next stage in education, as well as for life in wider society.

Every pupil benefits from 'curriculum gift' experiences during their time at the school. They enjoy opportunities to create art on canvas, participate in sports events and perform poetry to live audiences at local theatres. There is a keen focus on pupils learning outside to support their physical and mental health.

Pupils a...re happy and proud of their school. They love being able to play and learn together. They behave well in lessons and around school.

Pupils respond readily to teachers' expectations and show positive attitudes to their learning. They feel safe and trust that the adults in school will look after them.

Parents and carers appreciate the support that their children receive.

As one parent typically commented, this is, 'A caring primary school that does its best to develop well-rounded young people.'

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

The school has undergone a period of rapid change. It now has a well-considered curriculum that is ordered in a logical way.

Subjects link together in a cohesive manner. Pupils learn and build their knowledge gradually so that they are ready for the next stage of their learning. The school supports staff to develop their expertise so that they can deliver the whole curriculum consistently well.

The early reading programme is taught well. In addition, the school provides parents with useful information to help their children read at home. Most pupils learn how sounds can be put together to make words.

Those who need additional help have a specific programme that is matched to their needs. As a result, most pupils learn to read with accuracy and fluency. The spelling and writing curriculum are closely aligned with what pupils can read.

Pupils often apply their reading knowledge to their writing as a result.

Teachers provide work that captures pupils' interests and helps pupils learn the curriculum. Staff check what pupils can recall from their previous lessons.

If pupils have any gaps in their knowledge, teachers adapt the lesson to resolve them. Occasionally, the activities that pupils complete do not help them to deepen their knowledge of a subject. Staff work with other schools to develop their expertise, for example, in matching learning to the specific needs of pupils.

This support also helps staff to manage their workload.

The interests of all pupils are at the centre of the school's decisions. This is evident in the school's work to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The needs of these pupils are identified quickly. When necessary, advice from external organisations is used to understand and reduce the barriers to learning that pupils with SEND may face. Occasionally, the knowledge that these pupils need to know is not broken down into small steps.

This means that pupils with SEND are not always secure in the knowledge that they are expected to know and recall.

Children in the early years benefit from a well-designed curriculum that is tailored to their needs. Most children develop their early communication and vocabulary well.

They speak with confidence and learn to use grammatically correct sentences. For example, children learn words such as 'cluttered' and 'recycle'. The school's ongoing work is helping to improve the delivery of the early years curriculum.

Attendance and punctuality are a focus for the school. Over time, frequent absences from school have decreased. The school works closely with families to help pupils come to school on time each day.

The school has a broad and well-considered personal development programme. Pupils take on roles and responsibilities to enhance the wider life of the school. They access a range of popular extra-curricular activities.

Some of these activities link to their interests and talents, including ribbon dancing, archery and orienteering. Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone equally and learn about different communities found in modern Britain. This aspect of the curriculum is woven into all parts of school life, including the books that pupils read.

Governors have ensured that the school has the capacity to keep improving. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities with diligence.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Occasionally, the activities that pupils complete do not help them to deepen their understanding of the subject. This leads to inconsistencies in how well pupils learn the curriculum. The school must ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently so that the depth of pupils' knowledge of the intended subject content is secure.

• Adaptations to the curriculum to support the needs of pupils with SEND are sometimes not as precise as they could be. These pupils are not always ready for their next step in learning. The school must ensure that the curriculum is carefully and precisely adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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