Dallimore Primary & Nursery School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 7–8 November 2011 Inspection number 378536 Dallimore Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 112675 Local Authority Derbyshire Inspection number 378536 Inspection dates 7–8 November 2011 Reporting inspector Geof Timms

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 263 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Phillips Headteacher Rachel Crowther Date of previous school inspection 6 May 2009 School address Dallimore Road Ilkeston DE7 4GZ Telephone number 0115 932 0741 Fax number 0115 944 0292 Email address info@dallimore.derbyshire.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. They observed 18 lessons taught by nine teachers. Meetings were held with members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority, staff and groups of pupils. Inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of policies, planning documents and assessment records. In addition, 63 parental questionnaires were scrutinised.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 How is the school improving attainment in Years 1 and 2?  How effectively is the school narrowing the gap in attainment for pupils on free school meals and/or who are summer-born?  How effective is the provision for some of the lower attaining pupils?  How well do teachers plan for different groups of pupils in their classes?  How effective are the steps taken by the leadership to accurately identify and address areas of weakness?

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Information about the school

This is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. The vast majority of the pupils are White British. A very small proportion of pupils come from other ethnic backgrounds, none of whom speaks English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with statements entitling them to extra support, is well above average overall and very high in some year groups. The current headteacher had been in post for one year at the time of the inspection.

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Information about the school

The school has Healthy School status and is working towards a Foundation International School award. The governing body manages a breakfast club which runs each morning before school.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

Dallimore is a satisfactory school. It has been through a number of significant changes recently, including the appointment of a new headteacher. Standards are rapidly rising and pupils are now making good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 2. The leadership has focused clearly on the need to raise standards and to close the gaps in achievement between different groups of pupils. This is evident, for example, in the rapid way the falling standards in Key Stage 1 have been halted and provision, especially the quality of teaching, much improved. Because of the focused leadership there is now a genuine ambition throughout the school community to raise standards. The improvements already made show that the school has a good capacity to improve further.

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Main findings

Recent lower levels of achievement evident in those having free school meals, those who are summer-born or who are lower-attaining, are shown by current data to have been related to the specific pupils in those year groups rather than the school’s provision. The much improved and detailed tracking systems identify pupils who are at risk of underachieving, thus enabling the staff to provide extra support, one-to- one or small group teaching, as necessary. For example, good reading recovery sessions help pupils whose reading skills are not as good as they should be to catch up. This is resulting in the good reading standards now achieved. Standards in mathematics and writing have also risen, and the most recent pupils to take the tests at the end of Year 6 reached levels broadly in line with those expected nationally. This represented good progress from their starting points and very strong progress from Year 2 to Year 6. However, standards in writing remain lower than those in

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Main findings

reading and mathematics, especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. Pupils’ vocabulary is not sufficiently developed through speaking and writing activities.

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Main findings

Pupils’ behaviour is good and this has a positive impact on their learning. Teaching is good and this is why pupils are now making good progress. However, there remain some inconsistencies, especially in the way assessment is used to ensure all pupils, especially the most able, are provided with sufficiently challenging work. Teachers are at an early stage in using the assessment of pupils’ learning during lessons. They do not always provide pupils with useful feedback that helps them improve, or adjust tasks and groups as lessons progress to better match learning needs. Because of this, more-able pupils are not always provided with sufficiently challenging work. Teachers and other staff have good relationships with pupils. The pupils and their parents and carers are positive about how safe they feel and the school provides

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

good quality care, guidance and support, especially for pupils facing more challenging circumstances or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is often the result of good partnerships with a range of outside agencies.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Leadership and management are good and senior staff have worked hard to develop leadership skills among subject and key stage leaders. This is having a positive impact on standards and aspects of provision. The leadership team and governing body have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas requiring improvement. Members of the governing body provide good levels of support and challenge. Safeguarding arrangements are robust, with staff and governors very knowledgeable about requirements and expectations. The school works very hard to engage well with parents and carers, who comment that recent changes to the information available for them have been a valuable support in understanding how well their children are learning.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in writing, especially at the end of Key Stage 1, by:  accelerating children’s communication, language and learning skills in the Nursery and Reception years  providing more opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills and a wider vocabulary  providing more opportunities for pupils to write at length and in different subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure more of the teaching is consistently of good or better quality by:  improving teachers’ assessment of pupils’ learning during lessons  improving the feedback provided to pupils so they are very clear about what they need to do to improve  providing sufficiently challenging tasks for all pupils, especially the most able.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 has risen sharply over the past two years. This improvement is also evident in lessons and in pupils’ current work. Because of this, their progress is good given their often low starting points. Pupils’ work in books is neat and well presented. In many of the good lessons, pupils are making rapid progress in developing basic skills. Even so, in Years 1 and 2 pupils lack breadth and depth in their vocabulary and their writing skills. Basic reading skills are well developed and teachers demonstrate a good

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

understanding of the teaching of letters and sounds. Pupils enjoy books, and in Years 1 and 2 some are developing a good understanding and recognition of alliteration and adjectives. Older pupils’ writing skills are closer to those expected for their ages and they are also reaching broadly average levels in mathematics. In a good lesson in Year 6, pupils made good progress in learning to understand how to work out and use percentages through a range of challenging activities. The school analyses the progress made by different groups to ensure none fall behind. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well provided for through a range of effective interventions and thus make good progress given their starting points.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The school’s recent focus on raising standards has meant less time has been spent on developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural knowledge and understanding. Even so, this is satisfactory, as is pupils’ contribution to the community, their knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves healthy, and the skills they are developing for their economic well-being. The breakfast club makes a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development. Attendance is broadly in line with the national average.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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contribute to their future economic well-being

Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1

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How effective is the provision?

Teaching is good, and this has a positive impact on pupils’ progress. Teachers plan lessons in detail and ensure that tasks are appropriately resourced. However, they do not always adapt lessons following an accurate assessment of pupils’ learning during the session. Teaching assistants are providing good support especially for the pupils

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

who find learning more difficult. In one good lesson, the teaching assistant worked with a pupil on a computer activity while the teacher introduced some problem- solving work to the rest of the class. This was a good use of time and resources as the pupil was learning more from this activity than he would have done with the other pupils. The marking of pupils’ work varies in its quality and they are not always clear about what they need to do to improve.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The school has recently introduced changes to the curriculum to make it more creative and to establish additional links across subjects. This has yet to have a full impact on standards but is beginning to provide more opportunities for pupils to use their basic literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. The development of information and communication technology skills is less well developed. Good care, guidance and support are evident in the way the school recognises and provides for its most vulnerable pupils. Whether it is those with significant learning or behavioural needs, or those facing more challenging circumstances outside school, great efforts are made to enable them to access the curriculum, learn and make good progress. The breakfast club gives pupils a quiet and purposeful start to the school day.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher provides good strong leadership and has created a challenging but positive ethos among staff. All of the staff who responded to a questionnaire said the school was well led and managed and they were proud to work there. The leadership is focused on important aspects of the provision and is promoting rising standards. Clear analysis of the school’s strengths and weaknesses has resulted in effective action planning to address appropriate priorities. The senior management team has been effective in improving the quality of teaching, supporting, challenging and providing training where necessary. This has seen more good teaching and therefore more of the pupils making good progress in learning. The governing body has a good understanding of what the school’s assessment data shows such as, for example, the need to track the current Year 3 pupils’ progress because they underachieved in Key

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How effective are leadership and management?

Stage 1. School leaders have also worked hard to engage parents and carers more in their pupils’ learning. More information about the levels pupils are working at and the curriculum covered is provided for them. New technology, such as texting, is used to make communication more efficient and effective. Pupils are kept safe in school as all appropriate checks are made, staff and governors are very well trained and the site manager has very good expertise in all health and safety matters. The

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

school is at an early stage in developing pupils’ knowledge and understanding about how others live. However, they are working towards an International School award and have good plans in place to link with a school in another country. In addition, good efforts are made to teach pupils about other faiths and cultures in lessons and assemblies. Staff promote equal opportunities satisfactorily although more remains to be done to help more of the most-able pupils to reach the higher levels of attainment.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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driving improvement

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Many of the children who start in the Nursery have skills and knowledge that are well below the levels expected for their ages. They make good progress over that year and this continues in Reception. Even so, the levels achieved by the end of their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage remain below those expected, especially for their communication, reading and writing skills. The Early Years Foundation Stage leader is providing good, strong leadership. She has changed the organisation of children’s learning recently and this is proving effective. So, for example, more-able Nursery children are able to work with Reception and if Reception children are struggling with some learning they can work at a lower level with the Nursery. The outdoor areas are being developed and improved and have an excellent potential to be a very effective learning resource. Already they are being used imaginatively to provide play

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Early Years Foundation Stage

activities to support a story, such as one about a park keeper. Children played with a range of gardening and other tools and toys, role playing parts of the story and showing real excitement when finding worms as they dug.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The quality of teaching is consistently good and occasionally outstanding. This was seen in one excellent singing session in which all children were fully and

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

enthusiastically involved, and in which their learning was exceptional. Assessment is of good quality and well recorded so children’s progress is accurately tracked. Links with parents are good and home visits prior to children starting in the Nursery provide staff with a good understanding of individual children’s needs.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Although a slightly below average proportion of the parents and carers returned a questionnaire, they were very positive in their views about the school. All of those who responded said the school is well led and managed by the headteacher. They all say the school keeps their child safe and that their child enjoys school. Almost all of the parents and carers say the teaching is good and the school keeps them well informed about their child’s progress and that they are happy with their child’s experience in the school. The inspection findings support these views as the quality of teaching was found to be good, as is the leadership demonstrated by the headteacher and senior staff. The school is robustly keeping children safe and secure. A few of the parents and carers thought the school did not always deal well with poor behaviour. However, the inspection found pupils’ behaviour to be good in and out of lessons and good systems for dealing with any incidents of poor

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Dallimore Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 62 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 263 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 33 53 29 47 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 31 50 31 50 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 16 26 44 72 1 2 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 21 34 38 62 2 3 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 23 38 37 61 1 2 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 14 23 45 74 2 3 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 26 42 33 53 2 3 0 0 The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 18 30 38 63 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 22 36 37 61 2 3 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 18 30 35 57 5 8 0 0 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 18 30 37 61 3 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 32 52 29 48 0 0 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 32 52 29 47 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.  The school’s capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Dallimore Primary School, Ilkeston, DE7 4GZ

I am writing to thank you for the way you welcomed the inspectors to your school recently. We really enjoyed our visit and talking with many of you about your school. We especially enjoyed seeing how well most of you behaved in lessons and how much you clearly enjoyed your learning. Well done!

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Inspection of Dallimore Primary School, Ilkeston, DE7 4GZ

Dallimore is a satisfactory school but it is very quickly getting better all the time. This is because of the leadership of the headteacher and her senior staff. Because the school is improving you are making better progress, especially in reading and mathematics, learning more and reaching higher standards. We have asked the school to help you get even better at writing as well by teaching you to talk well, to learn lots of new words and to use these when you write in different subjects.

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Inspection of Dallimore Primary School, Ilkeston, DE7 4GZ

The teachers are working hard to help you learn. You have some very exciting and imaginative lessons that help you learn a lot, such as when you visit the woods to build a bonfire and learn about the Guy and the festival. We have asked the school to help the best teachers share their skills and spread good ideas across the school. They can then be sure how well you are learning new things, change what you are doing if it is not working, and make sure those of you who find learning easier are given hard enough work to really make you think. We have also asked them to make sure you are very clear about how well you are doing and how you can improve. This is to help even more of you make good or better progress in your learning.

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Inspection of Dallimore Primary School, Ilkeston, DE7 4GZ

Thank you again for your friendliness and help. Enjoy your time at Dallimore and keep working hard!

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from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy

of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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