Dinnington Community Primary School

Dinnington Community Primary School School Street, Dinnington, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S25 2RE

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ outcomes have declined considerably over the last four years. Pupils have made slow progress in reading, writing and mathematics over time. They do not achieve well.  Safeguarding is not effective. Numerous inadequacies in safeguarding procedures have only recently been identified. While new school leaders have taken significant actions to address these, the effects of some weaknesses remain.  Pupils are not taught to read well. Pupils’ outcomes in reading have been considerably below the national average for the last three years. Pupils’ current progress and attainment do not demonstrate improvement.  A high proportion of pupils are identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Over time, the provision for these pupils has not been effective in preparing them well for the next stage of their education.  Pupils’ attendance has declined and is below the national average. The proportion of pupils

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

who are persistently absent is well above the national average.  Until very recently, pupils have not had access to a curriculum that effectively broadens their knowledge and experiences or supports their personal development.  Expectations of, and responses to, pupils’ behaviour are inconsistent. As a result, pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are varied across school.  Not enough attention has been given to supporting children in the early years to get off to a strong start in early reading, writing and mathematics. Boys in particular make poor progress in the early years and leave Reception unprepared for the demands of Year 1.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The new headteacher has accurately identified the weaknesses in the school’s performance. She has galvanised the staff team in starting to understand and address them.  The very recently introduced curriculum has engaged pupils in their learning and started to broaden their knowledge and skills.

p.1

Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Urgently improve safeguarding arrangements by continuing to: – ensure that all staff receive planned training in essential aspects of safeguarding – make sure that the accountability of school leaders, members of the interim board and trust leaders in relation to safeguarding is explicit and that stringent checks on the arrangements in place are made – make sure that pupils with specific needs have appropriate plans in place to address their medical needs and/or disabilities.  Improve leadership and management by: – strengthening improvement plans, making actions to be taken precise so that everyone understands what is expected of them and those responsible for governance can check on the difference leaders are making to pupils’ progress and attainment – developing the roles of new middle leaders in planning progression in their subjects, directing improvements in teaching and learning and checking the progress that

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

pupils are making – improving provision for pupils with SEND by gaining a better understanding of their needs and barriers to learning and how these can successfully be addressed by the delivery of high-quality teaching – raising everyone’s expectations of pupils’ attendance and responding rapidly when pupils miss school.  Improve pupils’ outcomes in reading by: – ensuring consistency in the teaching of phonics, using high-quality adult modelling in saying and writing sounds – making sure that pupils have reading books that are well matched to the sounds they know or are learning – giving pupils, particularly those with lower-than-typical starting points or who have fallen behind, frequent opportunities to read aloud – engaging pupils and their families in the pleasure that books can bring, creating opportunities for them to read widely and often.  Improve the progress that children make through the early years by:

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

– improving the quality of provision for two-year-olds – providing many opportunities for children to apply their early reading, writing and mathematical skills in independent activities – using clear assessment procedures to check children’s progress and plan the next steps that they need to take across the whole foundation stage curriculum – ensuring that planning and teaching address the different needs of all pupils, particularly the most able, those with lower starting points and boys.  Improve teaching and learning to ensure that a higher proportion of pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are well prepared for the next stage of their education by: – ensuring that all teachers and support staff are fully equipped to support pupils with different needs and with different starting points – ensuring consistency, challenge and high expectations of what all pupils can achieve

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

academically and behaviourally. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Weaknesses in leadership at school and trust level have resulted in inadequate outcomes for pupils in all subjects over the last three years and ineffective safeguarding arrangements. Very recently, newly appointed school leaders and the trust have identified and prioritised where rapid improvement is needed but actions to address these priorities are only just being put in place. It is too soon to see the difference these actions are making for pupils.  Over time, leaders have reacted to pupils’ declining outcomes by implementing a range of different strategies and support. However, strategies have changed frequently and not been fully supported with training or leaders’ checks on teaching and learning. They have not had the intended effect.  Support from the trust has not been consistently strategic or sustainable. It has focused on bringing in additional teachers to support pupils’ learning towards the end

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

of the key stage rather than on developing the teaching skills of all teachers and teaching assistants.  Leadership within the trust has changed significantly within the last few months. An interim chief executive officer (CEO) is in place, with a new CEO appointed to take up their post in September 2019. Trust members are fully accepting of their failures in the past to improve the quality of education and to check that arrangements are in place to ensure that all pupils are safe. They have reviewed their procedures as a result.  The interim CEO describes the overhaul of their leadership in terms of improved ‘rigour, accountability and transparency’. He can demonstrate how his work with the new headteacher this term has started to address long-standing issues. Challenging decisions about staffing have not been shirked. New consultants for safeguarding and attendance have been brought in to support leaders’ work. However, it is early days

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

and major changes are still to take place within the trust.  A lack of knowledge and expertise in supporting pupils with SEND has meant that these pupils have not had the support they have needed to make good progress across the curriculum. Systems for identifying pupils’ needs are unclear and result in some pupils being identified with SEND when they have simply fallen behind academically. Leaders do not have a clear overview of the support or interventions pupils are receiving. Leaders are unclear about the difference this makes to pupils’ progress.  The additional pupil premium funding has not been spent effectively. Strategies for supporting disadvantaged pupils that are identified on the school plan for 2018/19 are not being implemented so it is difficult to establish where funding has been spent. Most of these pupils, like others in the school, are not making the progress they should.  The new headteacher, who took up her post at the end of November 2018, has

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

brought ambition, focus and clear direction to the school. She has identified the significant weaknesses in teaching and learning, pupils’ behaviour and attendance, and safeguarding arrangements. She has encouraged close partnerships between the trust, the interim executive board (IEB) and school leaders to ensure that actions are taken to make the rapid improvements needed.  Importantly, the headteacher has quickly established positive working relationships with the staff team. As a result, staff morale is high. Staff members say that they feel that their opinion is valued, their well-being is considered and they have a much clearer view of how they can improve. Staff have committed to the challenging journey of school improvement that lies ahead.  New leaders’ actions have been reactive to issues as they have been identified. Leaders know that they now need to make plans for improvement more focused and highlight

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

the key priorities to improve teaching and learning.  Most senior and middle leaders are new to their role. Some of the work they have just started is laying the foundations for improvement. For example, the new standards leader has implemented procedures for teachers to assess pupils’ learning effectively. As a result, there is now a clear view of which pupils are working at, above or below age-related expectations and of the progress they have made over their time in school.  New leaders for English, phonics and mathematics show ambition and a clear understanding of what needs to improve in their subject but it is too soon to see the effect of their work on teaching and on pupils’ progress. New leaders in other subjects have been appointed but have not started their roles.  A curriculum completely centred on lessons in English and mathematics has meant that pupils have not developed their knowledge and skills across other subjects. Their

p.5

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

knowledge in subjects such as science and history is weak. However, there are signs of improvement in pupils having access to a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum. The new curriculum, implemented in January 2019, is planned to broaden pupils’ horizons and develop their knowledge and vocabulary through the use of texts. For example, during the inspection, adults used ‘stopping points’ in the pupils’ reading of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ to develop pupils’ knowledge of the cocoa bean and its importance to the Aztecs. Early indications are that this work is engaging pupils in learning, broadening their experiences and starting to interest them in the world outside Dinnington.  New arrangements for the use of the primary school physical education (PE) and sport funding are effective. Work with a specialist from the local high school is supporting teachers in developing their own skills so that they can successfully teach a range of PE

p.5

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

activities.  A new programme to support pupils’ personal development is starting to have a positive effect in some year groups. For example, older pupils can talk about British values and are starting to consider the knowledge, skills and attributes of successful learners. Middle leaders have started to plan work to deepen pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.

p.5

Governance of the school

 An IEB was established in September 2017 as a result of trust members’ concerns that the quality of education at the school was not improving. However, board members explain that it is only very recently that they have been provided with accurate information about the school, particularly in relation to pupils’ progress and attainment.  There has been some confusion over the responsibility and accountability for safeguarding. As a result, necessary checks on the work of school leaders have not taken place and inadequacies in safeguarding procedures have gone unnoticed.  Discussions with members of the IEB and their records of meetings show some recent improvements in the level of challenge to school leaders. Members of the board have recently made more visits to school to find out about the work of school leaders and they now review a wider range of evidence. The board is going through some changes

p.5

Governance of the school

in personnel and roles. Members have identified that they need to work with other leaders who are successful in governance to improve their own practice so that they can effectively support the improvement the school needs.

p.6

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  It is only due to the checks made by the new headteacher that a catalogue of historical inadequacies in safeguarding arrangements has been uncovered. An external consultant has been brought in to fully audit procedures and policies and to help to identify the actions needed to ensure that all pupils are safe.  The headteacher has rightly prioritised safeguarding arrangements in her improvement actions. This work has included: basic training in safeguarding for all staff; new procedures for the recruitment of staff; an overhaul of the procedures for identifying and reporting concerns; a review of all safeguarding policies; putting security systems in place to manage the travel of members of the public through the children’s centre in the middle of the school building; and new procedures for entry and exit from the school for pupils, parents and carers at the start and end of the school day.

p.6

Safeguarding

 There are still aspects of safeguarding arrangements that need attention. Considerable changes have been made to the records of checks on staff but these are not fully compliant with government requirements. There are no individual medical plans or evacuation procedures in place for pupils with medical needs and/or disabilities. Risk assessments are not in place in the early years.  Pupils’ understanding of how to keep safe has not been given a high profile in the curriculum. Some pupils can speak about learning to keep safe online and about the new door locking systems in school but they cannot recall other ways that staff teach them about keeping safe.

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has been weak over recent years. Actions taken to improve pupils’ progress and attainment have not been successful, particularly in reading. As a result, the majority of pupils leave school unprepared for the next stage of their education.  Teaching in reading has failed to help pupils to read well. Although pupils’ outcomes in reading have been consistently well below the national average, reading has not been given the priority it needs. The importance of reading is not apparent when speaking to pupils. Lower-ability pupils find it difficult to think of a book they enjoy. Many pupils do not take books home regularly to share with their families and they do not have enough opportunities to read aloud to an adult in school.  Teaching in phonics is inconsistent. The strategies used to teach phonics have changed and adults use a variety of different programmes and strategies in lessons. A lack of

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

strong teacher modelling in looking at and saying sounds and in how to write them results in the large proportion of lower-ability pupils lacking confidence. They sit quietly without responding or drift off-task. Behaviour starts to slip. When pupils try to read, they do not have the knowledge they need to decode words successfully. They rely on learning sentences in their book by rote, looking at the pictures or asking the adult to read words to them. Many pupils have books that are too challenging for their current ability in phonics.  Low expectations and weak teaching in writing have resulted in many pupils struggling to form letters accurately and to write at length. Many pupils are working below the standard expected for their age. In some year groups, previous low expectations in behaviour have contributed to limited practice in writing. Teachers know the gaps in pupils’ learning that need to be addressed quickly. Current pupils’ work shows some

p.7

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

very recent improvement.  Improved assessment procedures have resulted in teachers having a more accurate view of the gaps in pupils’ learning. This is having a positive effect in subjects such as mathematics, as teachers plan work to address aspects of learning where pupils have fallen behind.  Teaching assistants have varied experience and training so the impact of their support differs considerably. Leaders have identified that some structures that have had to be implemented quickly, such as the Nurture room support, still need further development at leadership level. However, observations of learning and checks on pupils’ work show that positive and effective direction is generally given by the staff in this setting.

p.7

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Until recently, staff members’ concerns about pupils’ welfare have not been responded to appropriately. Issues are still being addressed that have a direct impact on the well- being and personal development of pupils.  Pupils’ experiences across the curriculum have been few and so their knowledge about different subjects or about the world around them, including how to keep safe, has been limited. Older pupils can demonstrate the positive start that has been made to widen the curriculum in their growing awareness of British values.  The nurture provision that has been put in place is starting to support pupils’ emotional, social and behavioural development. The headteacher has identified that there is further work to do in this area.  Low expectations have led to pupils’ lack of pride in their work and its presentation.

p.7

Personal development and welfare

However, leaders have started to raise the bar and give pupils goals to aim for. For example, Year 5 pupils have been eager to rise to their new roles as sports leaders.  Older pupils can explain their learning about bullying. One pupil said: ‘It does happen. We are still working on it, but what we do know is that the teachers will help us if we are worried about relationships.’  Parents have a mixed view of the school. Most say that they believe their children are happy but are less positive about pupils’ behaviour and the way in which their concerns are responded to.

p.7

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  Adults’ responses to low-level disruption or poor behaviour are inconsistent. There are considerable differences in the behaviour of pupils in different classes and at different times of the day.  Pupils’ attendance is below the national average and has declined further this year. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is substantially above the national average. Procedures for following up absences and the reason for them are weak. An attendance officer has been appointed to work with school leaders and office staff from May 2019.  The proportion of pupils who are excluded from school is above the national average and exclusions have increased this year. Pupils say that leaders’ expectations of their behaviour are higher, that they are clear about rewards and consequences and that behaviour is improving as a result.

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Many children start school with skills and abilities that are lower than those typical for their age. The education they are given does not help them to catch up. Indeed, the gap between pupils in the school and other pupils nationally widens.  Until very recently, school assessment systems have not given an accurate view of the progress pupils have made or what they have achieved. The majority of pupils do not reach expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave the school.  Many children, especially boys, leave the early years unprepared for the demands of Year 1. Pupils’ outcomes at the end of key of stage 1 have declined. In 2018, only half of Year 2 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and writing.  Most pupils do not learn to read well. Phonics results have shown fluctuation. There was a distinct dip in the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

Year 1 phonics screening check in 2017. Most of these pupils failed to achieve the standard in the retest at the end of Year 2 in 2018.  Low outcomes in reading at the end of key stage 1 continue, without improvement, throughout key stage 2. In 2018, nearly two thirds of Year 6 pupils did not reach the expected or higher standards in reading. Pupils’ progress in reading through key stage 2 has been well below average for the last three years. Listening to pupils read, observations of learning in the classroom and scrutiny of pupils’ work show that this weak progress continues for current pupils, particularly those of lower ability.  Pupils make weak progress in mathematics and fall further behind the national average over their time in school. Just over half of Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in 2018. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard has been consistently below the national average at the end of key stages 1 and 2. Pupils’ current work

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

shows some improvement in progress at the end of key stage 2. However, most pupils have gaps in their mathematical understanding and are working below age-related expectations.  Pupils with SEND make weak progress. Over time, their needs have not been clearly identified, plans to meet their needs have not been precise and there have not been checks on the progress they are making. Often, expectations of what these pupils can achieve have been too low.  Over half of pupils in the school are identified as disadvantaged and eligible for support through the additional pupil premium funding. Like other pupils in the school, these pupils underachieve.  A very narrow curriculum has meant that pupils do not have sufficient subject-specific knowledge. Their vocabulary is limited. The curriculum implemented by new leaders shows promise. Older pupils, in particular, are able to talk about their work and show

p.9

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

some developing knowledge and understanding, for example in geography.

p.9

Early years provision Inadequate

 The proportion of children reaching a good level of development at the end of Reception has declined. It has been below the national average for the last two years. About a third of children are not well prepared for Year 1. Weaknesses in safeguarding in the school apply equally to the children in the early years.  Activities and resources planned in the classroom and outdoors are not well matched to children’s needs, particularly those of boys. Opportunities for children to practise their early reading, writing and mathematics skills during independent tasks are limited.  Welfare needs have been addressed on too much of an ad hoc informal basis. For example, there are no risk assessments or healthcare plans in place.  The headteacher and the early years leader have recognised that the quality of teaching and the curriculum in the early years is poor, particularly for two-year-olds. After several attempts at minor adjustments, they have more radically changed the

p.9

Early years provision Inadequate

setting. Classes have been repositioned. New arrangements had been put in place just days before the inspection. It is too soon to tell if these changes will improve the progress that children make.  There are distinct differences between the progress and attainment of girls and boys in the early years. Observations during the inspection showed that this difference continues and has not been considered in adults’ planning.  Assessments by staff of children’s learning and development are limited and have focused on observations in reading, writing, speaking and mathematics. Children’s progress in other areas of the curriculum is unclear. The quality and quantity of adult interaction vary considerably. Often staff do not develop children’s language in order to improve their basic skills.  There are some stronger aspects of the early years, including expectations in behaviour and generally positive relationships between adults and children. These aspects were

p.9

Early years provision Inadequate

particularly apparent in Nursery.  Adults have made sure that children are getting off to an earlier start in phonics than was the case in the past. During the inspection, Nursery children were watching and listening carefully in a class session to match pictures to sounds. However, because adults do not consistently say the sound first before asking children to say it, lower- ability children, in particular, are less willing to join in and have a go.  Parents have the opportunity to drop into learning sessions at the start of the day. The early years leader is keen to develop these partnerships further.

p.10

School details

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

p.11

School details

Email address dinningtonprimary@rotherham.school

p.11

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.11

Information about this school

 The school became an academy in 2016 and is part of the White Woods Academy Trust. The predecessor school was last inspected in September 2013, when it was judged to be good.  The new headteacher took up her post at the end of November 2018.  The school governance consists of a board of trustees and an IEB. The IEB replaced the local governing body in September 2017.  The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is much higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils identified as receiving support for their SEND is much higher than the national average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan for SEND is lower than the national average.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The early years consists of provision for two-year-olds, a Nursery and two Reception

p.11

Information about this school

classes.  The school runs a before-school club.  Inspectors were aware during the inspection that safeguarding incidents that occurred at the setting since the previous inspection are under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the school in response to the incidents were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

p.12

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed lessons across a range of subjects in all classes. Many of these observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors met regularly with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. Meetings were also held with the early years leader, the standards leader, the lead teachers for English, phonics, mathematics and pupils with SEND, and curriculum leaders. The lead inspector met with members of the IEB and representatives from the White Woods Academy Trust, including the interim CEO.  During visits to lessons, the inspectors spoke with pupils and looked at their work to find out more about how well they are learning.  Several meetings were held with pupils, and inspectors talked informally with pupils around the school. The lead inspector listened to several pupils read and talked with them about reading.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school and reviewed

p.13

Information about this inspection

leaders’ records of behaviour incidents and exclusions.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including leaders’ self-evaluation and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and the quality of teaching and learning. Inspectors reviewed the minutes of meetings of the IEB and a wide range of information relating to safeguarding and attendance.  One of the inspectors met with parents and considered the 20 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors considered the 10 staff responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire. There were no pupil responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire but all inspectors sought the views of pupils throughout the inspection.

p.13

Inspection team

Kate Rowley, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.13

Inspection team

Andrew Cummings Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.13

Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.14

Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.14

Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

p.14

Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.14

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.14

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.14

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.14

Inspection team

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

p.14