Dane Ghyll Community Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of Dane Ghyll Community Primary School and Nursery Skelwith Drive, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria LA14 4PG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 3–4 December 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. Their good behaviour and willingness to work hard contribute to the positive learning atmosphere in the school. Pupils know and live up to the school’s values. They are respectful of each other. Pupils play well together. They said that there has been some bullying and name-calling; however, staff help them to resolve problems so that these are not repeated. Pupils know whom to speak to if they are concerned. Relationships between the staff and pupils are strong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils support one another in lessons. Older pupils help younger pupils to be happy in school through supporting them as playtime leaders, and through sports coaching and recording bedtime stories for them to listen to at home.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They are aware of some of the dangers associated with the use of the internet and social media. They know not to talk to strangers or share personal information. Many pupils participate in the extensive range of after-school clubs and activities, such as those for choir and basketball and the school council. They have opportunities to compete in a wide range of sports against other schools. Trips to Bradford, the Lake District and London enrich the curriculum. Parents and carers are very supportive of the school.

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better?

Leaders have planned a rich curriculum to ensure that pupils gain the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful. However, leaders do not always review what pupils have learned in previous years. As a result, pupils sometimes struggle to remember past learning. For example, they knew who the key people were in Ancient Egypt, but were not sure of the impact they had on that civilisation.

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better?

Pupils take pride in their work and presentation. By the end of Year 6, most pupils achieve well in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics. They are ready for their next stage of learning. This includes disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

Leaders have ensured that subject leaders receive the support that they need to lead their areas of responsibilities well. For example, leaders receive high-quality training from the local mathematics hub, and they have made strong links with the local college in relation to physical education (PE).

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading. Teachers choose books that capture pupils’ interest and challenge their thinking. Leaders provide a wide range of good-quality texts, which helps to foster a love of reading across the school. Each classroom has a dedicated reading area and pupils take part in a popular reading challenge. Phonics is taught effectively because staff have been well trained, and they follow the planned phonics curriculum carefully. Pupils’ attainment in reading is increasing over time. It is significantly above the national average. Staff support those pupils who fall behind in 3–4 December 2019

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The early years curriculum is carefully planned to make sure that children learn well across all areas of learning. Most children are prepared for Year 1. Teachers plan learning that meets children’s needs and interests. For example, the current interest in Christmas is supported with lots of interesting books to read. Children are confident and happy in early years. Teachers use phonics in a logical way to build vocabulary well. Children enjoy singing songs, learning rhymes and listening to stories. The newly established Nursery provision has strengthened transition to the Reception class. This helps teachers to further build on what children already know.

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Leaders support pupils’ personal development exceptionally well. Pupils have a very secure understanding of life in modern Britain. They make a valuable contribution to society. They have set up a community coffee shop for local residents. They sing at different events to raise money for charity. The high-profile choir performs across the north west of England. Pupils know about and understand the concept of democracy. They know about different beliefs and values and respect others, regardless of differences. Older pupils coach their younger school friends in sports and support their well-being by acting as mental health monitors. Pupils regularly engage in fund-raising and charity events.

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Leaders take effective steps to reduce teachers’ workload. Staff commented positively about the support that they receive from leaders. For example, leaders have reviewed how much planning teachers need to do. They have implemented better, more efficient systems. Staff feel supported, valued and fully involved in the decisions that leaders make.

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Governors know the school well. They have a strong understanding of the structure of the curriculum. They hold leaders to account for pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics. Their understanding of pupils’ learning in other subjects is not as strong.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff understand their roles and they know how to record their concerns about pupils’ safety and well-being. School leaders work with a wide range of partner agencies. This ensures that families receive appropriate support.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained to provide effective support to pupils. Staff identify the needs of vulnerable pupils and they are proactive in their statutory duties.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils recall learning from current topics very well. Pupils recall well their previous learning in mathematics. However, they do not securely recall learning from previous year groups in some other subject areas, such as history. Teachers do not provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to recall learning across the wider curriculum. Leaders should ensure that pupils have opportunities to remember more of what they have learned in previous years so that they can apply this knowledge to new learning.  Governors hold senior leaders to account well for pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics. Governors must use the information provided to them by senior leaders to better challenge leaders in relation to the achievement of pupils across the wider curriculum.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 3–4 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10121974 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jonathan Washington

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17–18 October 2017

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Information about this school

 From September 2019, the governing body took over the local nursery and re- sited it on the school grounds. The nursery includes provision for two-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, senior leaders and the vice-chair of governors. We also met with a representative of the local authority.  We spoke to parents before school. We considered 45 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, the 32 free-text responses and one letter submitted to inspectors during the inspection. We also considered the 18 responses to the staff survey and spoke to staff about their workload and well-being.  We examined the single central safeguarding record and related documentation. We talked to staff about their understanding of safeguarding.  We listened to pupils read from each key stage and spoke to pupils throughout 3–4 December 2019

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the inspection. We observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  When evaluating the school’s approach to the curriculum, we looked closely at the school’s approach to teaching phonics and early reading, mathematics, history and PE. We met with subject leaders, visited lessons, met with teaching staff and pupils, and looked at pupils’ work. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection. We also visited the Nursery provision.

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Inspection team

Keith Wright, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

John Donald Her Majesty’s Inspector 3–4 December 2019

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