Dalton School

Inspection of Dalton School Mayfield Avenue, Dalton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD5 9HN

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 October 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 13 and 14 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want all pupils to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for and valued. Staff know their pupils well and have good relationships with them. They encourage pupils to believe in themselves. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils work hard in lessons. They take pride in their work. Pupils behave well. They like the rewards that they receive for good behaviour. Pupils are courteous and respectful. They listen well to their teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they feel safe. They say that bullying is rare and inspectors agree. Pupils are confident that staff will deal with any incidents of bullying if it happens. Pupils told inspectors that they can speak to staff, including those who run ‘Honeysuckle’, if they have any worries or concerns. Playtimes and lunchtimes are well organised. Pupils play well together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils receive a range of opportunities to broaden their horizons. Pupils spoke excitedly about their residential visits to Robinwood and learning to be independent. They value breakfast club and after-school clubs such as football and art.

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better?

Leaders have taken action to improve the curriculum in many subjects, including art, mathematics and history. Knowledgeable subject leaders have ensured that well- sequenced plans are in place. Teachers have received high-quality subject training through the school’s learning communities. They are clear about what pupils should learn and when. Teachers break down what pupils need to know into small steps. Teachers purposely revisit taught content. Consequently, this helps pupils to develop a secure understanding in these subjects.

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better?

The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENCo) works well with teachers and teaching assistants to plan the detailed support for pupils with SEND. Teachers use these support plans to adapt their teaching. As a result, pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

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better?

Recently, leaders have implemented a new phonics programme. This is because they had identified some weaknesses in pupils’ reading which had started to emerge pre- pandemic.

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better?

All staff have received training in how to teach phonics, and it is early days in the new programme’s implementation. However, there is work to do to ensure that some of the weakest readers in key stage 1 are as well supported as they need to be. 13 and 14 October 2021

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Leaders have introduced several reading strategies to prioritise reading across the school. These are helping to develop pupils’ love of reading. Many pupils say they enjoy reading. However, some pupils in key stage 2 who struggle with reading do not receive the precise support that they need to catch up quickly. As a result, some pupils are not reading as accurately and fluently as they should.

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Staff in the early years plan activities that cater both for children’s developing needs and their natural interests. Children socialise well. They learn to take turns. Children listen and follow instructions well. Staff model good speaking and listening to the children when they share stories and books. Children are helped to develop their communication skills. Children count and use mathematical language with growing confidence. During the inspection, children were excitedly measuring worms to find the longest one. Staff keep parents well informed. Parents value the support that they receive to help their children with learning.

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Pupils’ personal development is a key focus. Leaders ensure that there are opportunities for pupils’ personal development. During assemblies, and personal, social and health lessons, pupils discuss different moral issues. They are clear about the difference between right and wrong. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their social and leadership skills. They take on leadership roles such as student councillors and play leaders.

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Staff are clear that leaders support their well-being effectively and are mindful of their workload. Most are proud to work at the school.

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Governors are committed to the school and visit regularly. They know the school’s strengths and most of the areas that need to improve. However, they are less certain about what leaders are doing to help the weakest readers improve their reading.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors make sure that safeguarding has a high priority. They ensure that pupils are safe in the school. Leaders have robust systems in place for safeguarding pupils. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They are knowledgeable about the community they serve. Staff are aware of the potential risks that pupils might face. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to support vulnerable pupils and families. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s early reading curriculum is not as effective as it needs to be in making sure that all pupils learn to read as soon as they should. Some pupils do 13 and 14 October 2021

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not secure the basics in early reading. Leaders should ensure that the school’s new phonics programme is implemented effectively so that pupils quickly catch up with the expectations of the chosen programme. They should ensure that pupils gain the knowledge they need to become fluent readers by the end of key stage 1.  Some pupils in key stage 2 do not read with accuracy and fluency. Leaders need to ensure that key stage 2 pupils who struggle to read receive effective and precise support so that they can catch up quickly and become fluent and confident readers.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 13 and 14 October 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 June 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a specialist resource provision for pupils who have a visual impairment.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the senior leadership team, the SENCo, middle leaders and a range of teaching and support staff. Meetings were held with two governors, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art, early reading, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 13 and 14 October 2021

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 Inspectors looked at pupils’ punctuality, behaviour and conduct across the school day. They held discussions with groups of pupils. Inspectors met with different members of staff, including an early career teacher, to gauge their views on how well pupils behave and conduct themselves.  Inspectors carried out a range of activities to check the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. They looked at the school’s policies relating to safeguarding, met the designated safeguarding lead and considered records of the vetting checks the school makes on its staff.  Inspectors looked at other information about behaviour, attendance and extra- curricular activities that support pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors considered the 65 responses to Ofsted’s survey for pupils and 58 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff. Inspectors also considered the views of 80 parents in their responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View,

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Inspection team

Jean Watt, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Robinson Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 October 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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.

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