Days Lane Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Days Lane Primary School Days Lane, Sidcup, Kent DA15 8JU

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Days Lane Primary School. They are happy and confident to share their experiences with visitors. For example, pupils really liked talking about their collection of toys and gifts for local children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave sensibly in lessons and around the school. This is because staff expect them to. Older pupils show kindness and care towards younger pupils. The respect between adults and pupils helps to create a culture of safety. This gives pupils confidence to raise any concerns they might have. Pupils understand what bullying means. They said that it is very rare here and staff are quick to deal with it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on responsibilities such as ‘Junior Road Safety Officers’. Pupils understand the importance of these roles. For instance, they interviewed parents and carers to find out about the hazards of parking close to the school gates.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have designed a curriculum to help pupils understand important knowledge and skills. In some subjects, this is successful and pupils produce work of a high quality. However, this is not the case in all subjects. Some aspects of the curriculum are not well planned. Pupils do not always have access to the full range of subjects on offer.

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

During the periods of remote learning, and since pupils returned to school in March 2021, leaders have prioritised English and mathematics. Following the period of time when schools were only open to some children due to COVID-19 restrictions, leaders made changes to the curriculum. Leaders paused the teaching of music and Spanish. They have recently re-introduced music. However, at the time of this inspection, pupils in Years 3 to 1 and 2 December 2021

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6 were not learning a foreign language. This means that pupils do not study a broad curriculum.

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In most subjects, curriculum plans are well sequenced. Leaders have thought about how pupils can build on and practise their knowledge and skills. For example, in mathematics, children in the early years practise counting through familiar stories and songs. This helps them go on to add and subtract numbers with confidence. In the same way, older pupils use what they have learned about 2D shapes to help them explain regular and irregular polygons. Similarly, in geography, pupils use their knowledge about continents to understand how tectonic plates are named and located.

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In some subjects, such as English and mathematics, leaders have identified what knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need to learn in each year group. In these subjects, teachers check pupils’ learning effectively. But this is not the case in other subjects. Subject plans do not make clear how lessons should build on what pupils have learned previously. This means that teachers are not able to check that pupils develop secure subject knowledge over time.

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Pupils enjoy reading. They listen attentively to the stories and poems teachers read to them. This is because leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading. This starts in the early years, where children have suitable time to practise their phonics. Most pupils learn sounds quickly and go on to read fluently. Staff identify and support pupils who struggle with reading. They ensure that these pupils have time to read books that match the sounds they have learned. This helps them become more confident with their reading.

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Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They use a range of resources and strategies to support these pupils. At times, teachers do not always ensure that lessons meet the needs of pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils with SEND struggle with their learning.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They engage positively with their learning and work sensibly on their own and with others.

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Staff teach pupils the importance of tackling issues such as discrimination. They give pupils opportunities to understand concepts like diversity. For example, pupils are taught about artists, musicians and scientists from various cultures and backgrounds. Pupils can attend after-school activities that develop their interests, such as sports, crafts and computing.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well trained and that their workload is managed effectively. This includes staff at the start of their careers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are kept safe. Staff and governors are well trained and understand their role in safeguarding. Staff are swift to report any concerns. Leaders make sure that pupils and 1 and 2 December 2021

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their families get the right support. This includes outside agencies if necessary. Pupils learn about staying safe. For example, they have workshops on road and water safety, and talks from the fire brigade. Pupils also learn about mental health and online safety. All parents and carers who responded to the online survey agreed that their children were kept safe at school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Following the disruption caused by the pandemic, leaders paused the teaching of music and Spanish. They have recently re-introduced music to the curriculum and plan to teach Spanish again next term. As a result, pupils have not had access to the full curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum reflects at least the breadth of learning that is set out in the national curriculum.  In some subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need to learn. In these subjects, teachers do not check that pupils understand their learning fully. This prevents some pupils from developing secure knowledge. Leaders should ensure the curriculum plans in all subjects make clear what pupils should learn and remember. They should support teachers to focus sharply on checking what pupils know and understand.  Pupils with SEND use a range of resources and strategies when they are learning.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

However, teachers do not always ensure that these pupils can access the content of the full curriculum. This means that pupils with SEND sometimes cannot tackle their learning with confidence. Leaders should ensure that the planned curriculum is accessible to all pupils.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Days Lane Primary School, to be good in November 2011. 1 and 2 December 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 1 and 2 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199966 School category Academy converter

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School details

Headteacher Ray Lang (acting headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  Since the previous inspection, there have been changes to the leadership of the school.  The headteacher started a period of leave in September 2021. An acting headteacher was in post at the time of the inspection.

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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 completed deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, design and technology and geography. To do this, they met with subject leaders, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered leaders’ plans and pupils’ work in art, history and music.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  Inspectors met with four governors, including the chair of the governing body. They also spoke with a school improvement consultant, commissioned by the school. 1 and 2 December 2021

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the acting headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team, including the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  The views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys, were considered.

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Inspection team

Nick Turvey, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Hook Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 December 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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