Tany's Dell Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of Tany’s Dell Primary School and Nursery Mowbray Road, Harlow, Essex CM20 2LS

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 8 and 9 February 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Tany’s Dell is a very happy school. In this safe environment, pupils develop independence and confidence. They approach adults with big smiles on their faces, and engage maturely in conversation.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to value kindness. They support each other if anyone gets upset. Pupils do not accept any bullying or discrimination of any sort. They appreciate the way leaders resolve any difficulties in relationships between peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As soon as children start at the school in the early years, they respond to the high expectations that leaders set. Children settle very quickly, enjoy learning, and make rapid gains in the well-resourced early years classes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons, pupils show very positive attitudes to learning. Pupils are polite, caring, and thoughtful with each other and adults. There is an atmosphere of calmness around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Tany’s Dell enjoy learning. They talked with relish about what they know. This includes older pupils discussing complex mathematical calculations in the playground, and younger ones asserting the importance of healthy eating. Pupils’ enthusiasm embodies the school’s motto to ‘reach for the stars’. They are very proud of their school.

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better?

Leaders plan the curriculum carefully. They consider how learning builds from early years, and how pupils develop and make connections about what they know over time. Because of this, as pupils move through the school, their knowledge grows. Older pupils apply what they know in high-quality work and talk. While this is mostly the case, in a few subjects, such as geography and personal, social and health education (PSHE), the subject content is less clearly designed. Leaders do not identify what should be taught and when. Consequently, on occasion, pupils recall their learning less well. Leaders know this and plan to amend it.

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better?

Teachers are confident in their knowledge of the curriculum. They are trained effectively and know the different subjects well. Where teachers need more help, such as in teaching Spanish, leaders ensure that they get it. Teachers check pupils’ understanding. They correct misconceptions skilfully. Leaders have identified gaps in learning resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and teachers rectify these. This ensures that pupils achieve well. For example, children in early years who had gaps in their writing skills are being given additional help to use the correct pencil grip to write well-formed letters. Year 4 pupils who struggled with extended writing get support to create well-crafted stories about the Vikings.

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better?

Leaders understand the importance of early reading. Leaders have recently introduced a new phonics scheme. They have planned this meticulously and 8 and 9 February 2022

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implemented it successfully. Staff are expert at teaching it. Because of this, pupils quickly learn to read with fluency. Adults use phonics skilfully to help pupils improve their spelling. Pupils learn to love reading and described their enjoyment of the books they read.

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Children get off to a flying start in the early years. Adults have planned the curriculum meticulously and are adept at developing children’s language and communication skills. Children learn to read and enjoy gaining a secure grasp of number. Children are very settled learning in a calm environment. Adults help children develop confidence especially when learning in the outside areas. Children achieve well especially those with SEND.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive skilled support. Leaders are passionate and knowledgeable about helping these pupils. Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately, and review them regularly. When extra help is needed, leaders are resourceful in making sure that pupils get it. Because of this, hearing-impaired pupils in the specialist unit access the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND, including those in early years, progress very well in their learning.

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While most pupils attend well, there are a minority of pupils who have high absence. Although leaders have taken steps to improve this, their actions have not been effective. Some pupils miss important aspects of their education. Leaders are increasing their rigour and systems to ensure that more pupils attend school regularly.

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Pupils are well-prepared for life in modern Britain. They talked confidently about ‘difference’. They develop detailed knowledge of other faiths and cultures, such as through dancing at religious festivals in key stage 1. Sometimes the COVID-19 pandemic has limited opportunities for pupils to develop their character or take part in extra-curricular activities. Leaders have created alternatives, for instance a ‘Dragons’ Den’ activity to fundraise for charity.

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Governors are dedicated and support leaders well. They have an accurate understanding of the strengths and hold leaders to account for ongoing improvements to the quality of education. Governors have closely monitored leaders’ work on safeguarding, for example pointing out the required improvements to the school’s single central record of employment checks.

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Leaders support staff well. Staff praised how well they are trained, and how leaders help them develop their careers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding children is at the heart of the school’s work. Staff are vigilant in spotting and reporting concerns. Leaders keep thorough records and 8 and 9 February 2022

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check regularly on cases. They have created rigorous processes to ensure that no information about a child at risk is missed. Safeguarding cases are often caused by neglect, and leaders respond to this sensitively by supporting families. Leaders are tenacious in dealing with agencies to make sure that children get the help they need.

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Leaders teach children effectively how to be safe, for example online. Pupils said that they feel safe, and parents and staff strongly agreed that this is the case.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few areas of the curriculum, leaders’ curriculum thinking and design is not as well considered. Because of this, pupils do not remember some aspects of their learning well nor deepen their knowledge and skills in all subjects. Leaders should ensure that all areas of the curriculum are consistently well-designed and implemented.  Leaders’ actions to improve the low attendance of a minority of pupils are not effective. As a result, these pupils miss out on aspects of their education. Leaders should make sure that they develop effective strategies to improve the attendance of the lowest-attending pupils.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 8 and 9 February 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212033 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Tany’s Dell Primary School and Nursery is part of the Templefields Multi-Academy Trust.  The school has an on-site specialist resource for hearing-impaired pupils. The school also offers specialist on-site provision to pupils.  The school runs a breakfast club on the school site.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, other leaders, staff, pupils and those responsible for governance, including the chair of the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, history, and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject 8 and 9 February 2022

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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.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects, in particular art, Spanish, religious education and PSHE. Inspectors also visited lessons in physical education and visited early years.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the school’s single central record, considered the school’s safeguarding policy and procedures, and spoke to leaders, staff, parents and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed the 65 responses that were submitted from this academic year by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and 47 free-text responses submitted during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the school gate to hear their views on the school. Inspectors considered the 32 responses to the staff survey, and the 95 responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Charlie Fordham, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Joan Beale Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 February 2022

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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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