Delves Lane Primary School

Inspection of Delves Lane Primary School Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham DH8 7ES

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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 Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Delves Lane Primary School is a happy place where relationships between pupils and teachers are respectful. Pupils enjoy and are excited by their learning. Pupils are proud of their achievements. All staff have high expectations of what pupils will achieve. Adults are committed to giving pupils the best opportunities they can. As a result, pupils are well supported. Staff are proud to be part of the Delves Lane family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is good. If any bullying does occur, pupils know that staff will resolve it quickly. Leaders recognise the importance of providing opportunities for safe outdoor play, due to the location of the school. Pupils enjoy the range of activities available to them at playtime. They enjoy coming to Delves Lane School. They are safe and well cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to ensure that it is well planned and sequenced. This ensures that pupils are ready for the next step in their education by the time that they leave. Pupils have a rich understanding of the topics they have learned. Leaders have prioritised reading and phonics. Pupils say that they love the wide range of reading activities in school.

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better?

The curriculum in subjects such as reading, mathematics, science and history is well-sequenced. In these subjects, leaders have provided teachers with high- quality training. Staff are supported by skilled subject leaders. Support from local English and mathematics hubs has resulted in improved staff knowledge and skills. As a result, pupils are well supported to learn the curriculum in these subjects.

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better?

The mathematics curriculum is taught effectively and pupils are appropriately challenged. The curriculum is designed to support pupils to know and remember key facts. Carefully selected resources support pupils to be independent. In other subjects, such as in art and design technology, the curriculum is very new. Leaders have not yet monitored the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning. They do not know whether the changes are helping pupils to know more over time.

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better?

Teachers deliver leaders’ chosen phonics programme with consistency. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified and given the help they need to catch up. Personalised support is used very effectively to ensure these pupils are included and have their diverse needs met. Leaders have accessed funding from the National Tutoring Programme to provide pupils with high-quality reading support. Leaders have invested in a diverse range of quality reading books. Pupils say that they enjoy reading the books that are available to them. They say that they love the ‘drop everything and read’ approach that leaders 8 and 9 March 2022

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use to get them reading. Pupils welcome the time they get to relax and read together. Newspapers and comics are available alongside a range of exciting books.

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Behaviour across school is positive and supports learning. Classrooms are calm, quiet and purposeful. Pupils are encouraged to do well. Staff work together as a caring team and have high expectations of behaviour. Leaders are aware that the attendance of all pupils is not yet good enough. They have sought external support to help them to improve pupils’ attendance. Leaders agree this is a continued priority, so that no child falls behind.

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Leaders have prioritised the development of the early years. A new curriculum is beginning to be implemented. The classroom environment has recently been improved. Leaders provide engaging learning opportunities for children. However, not all staff challenge children’s thinking as they play and learn. Some adults miss opportunities to correct misunderstandings and extend children’s vocabulary. This is particularly the case in phonics and when children write. Subject leaders in school do not fully understand the role the early years plays in pupils’ curriculum journey. However, provision in the nursery is much stronger. Two year olds are also nurtured and extremely well supported.

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The school curriculum ensures pupils have a range of opportunities to understand the world around them. Pupils learn about a wide range of cultures and religions. Classroom texts are carefully chosen to support pupils to develop an understanding of diversity. These well-planned opportunities in the curriculum result in pupils showing a deep respect and understanding of other beliefs and cultures. Roles and responsibilities are important to pupils. They take their responsibilities seriously.

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Governors are committed. They know and understand the school well. They are keen to support leaders in their drive for continued improvement. Leaders provide governors with the information they need to challenge them on their actions. Leaders have created a highly positive culture among the whole staff team. Staff say that the Delves Lane family works well together.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Adults work effectively to keep pupils safe. Staff have received safeguarding training and accurately identify pupils who may be at risk. Safeguarding records and checks are thorough and detailed.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are tenacious. They work with outside agencies to ensure pupils get the help they need. Leaders work closely with families to keep pupils happy and safe. Leaders recognise the impact COVID-19 has had on pupils’ well-being. The caring school team works to support those pupils who need it.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know and understand how to keep themselves safe online. They know to tell an adult if they are worried. 8 and 9 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In subjects such as art and design technology, leaders have completed a review of the curriculum. However, subject leaders have not monitored the impact of these changes. As a result, leaders are not clear on how the curriculum is helping pupils to know more. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders rigorously monitor the curriculum changes they have made so that the impact on pupils’ learning is known.  Adults in the early years do not consistently promote and model the language and skills that children need to develop. As a result, opportunities to challenge children’s thinking in the early years are missed. Leaders need to ensure that all adults in the early years promote children’s phonics, language and writing as they learn through play.  Even within the context of the pandemic, rates of absenteeism remain too high. Too many pupils are missing too much of the curriculum and this is leading to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should identify pupils at risk of being persistently absent as early as possible and work closely with parents and outside agencies to overcome barriers to pupils’ attendance.

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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. 8 and 9 March 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 114047 Local authority Durham

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.delveslaneprimary.durham.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 – 14 December 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of Durham local authority.  The school offers provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, the early years leader and the subject leaders for English, mathematics, science, history, design technology and art. An inspector also met the curriculum leader.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into reading, mathematics, science and history. These deep dives included discussions with senior leaders and subject leaders, 8 and 9 March 2022

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lesson visits, review of pupils’ books, meeting with pupils and discussion with teachers whose lessons inspectors had visited. An inspector also listened to a selection of pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors considered a range of safeguarding information and documentation provided by the school and available on the school’s website. Inspectors met with staff to consider their understanding of the school’s safeguarding procedures. An inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader.  Inspectors met with three governors, including the chair and vice chair of the governing body. Inspectors considered samples of governing body minutes and other related evidence.  An inspector met with the local authority representative.  Inspectors considered Ofsted Parent View responses and met with parents and carers at the start of the school day.  Inspectors considered responses through the staff and pupil questionnaires.

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 All inspectors talked to pupils throughout the inspection to consider their views.

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Inspection team

Kate Byrne, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Nugent Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 March 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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