Dalestorth Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Dalestorth Primary and Nursery School Hill Crescent, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 4JA

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected since 25 and 26 September 2007. 2 and 3 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships at Dalestorth Primary are positive. Pupils get on well with each other and the adults in school. Pupils work hard and enjoy learning new things. As one pupil said: ‘Teachers make learning fun. They bring learning to life.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ expectations of pupils are reflected in the school’s ‘busy bee’ values. Pupils know why it is important to be honest, be brave, be yourself and to be a friend. They say that these values help to make the school a happy place.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are motivated by the wide range of rewards on offer, including recognition in praise assembly, awards for thoughtfulness, having the tidiest classroom and for attendance. They say that poor behaviour, including bullying, is rare. This matches leaders’ records.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils treat each other respectfully. They understand that everyone must be treated equally. They have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships and equality.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the roles they play in school. The work of the school council is held in high regard. School ambassadors play an important part in welcoming visitors to the school. Pupils understand how their roles as litter pickers, first aiders and monitors help them to make a positive contribution to the life of the school.

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better?

The school has recently introduced a new phonics programme. It is well planned and sequenced. It is taught consistently well. Pupils systematically learn sounds and use these to help them to read new words. Pupils who are not keeping up are quickly identified and given extra help. However, the programme is at an early stage of implementation. As a result, a small number of pupils are not yet reading as fluently as they should.

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better?

Beyond phonics, pupils develop a love of reading. They read widely and often. They enjoy reading lessons and understand how ‘echo reading’ and ‘choral reading’ help them to improve. Teachers help pupils to learn an ambitious range of new vocabulary.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is well planned and sequenced across all subjects. It makes clear the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember at each stage of their education. In most subjects, pupils remember what they have previously learned. They recall with ease what they learned last year and beyond. However, in a small number of subjects, some pupils cannot recall what they have been taught well enough. 2 and 3 November 2022

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The early years is a happy and vibrant place. Children learn a well-planned and sequenced curriculum. It makes clear what children are expected to achieve in each area of learning, from the start of nursery to the end of the Reception Year. Staff regularly check to make sure that children keep up with these expectations. Any who begin to fall behind get extra help.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. The special education needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that these pupils get the help they need to learn the curriculum. Pupils are set targets for improvement. These are well tailored to pupils’ needs. However, in a small number of cases, these targets are not checked and updated as regularly as they could be.

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Pupils are well prepared for life beyond Dalestorth. The school’s relationship, health and social education curriculum helps them to develop a rounded understanding of modern Britain. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. They learn about risks and how to manage potentially difficult situations. They benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including dodgeball, judo and eco club. Although not universally popular, pupils understand how their daily rounds of the running track help them to keep fit and healthy.

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Leaders are ambitious for the pupils of the school. They aim to ensure that every decision has pupils at its heart. They have an accurate view of what is working well and what needs to improve further. They have created a united and hardworking team of staff. The majority of staff are proud to work at the school. They say that leaders are considerate of their well-being. The majority of parents praise the school. As one parent said: ‘The support and inclusivity provided by this school is, in my opinion, outstanding.’

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The work of the governing body is well planned and systematic. Governors are ambitious and decisive. They provide leaders with the right level of challenge and support. They oversee the financial performance of the school and ensure that funds are appropriately spent to secure good value for money.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is the highest priority. Training is systematic and covers a broad range of topics. Regular discussions and reminders ensure that staff understand a wide range of risks to pupils and know how to respond to them.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding records are detailed and fit for purpose. The safeguarding team review these regularly to check for emerging patterns or issues. The pastoral team provides a wide range of help and support for pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to stay safe in a range of contexts. They know who to talk to if they have a worry or concern. 2 and 3 November 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s phonics programme is new. Staff are teaching it consistently and well. However, it has not yet resulted in all pupils reading as fluently as they should. Leaders should embed the new approach to teaching phonics and ensure that all pupils begin to read fluently.  In a small number of subjects, some pupils cannot recall what they been taught well enough. This means that there are gaps in their learning. Leaders should ensure that pupils are able to remember and recall the key knowledge that they are taught consistently across all subjects.  Pupils with SEND get the help they need. The targets that are set for these pupils are fit for purpose. However, they are not consistently checked and updated as regularly as they could be. Leaders should ensure that the targets for pupils with SEND are regularly reviewed and updated which will enable them to receive the support they require to achieve well.

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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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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. 2 and 3 November 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10211788 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 September 2007, under section 5 of the Education Act

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, the early years’ leaders and the SENCo.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in five subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education, history and computing. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also looked at curriculum documentation for art, religious education, modern foreign languages and geography. 2 and 3 November 2022

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 The lead inspector met with four representatives of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and written comments from parents. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. An inspector spoke informally to parents outside the school.  Inspectors met with safeguarding leaders. They reviewed school documents, including those relating to safeguarding, governance, behaviour, exclusions, the use of pupil premium and attendance. An inspector visited an assembly.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ben O’Connell Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 November 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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