Dovedale Primary School

Inspection of Dovedale Primary School Dovedale Avenue, Long Eaton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG10 3HU

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Dovedale Primary School as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 7 and 8 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Dovedale Primary School is a warm and friendly school. Leaders have high expectations for pupils. The school’s value of respect underpins all they do in school, and pupils learn to be part of a community that shows care and respect for themselves and others and the world around them. Leaders have threaded pupils’ character development throughout the curriculum, with many opportunities for all pupils to develop leadership skills. Pupils told inspectors they are ‘upstanders’ not ‘bystanders’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff work closely together to ensure that pupils have a wide range of opportunities to enrich their learning, develop their leadership and broaden their interests beyond taught subjects. Pupils enjoy a rich range of clubs and extra-curricular activities and opportunities. The uptake of these is high.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy coming to school because they make good friends. Pupils are kind and respectful towards others. They say that their teachers listen and act on their views. They know that their teachers would deal with any rare instances of bullying immediately. Pupils behave well at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils worked together to develop a school verse which ensures all pupils understand and live the school’s values. They know the school verse and pledge to it weekly.

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better?

Leaders have further developed their curriculum over the last few years, and it is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum, which builds from the early years through to Year 6. Leaders and teachers check regularly to see how much pupils remember about what they have learned. Leaders know their subjects well. They have provided training for teachers. In most cases, this is working effectively. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not yet precisely identified the most important knowledge that pupils should know and remember.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading, and as a result, pupils achieve well. Children learn to read as soon as they start the Reception Year. Pupils read books that allow them to practise the sounds they know. Leaders and teachers regularly check how well pupils are reading. Any pupils falling behind quickly catch up. Older children learn to read with fluency and expression. They are well equipped with strategies to help them read new words.

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better?

Pupils with SEND are well supported. Leaders have a robust system for identifying pupils’ needs. Children in the Reception Year have their needs identified quickly and staff support them skilfully. 7 and 8 February 2023

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From the Reception year onwards, children know routines and behave well when playing with their peers. They are developing sustained concentration for when they complete activities. They enjoy forest school.

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Personal development is woven through the curriculum. Leaders map how they develop pupils’ interests and talents. All pupils belong to ‘expert groups.’ Pupils in the history expert group created a time capsule, and pupils planted trees in the environmental expert group. One pupil stated, ‘Everyone has a talent, and this school helps you find it.’ Leaders develop pupils’ character through the pupil leadership programme. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to become involved in leadership. Examples include the school council and anti-bullying ambassadors, mental health champions, play leaders and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) class ambassadors. Pupils receive training to carry out these roles. They are proud of the roles that they hold. Pupils value their personal, social and health education lessons, stating these teach them to be respectful. Pupils learn how to be healthy, both physically and mentally. They

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enjoy Tai Chi and boxercise as part of their well-being Wednesdays. Pupils take part in ‘Project Evolve’, a weekly online safety lesson.

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Pupils are very knowledgeable about fundamental British values. Pupils know why British values are important and see keeping to these as part of a life skill which they will take them through to adulthood. They learn about different faiths through their religious education curriculum. Pupils respect and celebrate difference.

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The school has a pastoral base to support the emotional and mental well-being of pupils as well as their personal development. Qualified staff run programmes for pupils and families.

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Governors know the school well. They hold leaders to account by monitoring the school’s priorities and making effective use of the expertise across the trust. Representatives of the trust share an ambitious vision for the school. They offer support and robust challenge to leaders. Governors and trustees fulfil their statutory duties effectively. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about leaders. Leaders work hard to ensure staff workload is manageable. Staff say that they feel valued by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including governors and trustees, ensure that keeping pupils safe is a priority. Staff know how to identify and report concerns. Leaders manage concerns swiftly so that pupils receive the support that they need as quickly as possible.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that meticulous checks are made on all new members of staff. 7 and 8 February 2023

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Pupils know about the online dangers through their weekly Project Evolve lessons. Pupils have many ways to report concerns, including those pupils who are non- verbal or cannot yet write their worries to put in the worry box. They feel safe and trust adults to deal with their concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the most important knowledge that pupils should know and remember. As a result, teaching does not always make the important knowledge explicit. This means that not all pupils in these subjects make as much progress as they could. Leaders should continue their work in developing the curriculum so that it identifies the most important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember in all subjects. Leaders should make this knowledge explicit to teachers.

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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. 7 and 8 February 2023

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School details

Website www.dovedaleprimaryschool.co.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Willows Academy Trust.  When the predecessor school, Dovedale Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted in 2013, it was judged to be good overall.  Leaders do not currently use any alternative provision.  The school provides wraparound care for pupils.

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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 met with the headteacher, other leaders and a range of teaching and support staff. 7 and 8 February 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, geography, science and religious education. In these subjects, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to pupils reading.  Inspectors also held discussions with the leaders of other areas of the curriculum to check how they were organised and taught.  The lead inspector spoke with three members of the local governing body and a representative of the trust.  The lead inspector met with the family support worker.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils.  Inspectors observed breakfast club and pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.  The lead inspector checked the school’s safeguarding procedures and the checks made on staff. They met with leaders, staff and pupils to evaluate the culture of

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safeguarding.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including those relating to the school development plans, self-evaluation documents, curriculum documentation and attendance behaviour records, minutes of governor meetings and documents on the school and trust websites.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. No responses were provided by pupils to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, the online inspection survey, including written responses, and by talking to parents at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Anne Maingay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Harrison Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 February 2023

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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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