Dunton Bassett Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Dunton Bassett Primary School The Mount, Dunton Bassett, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 5JL

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school and feel safe. They know the school values of ‘kindness, resilience, independence, teamwork, honesty and respect,’ which are meaningful to them. Pupils demonstrate positive relationships towards each other. They play well together at playtimes and work collaboratively in lessons. One pupil stated, ‘It’s fun to learn here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ adaptations to the school behaviour policy have led to recent improvements in behaviour. Pupils state that the school rules of ‘be safe, be ready, be respectful’ remind them simply of what they should do. However, not all staff have high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour. At times, low-level disruption impacts on learning. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They know that adults will deal with it should it happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations for pupils to achieve, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, in some subjects, the curriculum is not ambitious enough. It lacks detail. This limits what some pupils can achieve. Some staff require additional training to ensure they have the knowledge to deliver the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils well. Parents speak of the ‘close-knit community feel’ and comment that staff are ‘100% approachable’. They praise the pastoral support available.

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

Pupils learn to read as soon as they join the school. In phonics, well-trained staff ensure that pupils receive focused teaching. Teachers make regular checks on what pupils know and can remember. This informs choices about the books appropriate for each pupil. 31 January 2023

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Pupils get the support they need if they fall behind. Well-chosen resources support the needs of individual pupils. The reading curriculum sets out the detailed knowledge pupils need to know. Leaders are ambitious for pupils to access a rich vocabulary, including words such as ‘dissent’ and ‘hindrance’. Leaders’ recent investment has ensured there is a wide range of books available for pupils to read. These books support the curriculum and pupils’ wider development. Visiting authors and poets engage and excite pupils. Pupils enjoy reading.

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In some subjects, leaders have thought carefully about exactly what pupils should know and remember. Where this is the case, assessment systems are well established. As a result, leaders have a clear understanding of what is working well and what needs to improve. For example, in mathematics, leaders established that more training was necessary to teach fluency and problem solving. However, in some subjects, leaders have not considered precisely what pupils should be learning and remembering. Some staff do not have the necessary knowledge to teach aspects of these subject. When teachers are knowledgeable, they support pupils effectively. Teachers’ questioning challenges and directs learning. However, leaders’ approach to monitoring and evaluating the quality of education in different subjects is not rigorous enough.

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Children in early years settle well, and they engage well with the curriculum for the early years foundation stage (EYFS). Learning is suitably sequenced from early years into Year 1 and beyond. Purposeful activities engage children. They interact well with each other. Children work independently and with each other. There are opportunities for children to apply their learning.

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Leaders and staff have a clear understanding of the needs of pupils with SEND. Plans set out the activities that best support these needs. Targets are set for pupils with SEND, but leaders should check more thoroughly how appropriate they are. Support in class helps pupils with SEND to achieve well alongside their peers. Staff ‘experts’ support pupils with conditions such as dyslexia and autism. Regular training ensures a shared approach to the building of knowledge and the implementation of best practice.

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On the whole, pupils behave well. The new behaviour policy has been implemented with greater consistency. Where expectations are high, low-level disruption is minimal. Pupils play well together on the playground. They are courteous and kind to each other. However, routines for moving around the school are not always calm. Pupils demonstrate positive relationships and are supportive of each other. In an algebra lesson, one pupil said, ‘Well done you, that was tricky.’

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Pupils have access to a wide range of clubs. The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum is implemented to develop knowledgeable citizens. Pupils can talk about British values and world religions but lack depth in their understanding. Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy by eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly.

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Leaders are keen to protect staff from excessive workload. One member of staff stated: ‘The introduction of a new feedback system has made a real difference. We have a meaningful workload - we can see the purpose of that.’ 31 January 2023

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There has been no evidence of pupils being taken off roll or a narrowing of the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an effective culture of safeguarding. Extensive and regular training ensures that staff are aware of the signs of abuse. Furthermore, leaders ensure that, through training, staff are up to date with the latest guidance. Staff know and understand the systems for reporting concerns and who to go to. However, some records could have more detail. Leaders make appropriate checks on adults working in the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about the risks of being online. They understand the importance of not sharing personal information. Pupils say they feel safe. They know bullying is not tolerated.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not thought through in enough detail about what pupils should be learning and remembering. Therefore, learning is sometimes limited, or pupils become confused. Leaders should review and develop the curriculum further so that teachers know exactly what to teach and when to teach it. The curriculum should help pupils to recall prior learning and be able to do more.  Leaders’ approach to monitoring and evaluating the quality of education in the different subjects is not rigorous enough. As a result, they do not have a sufficiently clear understanding of how well pupils access the curriculum in each subject so that they are learning the intended curriculum. Leaders, including subject leaders, should ensure that their approach to monitoring and evaluating the curriculum is sufficiently rigorous to inform them about what aspects need to improve further so that the school’s quality of

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

education is good.  Not all staff have high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour. This leads to some disruption in lessons, which can, in turn, disrupt some pupils’ learning. Leaders should ensure that all staff understand the importance of having the highest expectations of all pupils and know how to apply the school’s systems for managing pupils’ behaviour consistently.  Pupils can talk about British values and world religions but lack depth in their understanding. They do not recognise the significance of these values and religions. Leaders should ensure that pupils have the necessary knowledge and understanding of British values and different faiths. 31 January 2023

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Dunton Bassett Primary school, to be good in March 2018.

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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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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. 31 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10254889 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

 The school is part of The Inspiring Primaries Academy Trust.  When the predecessor school, Dunton Bassett Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted in 2018, it was judged to be good overall.

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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 senior leaders, including the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, curriculum leaders and the EYFS leader.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in three subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. They also looked at plans for art.  The lead inspector met with trustees and a member of the local governing board.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust. 31 January 2023

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 Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted questionnaire for parents, Parent View, as well as the staff survey and written comments from parents. Inspectors spoke informally to parents outside the school. They regularly considered the views of pupils throughout the inspection.  Attendance, behaviour logs and safeguarding records were scrutinised. This included the school’s single central record. Inspectors also conducted meetings with leaders to discuss the safeguarding of pupils.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times during the day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lynn Corner-Brown Ofsted Inspector 31 January 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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