Dulverton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Dulverton Primary School Dulverton Road, New Eltham, London SE9 3RH

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Outcome

Dulverton Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils welcome and include everyone. Leaders have created an ethos that ensures that pupils aim high and focus successfully on their learning. Parents and carers, staff and pupils understand and are fully supportive of leaders’ vision.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are delighted to take part in the wider life of the school. They are keen to be responsible house captains and student council representatives. This is because of the support and encouragement that leaders give them. Pupils enjoy their educational outings. These are planned to complement pupils’ learning and help them to discover more about the world around them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and embrace the rules and routines that leaders have introduced to promote positive behaviour. In lessons, pupils try hard and are keen to learn. They offer their ideas readily and settle down to work quickly. Bullying is rare. Parents and pupils know that it would be quickly nipped in the bud by staff if it did occur. Pupils are kept safe and are well looked after by staff. They especially like being able to spend time with the school dog.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve very well across a range of subjects because the curriculum is ambitious and delivered effectively. Parents and carers value all that leaders do to secure pupils’ success, including ensuring that the needs of those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well met.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all subjects, including in the early years. Subject leaders have based their curriculum thinking on the aims and content of 7 and 8 March 2023

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the national curriculum. Leaders work systematically to strengthen the curriculum taught in each subject.

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Leaders and staff know exactly what should be learned and by when. They work together closely to ensure that their goals for pupils’ learning are realised and that pupils know what they need to achieve. A key factor in the curriculum’s success is that pupils get to revisit and practise important knowledge frequently. This helps them to know more and remember this knowledge securely and deeply.

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Teachers know pupils well. They make sure that their teaching approaches enable all pupils to fully understand the key concepts that they learn. Teachers have an in-depth understanding of how the curriculum in each subject is sequenced across the school. They use their expertise to select tasks and activities that increase pupils’ knowledge progressively. In mathematics, for example, teaching enables pupils to become increasingly confident and fluent working with fractions. Pupils readily draw on what they have learned before to take their understanding further.

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Assessment is used carefully to make sure that all pupils, including those with SEND, are learning the curriculum as intended. Teachers adjust activities and tasks effectively to make sure that pupils’ knowledge develops successfully. Leaders’ ambition for pupils is also clear in the way they continually review and tweak the curriculum to ensure that all are achieving well.

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As soon as children join in Reception, they begin learning phonics. Leaders, teachers and pupils all understand how important reading is. Reading has been prioritised by leaders throughout the curriculum. The phonics programme is delivered, so that all pupils learn, and practise sounds together. Careful checks on pupils’ knowledge mean that those who need extra help with reading are identified quickly. They are supported straight away, so that they do not fall behind their peers.

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Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are identified promptly. The additional support that these pupils receive is extensive and well targeted to their individual needs. All pupils learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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The behaviour of pupils is highly positive. They are supportive of each other and all members of the school community. For example, unprompted by adults, pupils hold the doors open for each other and staff. They speak to everyone in a polite and respectful way. Leaders have worked hard to ensure that this is the case. This means that the school is a harmonious learning environment.

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Leaders work to continually improve the provision in place for pupils’ wider development. Supporting pupils to develop positive character traits is at the fore of much that leaders do. Leaders and staff use every opportunity to promote and teach pupils about the school values, which include integrity, friendship and kindness. They show pupils how to put these values into practice and pupils try their best to use them as they play and learn together.

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The programme of enrichment, including the visits and clubs that leaders organise, 7 and 8 March 2023

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is well appreciated by pupils. This programme is wide and rich. Year 6 pupils spoke glowingly about what they learned and experienced during their involvement in an opera performance.

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The governing body works closely with leaders to ensure that all staff receive appropriate professional development and that their well-being is supported. Staff spoken to said how much they appreciate this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders maintain a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. Staff are thoroughly trained. They demonstrate a clear understanding of the policies and procedures in place to protect pupils’ welfare. Staff report concerns promptly, and leaders follow these up appropriately with parents and external agencies.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. They know that there are trusted adults in school that they can talk to if they had a concern.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2013.

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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. 7 and 8 March 2023

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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 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255472 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has been appointed since the school’s previous inspection.  Leaders make use of one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders, including the headteacher. He also met with the chair, other members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspection included deep dives in these subjects: early reading, geography and mathematics. The inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, met with pupils to discuss their learning, and met with subject leaders and teachers.  The inspector also visited lessons and reviewed pupils’ work for some other subjects. 7 and 8 March 2023

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 Through discussions with leaders, governors, pupils and staff, the inspector considered how effectively pupils are safeguarded. The inspector also looked at records related to safeguarding, including records of checks carried out before staff are appointed.  The inspector met with pupils to discuss aspects of safeguarding. He spoke to pupils during lesson visits. The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at break and lunchtimes. The inspector spoke to staff about behaviour and about their workload in the school.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Luke Stubbles, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 7 and 8 March 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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