Diggle School

Inspection of a good school: Diggle School Sam Road, Diggle, Oldham, Greater Manchester OL3 5PU

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Outcome

Diggle School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Diggle School has a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They cherish the strong relationships that they have with their teachers. Staff deal with bullying seriously and effectively. This makes the pupils feel well cared for and safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement are underpinned by the school’s core values. These include supporting pupils to be respectful, responsible and resilient learners. In the main, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), strive to behave as staff expect them to. They enjoy their learning, and this helps them to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wide range of trips and guest speakers available to them that help them to build curiosity and interest in their learning. For instance, pupils enjoyed playing with an orchestra during their visit to The Bridgewater Hall. Pupils also benefit from learning outdoors, for example when they built Stone Age houses and Viking boats to enhance their historical knowledge.

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

Leaders have recently made improvements to the curriculum, from Reception Year to Year 6. In some subjects, they have refined the key knowledge that pupils should know and remember. Even so, in a small number of subjects, some teachers do not deliver some aspects of the curriculums as leaders intend. As a result, in these subjects, some pupils do not learn the knowledge that they need.

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

In a small number of subjects, leaders’ work on the curriculum is in its early days. In these subjects, leaders have not fully identified the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. They have also not given sufficient thought to how learning is organised to help pupils to build their knowledge securely over time. As a result, some pupils’ learning in these subjects is not secure. 25 and 26 April 2023

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In the main, teachers routinely check what pupils are learning. If needed, support is put into place to help them keep up with their peers.

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Leaders have made reading a priority at the school. Pupils enjoy sharing their favourite books at the library club. Pupils, including the children in Reception Year, enjoy the wide range of books that teachers read to them. Pupils proudly record the books that they have read on an ‘incentive chart’. This helps pupils to develop good reading habits.

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Pupils, including children in Reception Year, benefit from expert teachers who deliver the phonics programme well. Teachers have reviewed the books that pupils read to ensure that these closely match the sounds that pupils have learned. As a result, pupils are supported to become confident, fluent readers. Teachers promptly identify and support pupils who are falling behind with their phonic knowledge. This helps pupils to catch up quickly.

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Leaders swiftly identify the needs of pupils with SEND. They work with experts to ensure that these needs are met well. Teachers design activities that help pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils are keen to take part in lessons and want to do well. Likewise, children in Reception Year settle well into the school’s routines. This means that learning is rarely disrupted.

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Pupils learn about taking care of their mind and their body. For instance, they know how to keep a good sleep routine and to eat healthily. Pupils also learn about different careers through their personal, social, emotional and health education curriculum. This means that they are prepared well for their next steps. Pupils also value the community fundraising opportunities. These allow them to develop an understanding of caring for others.

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Governors have a good understanding of the school. They are proactive in supporting and challenging leaders. Leaders are mindful of staff’s well-being. For instance, staff have access to a school counsellor. Staff feel well supported in managing their workload. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders offer staff regular safeguarding training opportunities. As a result, staff know the risks that pupils could face in their everyday lives. Staff know how to report and record concerns quickly. This means that leaders are able respond to concerns in a timely manner. They work with a range of specialist support agencies when needed. This helps pupils and their families to receive the care that they need. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they learn about the dangers of unhealthy relationships and of being online. 25 and 26 April 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, leaders have not fully identified the essential knowledge that they want pupils to learn. As a result, some pupils do not build on their learning securely over time. Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the information that pupils should know and when this should be taught, so that they know and remember more.  In a small number of subjects, some teachers do not deliver aspects of the curriculums as leaders intend. This means that some pupils are not learning the key knowledge that they need in these subjects. Leaders should check that teachers are fully equipped with the skills and confidence required to deliver the new curriculums well, so that pupils achieve as well as they should.

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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 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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

27 and 28 March 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Dovestone Learning Partnership, a cooperative trust.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  Leaders provide before- and after-school care for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and members of staff. She also spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector analysed safeguarding documentation, including the single central record. The inspector spoke with a range of pupils, staff and leaders to evaluate the culture of safeguarding in the school. 25 and 26 April 2023

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. She talked with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at examples of children’s and pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers, and talked with children and pupils. The inspector also observed some pupils reading to trusted staff.  The inspector observed children’s and pupils’ behaviour in class and as they moved around the school. She also observed pupils playing at breaktimes.  The inspector spoke with groups of children and pupils about their experiences at school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She also met with parents and carers before school to find out their views of the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Amina Modan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 April 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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