Dovers Green School

Inspection of Dovers Green School Rushetts Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7RF

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Nicki Starling. The school is part of Greensand Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sue Wardlow, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nigel Gout. 10 and 11 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambition for all its pupils. The value of ‘We’re all special, we’re all different’ is deeply understood in this very inclusive school. Staff have high expectations of pupils. As a result, all pupils achieve well. Pupils in the specially resourced provision, ‘Badgers’, are well supported by expert staff. Other pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in mainstream classes have an equally positive experience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Staff make sure that pupils get into good routines quickly. Right from the start of early years, children are curious and enthusiastic learners. They show kindness and acceptance towards each other. The school is a happy, safe and nurturing environment. Pupils know that staff will help them if they have a problem.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school carefully considers the education of the whole child. Pupils love the many exciting activities offered during playtimes, which help develop their physical and social skills well. Older pupils relish taking on important leadership roles, such as the ‘playground friends’ who support younger pupils with their games. The school’s ‘passport’ shows pupils the wider activities in which they will take part, including singing in front of an audience and travelling to London on a train.

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better?

The school is determined that all pupils, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, will achieve well. In early years, the curriculum is extremely well considered. Staff plan carefully how children should develop their understanding. Children have ample opportunities to deepen their social and communication skills, and their knowledge of numbers and of the wider world. In key stage 1, school leaders have put in place a well-defined curriculum in most subjects. This means that teachers are clear about the exact knowledge that pupils should learn and remember. However, in a few subjects, the curriculum is not planned precisely enough. This leads to some pupils achieving less well because they do not remember some of the important knowledge.

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better?

Teachers skilfully adapt instructions and activities to ensure that pupils with SEND follow similar learning as their peers. In early years, staff adeptly help children to build up their vocabulary through high-quality conversations. In key stage 1, teachers spot any misconceptions that pupils may have and address these straightaway. Pupils with SEND rapidly grow in confidence, incrementally building their knowledge and skills. The most able pupils also achieve well thanks to teachers’ high expectations. Pupils understand that it is fine to make mistakes because these help them to learn. As one pupil said, ‘I love it when I get to fix my problems in maths.’

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better?

The school has prioritised reading. Right from the start of early years, children are systematically taught the sounds that they need in order to become fluent and 10 and 11 October 2023

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independent readers. Children in Reception enjoy writing the letters they know independently, for example in the sandpit or in the mud kitchen. The school makes sure that reading books are matched to the sounds that pupils have been taught. Well-trained staff check regularly whether pupils need extra help and put additional support in place. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well in reading.

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Pupils are very proud of their school and show a love of learning. Strong relationships are the backbone of the school’s success. Adults routinely show pupils what respectful behaviour looks like. As a result, even the youngest children show consideration towards others. When pupils occasionally struggle to behave as the school expects, skilled staff support them in a sensitive yet consistent way.

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Pupils’ personal development is well considered by the school. Pupils are taught about healthy relationships, growing up and how to stay safe, including when online. Regular forest school activities help develop pupils’ resilience and bring classroom learning to life. Pupils have opportunities to make a meaningful contribution through the school council or the green team. They enjoy being active citizens, for example by fundraising for charity and singing in the local residential home.

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Staff are well motivated and proud to work here. They appreciate that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff have regular and varied training that helps them to improve continually in their roles. Those responsible for governance and staff from the trust understand the school’s strengths and areas for development well. They offer a helpful level of support to the school.

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Almost all parents and carers are highly supportive of the school. They feel that their children are thriving here. One parent, summing up the views of many, commented, ‘This is an amazing school where staff go above and beyond.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the curriculum is not planned as precisely as it is in the strongest. This leads to variability in what is taught. Some pupils do not achieve as well in these subjects because they do not remember the key knowledge. Leaders at all levels should ensure that the curriculum across all subjects is planned with the same degree of precision as the strongest. 10 and 11 October 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 10 and 11 October 2023

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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 Greensand Multi-Academy Trust. The trust runs six primary and secondary schools in Surrey.  The school has a specially resourced provision, Badgers, for pupils with communication and interaction needs and autism. There are 18 pupils with an education, health and care plan who currently attend Badgers. The school plans to expand Badgers further.  The school runs pre-school and after-school clubs.  The headteacher has been in post for three years.  The school does not currently use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with school leaders, including the headteacher, other leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  The lead inspector spoke to the trust’s chief executive officer.  The lead inspector met with six members of the local governing committee, including the chair.  Deep dives were carried out in early reading, mathematics, physical education, geography and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also

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reviewed the curriculum more broadly in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive safeguarding culture that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors gathered evidence to explore the impact of pupils’ behaviour and attendance, and the school’s wider curriculum.  Inspectors talked to pupils and staff throughout the inspection to gain their views about the school. This included the views of staff submitted via Ofsted’s confidential surveys.  Inspectors considered the views of parents, including the responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Maria Roberts, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sam French Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 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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