Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School Dolphinholme, Dolphinholme Primary School, Lancaster, Lancashire LA2 9AN

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. 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 graded inspection. 6 and 7 March 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy members of this small and friendly school. They enjoy taking on various positions of responsibility in school. For example, older pupils take on roles such as being a buddy to help children in the early years to settle in well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school grasps every opportunity to make the curriculum as engaging and meaningful as possible. For example, pupils benefit from a range of visits from local residents who help them with different school projects and events. Pupils also enjoy completing outdoor activities in the school’s extensive grounds. Pupils enjoy singing together; they sing the school song with great pride and enthusiasm.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school expects pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well. Pupils happily rise to meet these expectations. Overall, they make strong progress through the curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ conduct embodies the school’s values. This begins as soon as children start school. Children in the two-year-old provision and across early years quickly learn to take turns and to listen carefully to others.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The overwhelming majority of parents and carers, who shared their views with inspectors, spoke very positively about the school. They feel a valued part of this tight-knit community.

p.2

better?

The school has designed a curriculum which is broad and ambitious. It has thought carefully about the knowledge that pupils should learn from the beginning of the early years to the end of Year 6. The order in which the content is introduced has also been considered carefully so that it builds pupils’ learning in a logical way.

p.2

better?

The school makes staff training a high priority. Teachers deliver curriculums with confidence. They carefully explain new learning to pupils. Assessment information is used well in most curriculums to adapt future lessons and to address any misconceptions quickly. In most subjects, pupils achieve well.

p.2

better?

In a few curriculums, subjects have undergone some recent refinements so that the most important knowledge that pupils need to remember has been more clearly identified. In these curriculums, subjects are at an earlier stage of development. The school is in the process of adapting its assessment systems so that they can more accurately identify how well pupils remembering key learning over time. Some pupils, sometimes struggle to recall prior learning in some of these subjects.

p.2

better?

The school develops a love of reading for pupils. For example, children in the early years, including those in the two-year-old provision, join in enthusiastically with different songs and nursery rhymes. They enjoy voting for their favourite book at the end of the day. 6 and 7 March 2024

p.2

3

Children in the Reception class benefit from a well-thought-out phonics programme, which they begin to learn as soon as they start school. Struggling readers quickly receive effective support so that they keep up with the phonics programme. Pupils read books which are well matched to the sounds that they have already mastered. This helps them to read books with increasing fluency and confidence.

p.3

3

By the time pupils leave key stage 2, most are accomplished readers. They read with expression and strong understanding. Pupils carry out their roles as librarians with diligence and pride.

p.3

3

The school makes sure that the additional needs of pupils with SEND are quickly and effectively identified. Skilled staff ensure that these pupils access the same curriculum content as their peers. Pupils with SEND also benefit from the various extra-curricular activities that the school offers.

p.3

3

Pupils know that it is important to come to school each day. They attend regularly. Pupils show very positive attitudes to their work. They behave well in lessons and during breaktimes. Their learning is rarely disrupted by others.

p.3

3

Pupils benefit from a range of activities to develop their character and resilience. For example, they spoke very animatedly about the ‘Talent Soirée’, where they showcase a wide range of talents to each other, parents and staff. They also look forward to the annual residential visit, where pupils can take part in team-building exercises to develop their confidence and skills. Pupils enjoy learning to play musical instruments.

p.3

3

The school places a high priority on developing pupils’ well-being. Pupils spoke confidently about the ways in which the school encourages them to look after their mental and physical health. For example, pupils enjoy taking part in yoga sessions and other activities during mental health awareness week.

p.3

3

Governors share the school’s high ambition for pupils. They support and challenge the school to make sure it is the best it can be. The school carefully considers staff well-being and workload when making any changes to policies or procedures.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has made some recent refinements to a few subjects so that the most important content that pupils will learn is identified more clearly. These changes are relatively new and some pupils still have some gaps in their knowledge. The 6 and 7 March 2024

p.3

4

school should make sure that these changes become embedded so that pupils know more and remember more over time.  In the subjects which have been recently refined, assessment systems are less well established. This makes it more difficult for teachers to use assessment information effectively to find out what pupils know and understand. The school should make sure that teachers use assessment information more effectively so that they can address any misconceptions and shape future teaching appropriately in these subjects.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 6 and 7 March 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 18 April 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative providers.  The school is a voluntary aided Church of England school which is part of the diocese of Blackburn. The most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in December 2021. The next section 48 inspection is scheduled to take place in 2026.  The school offers a before-school and after-school club.  A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  Some new governors have been appointed since the previous inspection, including the chair of governors.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 6 and 7 March 2024

p.5

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and staff in school. An inspector met with members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector also discussed the curriculum in other subjects. She spoke to some

p.6

6

pupils about their learning in these subjects and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 reading to a familiar adult.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  An inspector spoke with parents as they dropped their children off at school. They considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

p.6

Inspection team

Louise McArdle, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Alison Dickinson Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 March 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7