Dinglewell Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Dinglewell Junior School Dinglewell, Hucclecote, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL3 3HS

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Outcome

Dinglewell Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is caring, inclusive and welcoming. The school’s vision, ‘Together we discover, inspire, nurture and grow’, is promoted through the rich and exciting curriculum the school provides.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud members of the school. They enjoy school and are positive role models to each other. Pupils understand what the school expects of them. Most pupils are respectful and behave impeccably.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and sociable. They recognise the importance of being a good friend. As a result, they are kind to one another.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pastoral support is a strength. The school works closely with pupils and their families to provide the help they need. Pupils value the opportunity to talk to adults about any worries they might have. Pupils trust staff to look after them. As a result, they feel valued and safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides memorable experiences. For example, a planetarium visit enhances pupils’ learning about space. Pupils enjoy author visits. They raise money for the school, which helps them to understand how to contribute to their community. Pupils can take part in a range of sporting events.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents typically comment on the friendly, supportive staff and a nurturing atmosphere where their children thrive.

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils. The broad, rich curriculum identifies the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils must learn. Lessons build on what pupils have learned before. 20 and 21 March 2024

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Pupils are fascinated to find things out. As a result, they enjoy becoming immersed in their learning. Pupils achieve well, particularly in reading, writing, mathematics and science.

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Staff have good subject knowledge. They explain new learning and activities clearly, so pupils know what to do. For example, in mathematics, pupils routinely practise their skills, secure their understanding and deepen their knowledge. This develops pupils’ fluency in mathematics.

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Teachers consistently check how well pupils are learning in most subjects. This enables them to modify the curriculum when pupils have not understood concepts. However, in some subjects, they need to pick up sooner when pupils have not secured the knowledge they need.

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The school prioritises reading, and pupils develop a love of reading. Pupils read regularly to improve their fluency. They become engrossed when staff read to them. Pupils develop wider reading skills, such as comprehension, inference and prediction. The school provides phonics teaching for pupils who are still in the early stages of reading. This helps pupils to become more confident and fluent. The school has a wide range of exciting books for pupils to read for pleasure.

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The school works closely with parents, and adapts teaching, to meet the needs of pupils with a range of needs. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils are able to learn the same curriculum as others.

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Most pupils attend well. The school works relentlessly to improve the attendance of those who do not attend well enough.

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Pupils value the help they get to recognise and cope with their emotions. Pupils are well supported to find ways of managing their emotions appropriately. This has a positive impact on helping pupils to focus on their learning.

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The school provides exciting experiences to bring pupils’ learning to life. For example, pupils dress up as evacuees and land girls when they learn about life in World War II. Pupils learn how to work cooperatively and safely when they build dens, climb and make fires when learning outdoors.

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The school promotes pupils’ wider development well. Pupils proudly take on positions in school, for example as librarians and eco-warriors. This enables them to develop a sense of responsibility. Pupils enjoy clubs, such as dance, coding and art.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. Most staff feel well supported to manage their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 20 and 21 March 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, assessment does not yet swiftly identify if pupils have acquired the precise knowledge the school expects them to. This means pupils occasionally have gaps in their learning. The school must continue to sharpen assessment, and adapt the curriculum when necessary, so that pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need.

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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 November 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.

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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). 20 and 21 March 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school provides wraparound care for pupils before and after school.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector had several meetings with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. The inspector also met with the two special educational needs and disabilities coordinators.  The inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair and vice-chair of governors. The inspector also had a phone conversation with the school improvement partner.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 20 and 21 March 2024

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also reviewed the curriculum and samples of pupils’ work in science.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at various times of the day, including during breaktime, lunchtime and in breakfast club.  The inspector analysed responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the responses of staff and pupils to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Catherine Beeks, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 March 2024

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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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