South Darley CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: South Darley CofE Primary School Cross Green, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 2JT

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Outcome

South Darley CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this school. They feel safe. They said that staff are kind and supportive. Parents and carers are very positive about the school. A typical comment from parents is that the school is ‘wonderful, warm and caring’. The school is ambitious for every pupil to achieve well, and most pupils do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils behave very well. They play happily together during breaktimes and lunchtime. Older pupils enjoy supporting the younger ones. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and staff. Most pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They enjoy being rewarded for doing good work and behaving well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides many opportunities for pupils’ wider development. Some pupils enjoy being part of the values team, which helps promote the school’s values. Other pupils are sports captains who help organise team events and sports days. All pupils are proud to take part in the school show. They also raise money for charities. For example, pupils recently took part in a ‘skipathon’, where they raised money for young carers. There is a range of extra-curricular activities that pupils attend. They enjoy going to football, multi- sports and the film club.

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

There is a well-planned, broad and ambitious curriculum in place for all pupils. The curriculum for most subjects identifies what pupils will learn and when. This helps teachers deliver the curriculum well so that pupils build their knowledge over time. However, this is not always the case in some subjects and for the early years foundation stage curriculum. As a result, in these subjects and in the Reception Year, pupils do not always build on previous learning. 27 June 2024

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Teachers have good subject knowledge. They explain new information clearly. Staff use questioning well to check and develop pupils’ understanding. Sometimes, the learning activities that teachers use do not always support pupils in developing their knowledge and skills. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Teachers use time in morning registration well to help pupils practise their multiplication tables, handwriting and spelling. This has helped to improve pupils’ written work and recall of number facts.

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The school has prioritised reading. Pupils have daily reading lessons and regular story times. They read books that match their ability, which helps them become confident readers. Pupils said that they enjoy reading. Pupils start learning phonics as soon as they start school. They get daily phonics lessons. Most staff deliver these consistently well. The school uses reading assessments to identify any pupil who needs extra help with reading. These pupils then get further support and read regularly to adults. This means most pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need to become fluent readers.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Teachers know these pupils’ needs well. Teachers provide effective support in lessons so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum and achieve well.

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Children in Reception learn in a caring and nurturing environment. There are clear routines in place that the children understand and follow. The school is developing the early years curriculum to ensure that all children have the knowledge and skills they need to be well prepared for key stage 1.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils understand and consistently meet these expectations. They said that staff are fair when dealing with any issues. The school ensures that pupils and their families understand the importance of attending school regularly. The school provides effective support for pupils who need help to improve their attendance. As a result, most pupils have very good attendance.

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The school has planned well for pupils’ personal development. The school’s mission for pupils to ‘live as children of the light’ underpins all that the school does in this area. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online. They learn about different religions and cultures. To support this learning, they visit places of worship for various faiths. They know to respect people from other backgrounds and to treat others equally. Pupils understand fundamental British values. They value the high-quality pastoral support they receive. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported by leaders. They work well together as a team. Governors fulfil their statutory duties effectively. They understand the school’s strengths and areas for development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects and for some areas of the early years curriculum, the school has not set out clearly the knowledge that pupils should learn as they progress through the curriculum. This means that pupils do not always build on previous learning. Leaders should ensure that there is a well-planned and sequenced curriculum in place for all subjects and for the early years.  The activities staff use to support pupils’ learning are not always well matched to the intended learning. This means that some pupils do not always develop a secure understanding of what they have been taught. The school should ensure that staff carefully plan activities that support all pupils in learning the intended curriculum.

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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 June 2019.

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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, 27 June 2024

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 27 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.southdarley.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provisions.  This school is part of the Diocese of Derby. The school’s last section 48 inspection was in December 2023.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education 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 of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. 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.  Inspectors reviewed curriculum planning documentation and visited lessons in some 27 June 2024

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other subjects.  Inspectors visited registration and collective worship.  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 met with groups of pupils from a range of year groups, including pupils with SEND.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at playtime and lunchtime.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil questionnaires.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative for the local authority.

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Inspection team

Paul Halcro, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jayne Ashman His Majesty’s Inspector 27 June 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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