Darley Dene Primary School

Inspection of Darley Dene Primary School Garfield Road, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 2NP

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Sarah Kober. This school is part of Lumen Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Mary Ellen McCarthy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ray Vango. 2 and 3 July 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this kind and happy school. They live the school values of ‘we all belong’ through their positive interactions. Pupils feel accepted and part of their school community. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Pupils know that if they have a worry, they can speak to trusted adults who will support them. This helps pupils to feel safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good. Staff promote positive behaviour by encouraging pupils to make ‘green choices’ when considering their learning and conduct. Celebration assemblies, house points and ‘gold leaf’ rewards are highly appreciated by pupils.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a well-designed personal development curriculum. This includes a thoughtfully considered personal, social and mental health programme. Pupils learn new skills through the range of extra-curricular opportunities offered. Trips and visits to places of interest are carefully planned to build on the curriculum. Pupils are proud of their school and interested in making it better. They enjoy the responsibilities they have and make positive contributions to the school. For example, play leaders support the younger pupils at breaktimes. Student librarians manage the mobile library and encourage extra reading.

p.2

better?

The school has high aspirations for pupils’ learning and achievement. Most recently, leaders have been focused on making key improvements to the school’s curriculum. The impact of this work can be seen in some of the school’s most recent published statutory assessment results. The proportion of pupils who met the expected standards at the end of key stages 1 and 2 has increased, reflecting that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are now achieving well.

p.2

better?

The school has identified the important knowledge pupils should remember across subject areas. Staff receive effective guidance on how to teach this knowledge. Some areas of the curriculum, however, are still new and not yet fully embedded. In these areas, pupils are not as confident in recalling their prior knowledge. The school has started to establish effective systems to check what pupils know and remember in much of the curriculum. However, in a few subjects, teachers are not always precisely checking where pupils are unsure or unclear about what has previously been taught. As a result, new learning does not always build on what pupils know and can do.

p.2

better?

Children in Reception and Nursery get off to a strong start. They settle into school life quickly. The well-designed curriculum promotes a love of learning through curiosity and sustained focus during learning activities. Adults provide a stimulating and effective learning environment. This supports children to learn and behave well. 2 and 3 July 2024

p.2

3

There are clear expectations of what children need to learn. Consequently, children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

p.3

3

Pupils with SEND receive effective support to learn well across the curriculum. Those who access the Learning and Additional Needs Centre, also known as Owls class, have their learning carefully adapted to meet their identified needs. The curriculum is bespoke to these pupils’ stages of learning and enables them to develop independence.

p.3

3

The school prioritises reading effectively. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they settle into Reception. Staff are experts in delivering the school’s phonics programme. Pupils quickly develop their understanding of phonics. The books that pupils read are well matched to their reading ability. If pupils fall behind in the phonics programme, they are quickly identified. These pupils have access to appropriate support, which helps them to catch up quickly.

p.3

3

Pupils are polite and courteous. The school environment is calm and orderly. As a result, pupils mostly concentrate on their learning. They understand learning routines and why it is important to do their best. In early years, children are motivated, share and cooperate well with each other.

p.3

3

Attendance is a priority for the school. Leaders take appropriate action to support families to help improve attendance. There are a minority of pupils who are not yet attending school regularly. These pupils have missed out on important learning. The school is aware and continues to work with these individuals and their families closely.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development is prioritised. The school embraces the local community’s diversity. Pupils learn about their different backgrounds, cultures and faiths. This helps them to understand and value Britain’s multicultural society. Pupils are curious about the world around them. They develop an understanding through a range of different experiences on offer. These include themed events, visiting speakers and trips. Pupils’ well-being is actively promoted. They learn how to keep themselves healthy, including practical ways of looking after their mental health.

p.3

3

The school accurately understands its strengths and where further developments are needed. Staff feel well supported and appreciate the help and training they are given in ensuring that the education provided helps pupils consistently learn and achieve well.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 2 and 3 July 2024

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in some subjects is very new and is still being embedded. As a result, pupils have some gaps in their knowledge and therefore find it more difficult to form links with their previous learning. The school should ensure that teachers have the knowledge and expertise in all subjects to implement the curriculum effectively.  In some subjects, the school is still developing how teachers check what pupils have already learned before moving on to new learning. Consequently, teachers are not always clear on how lesson activities could be adapted to help pupils learn and secure the intended knowledge. The school should ensure teachers have the training and support to ensure pupils know and remember more across the full curriculum.

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). 2 and 3 July 2024

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Darley Dene Primary School converted to be an academy in February 2020. When its predecessor school, Darley Dene Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  It is part of the Lumen Learning Trust.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with more complex SEND, including speech, language and communication needs. Currently, nine pupils attend this provision. Each pupil has an education, health and care plan.  The school runs its own before- and after-school clubs.  The school currently uses two registered alternative providers and one unregistered alternative provider.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 2 and 3 July 2024

p.5

6

 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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held a range of meetings with the headteacher, the CEO, school leaders, and teaching and support staff.  The inspectors met with members of the local governing board and board of trustees.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors heard pupils read aloud to a known adult. Inspectors also reviewed

p.6

6

work from wider the curriculum areas.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  The inspectors took account of a range of other information, including the school’s development plans, school policies and trust board minutes.  The inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text comments that were submitted. They also took account of the responses to the confidential staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.

p.6

Inspection team

Numera Anwar, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Maria Roberts Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 July 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