Diptford Parochial Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Diptford Parochial Church of England Primary School Diptford, Totnes, Devon TQ9 7NY

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

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The headteacher of this school is Holly Edgington. This school is part of Link 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 (CEO), Nicola Dunford, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Cheryl Diane Mathieson. 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small village school where pupils are happy and safe. Pupils are welcoming and polite. Their attitudes to school and learning reflect the school’s values of ‘joy, kindness, community and respect’. Staff know pupils well and they have high expectations of everyone. Pupils rise to these expectations and are keen to do their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with memorable experiences that help them to gain a deeper understanding of the subjects they learn. For example, pupils talk with interest about their recent trip to the Tamar bridge as part of their history topic. Pupils also benefit from opportunities to develop their talents and interests, such as participating in the gymnastic and recorder clubs. Pupils in the school choir enjoy performing in public at Exeter cathedral.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about the world outside their local community. For example, older pupils organise events that support local food banks. Pupils develop a mature understanding of diversity and equality.

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

Since the previous inspection, there have been several changes in staffing and leadership. Furthermore, the school has undergone significant building work that meant some pupils were educated off-site. The trust has managed these changes sensitively and effectively. As a result, there is a renewed focus on staff implementing an ambitious curriculum that ensures pupils achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same curriculum as their peers. When necessary, teachers adapt learning to reflect the needs of pupils with SEND. This helps pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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

The school has designed a rich curriculum that builds knowledge and skills well over time. Reading is a strength of the school and pupils love to read. Books and stories play an important role in the school’s curriculum. Older pupils appreciate listening to a wide range of stories read to them by their teachers. Children in the early years learn to retell and adapt stories that teachers read to them. This helps them to learn new vocabulary. Staff are highly skilled in teaching phonics. They ensure that any pupil who is at risk of falling behind is identified swiftly and extra support is put in place. Staff are skilled at developing children’s communication and language. As a result, children are able to talk with a range of ambitious vocabulary, for example, when they describe the changing seasons. Pupils across the school achieve well in reading and this helps prepare them well for their next stage of education.

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

Teachers’ subject knowledge is particularly strong in English and mathematics. However, it can vary in relation to some subjects in the wider curriculum. As a result, sometimes teachers lack the subject expertise to identify and close gaps that appear in pupils’ learning. 5 and 6 November 2024

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The school is calm. Pupils are polite to one another and respectful to adults. In the past year, the school has introduced a new approach to managing behaviour. However, the recording and oversight of incidents of behaviour are not robust enough. This means that there continues to be instances of low-level disruption.

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The school’s approach to supporting pupil’s personal development has many strengths. The subjects that pupils’ study, such as the British Empire and the Windrush generation provide opportunities for moral and ethical discussions. Pupils learn fundamental British values such as democracy through voting for peers to represent them in the POD (Pupils of Diptford) group. Older pupils act as play leaders supporting other pupils in the playground. Pupils are proud of these roles and enjoy acting as role models to younger pupils.

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The school provides opportunities for pupils to gain wider experiences outside of school. For example, pupils go on residentials, they learn to rock climb, surf and experience caving. These activities help pupils to build confidence and resilience. Children in the early years have the opportunity to explore their local environment with visits to the woods.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate that the school and the trust consider their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subjects in the wider curriculum are in the early stages of implementation. In these subjects, teachers do not have deep and secure subject knowledge. As a result, they do not identify and address gaps in pupils’ learning relating to knowledge that pupils should have acquired in previous academic years. The trust should ensure that teachers develop their subject knowledge so that they can consistently identify and address gaps in pupils’ learning in these subjects.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The trust does not check information about pupils’ behaviour effectively. This means that the school’s actions to address behaviour have not had the intended impact and some classes still experience low-level disruption. The trust should make sure that all checks on pupils’ behaviour and actions taken are recorded in detail. The trust should use this information to inform all work to improve pupils’ behaviour. 5 and 6 November 2024

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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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Website www.diptford.thelink.academy/web

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Link Academy Trust.  The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.  The school has a before- and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with teachers, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 met with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator,

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subject leaders, trustees, members of the governing body and the CEO.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View and by talking to parents. The inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

James Gentile, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Craig Hayes Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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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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