The Dassett CofE Primary School

Inspection of The Dassett CofE Primary School Fenny Compton, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 2XU

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 22 and 23 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy school. They appreciate the wider opportunities that the school arranges for them. These include sports clubs, as well as craft, singing, science and dance. Pupils also enjoy the educational visits that support their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships in school are positive. Pupils are considerate of one another. They share equipment in class and take turns in games on the playground. Pupils trust the adults in school. They know that they can share any concerns, and they will be dealt with.

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What is it like to attend this school?

High standards of behaviour are expected by the school. The majority of pupils meet these expectations in all that they do. Where behaviour is managed well, pupils show positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils move around the school in a calm and considerate manner. Lunch in the dining hall is a highly social experience for pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. However, because the curriculum is not yet established, pupils do not consistently consolidate their learning and build knowledge over time. This means that not all pupils achieve as well as they could.

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

The school is determined every child will learn to read. From starting school in Reception, children are generally well supported to learn their letters and sounds. Staff are quick to spot when pupils fall behind. They provide helpful support so these pupils catch up with their classmates quickly. However, the books given to some pupils do not match their phonics knowledge closely enough. Where this happens, it limits how quickly pupils learn to read. The school provides helpful reading workshops and guidance to parents and carers. This work is helping to ensure pupils read at home regularly. The recent focus on reading is leading to improvements in pupils’ outcomes.

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

Pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities are well supported and achieve well here. Leaders work closely with a range of external agencies to accurately identify and assess pupils’ individual needs when they join the school. Teachers use this information well and adapt their teaching carefully to meet pupils’ needs.

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

The school is working to design and establish a curriculum that is broad and ambitious for all pupils. They have begun to set out the knowledge pupils need to learn so they can be successful across each subject. This work is well developed across some subjects, and the new knowledge pupils encounter builds on the things they already know. However, across other subjects, this work is not yet well developed, and the key knowledge pupils will learn has not been clearly identified. Where this happens, the activities chosen by teachers do not support pupils in recalling prior knowledge and learning the intended new knowledge. This holds pupils back because they are not building knowledge securely over time.

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

The school offers many opportunities for pupils’ personal development. They practise their leadership skills through membership of councils, by leading consultations or organising 22 and 23 October 2024

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events in school. This includes making presentations in assembly and leading the daily prayer. A wide variety of lunchtime and after-school clubs give pupils opportunities to learn new skills or improve existing ones.

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Pupils build a strong awareness of other faiths and cultures during their time here. They demonstrate tolerance and acceptance of all, regardless of any differences. Important values such as these are taught and reinforced through the school’s values of respect, equality, ambition, care and honesty (REACH). There is a strong focus on care for others, which flows through interactions between pupils and their peers.

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Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. On the whole, pupils meet these expectations and behave well around school and in lessons. Children start to learn about school routines and good behaviour as soon as they enter the Reception class. This helps children settle quickly when they join. However, the school has not made sure that all staff share its high expectations or apply these expectations consistently. In some cases, when pupils misbehave, this is not always challenged by teachers. This means that, on occasion, pupils do not focus on their work and disrupt the learning of others.

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The governing body brings a wide range of skills to the school. They know the school well and provide a balance of challenge and support. Most parents enjoy a positive relationship with the school. However, some would appreciate more information about what their children are learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school has not defined the precise knowledge pupils will learn. Where this happens, teachers are not clear about the knowledge pupils are expected to learn and do not always design lessons that support the aims of the curriculum. This holds pupils back. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is equally well considered across all subjects so the knowledge to be taught is clearly defined.  The school does not ensure that all staff follow the high expectations set for pupils’ behaviour. This means that poor behaviour is not always challenged consistently well. As a result, some pupils miss important parts of their learning and sometimes distract others. Leaders should ensure the high expectations for pupils’ behaviour are realised by all staff.

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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 22 and 23 October 2024

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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). 22 and 23 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 March 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has a Christian ethos.  The last section 48 inspection took place in December 2017. The next inspection is due before 2026.  A new assistant headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 22 and 23 October 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued 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 and staff of the school. The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body and a selection of governors and spoke with representatives of the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading and phonics, mathematics, science and personal, social, health and economic 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. They heard a sample of pupils reading with another adult and reading their own work.  Inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and

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improvement plans. Records of governors’ meetings and other reports about the school were also scrutinised.  Inspectors looked at records of attendance and behaviour. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school and talked to them informally in a range of activities about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  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 to parents at the start and end of the day and considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also reviewed the responses to staff surveys and gathered the views of staff and pupils through discussion.

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Inspection team

Anne Potter, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sally Snooks Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 October 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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