Denton CofE School

Inspection of Denton C of E School Church Street, Denton, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG32 1LG

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since May 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 7 and 8 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community at this school. Pupils and staff form incredibly strong relationships. From the point that children join the school in the early years, they benefit from personalised support and guidance, which enables them to flourish. Pupils consistently live up to the high expectations that the school has for them. They achieve very well academically as well as developing the personal and social skills they need for life beyond school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value their education and demonstrate an impressive commitment to their learning. Their behaviour is exceptional and they take great pride in their achievements. The school ethos focuses on striving for constant improvement. This never comes at the expense of pupils’ well-being. The school ensures that pupils have the tools they need to look after their mental health.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make excellent contributions to the life of the school and the wider community. Some pupils lead reading, chess and cheerleading clubs for their peers. The eco-council provided helpful advice for local residents about how to use their new bins. Members of the school council organise charity events, including raising money to sponsor the education of a child in Africa.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and has been carefully designed. Teachers know exactly what to teach and when. They understand how to ensure that pupils in mixed-age classes receive work that helps them to build their knowledge. There are no limits on what pupils can learn. This begins in the early years, where the needs and interests of individual children have been integrated into the curriculum.

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

Teachers are experts in the subjects they teach. They share clear and interesting explanations of important knowledge with pupils. Teachers carefully check what pupils know and understand. They swiftly address any misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge.

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

Pupils develop a deep and broad knowledge of the subjects they study. They can make connections between recent and prior learning. For example, pupils compare and contrast Islamic and Christian pilgrimage. The school has ensured that pupils understand the most complex aspects of the subjects they study. Pupils can explain how historians know what happened in the past. They can describe the elements of a fair test in science and what they have learned when conducting experiments. Children in the early years develop similarly deep knowledge. They are exceptionally well prepared for Year 1.

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

Well-trained staff expertly teach children how to read. Children quickly develop their knowledge of letters and the sounds that they make. During their time at the school, they become confident and fluent readers. Staff take a personalised approach to ensuring that pupils read a wide range of texts and enjoy what they read. Staff identify any pupils who need extra help and ensure that they do not fall behind their peers. Pupils take pleasure 7 and 8 January 2025

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in producing high-quality writing. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have written and published their own book inspired by Greek mythology.

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This is an inclusive school. Staff have high ambitions for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils receive support linked precisely to their needs. This support ranges from effective adaptations to teaching to strategies which enable pupils to feel comfortable at school. Pupils with SEND achieve very well.

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Pupils learn in focused classroom environments. They demonstrate resilience in the face of challenges. During social times, pupils support one another and create opportunities for their peers to learn and be successful through games on the playground.

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The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils make excellent use of a wide range of sporting, musical and artistic clubs. They build their confidence and enhance their learning by participating in a carefully designed programme of educational visits. Pupils link their learning in history and opportunities to discuss social justice by visiting local castles and manor houses. Pupils broaden their horizons. They hear from visitors from a range of faiths and backgrounds. Pupils take issues of respect and equality seriously. They develop their ability to debate and discuss important issues sensitively and maturely.

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The school has ensured that staff are in the best position possible to be successful. Staff take advantage of a wide range of training which is focused on school and individual priorities. They share incredibly positive views about the way in which their workload and well-being are considered. Leaders, including governors, robustly evaluate the quality of the school’s provision. No stone is left unturned to enhance the experiences of staff and pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 7 and 8 January 2025

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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). 7 and 8 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Sheriden Edwards (executive headteacher) Linda Orme (head of school) Website www.dentonceschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 May 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 As the school is designated as having a religious character, it is inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, most recently in July 2023. The next section 48 inspection is due within eight years of the previous inspection.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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. 7 and 8 January 2025

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 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, other leaders and staff, as well as the chair of governors and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in 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 also met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with pupils and reviewed samples of pupils’ work in connection with other aspects of the curriculum.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for pupils’ behaviour and attendance and pupils’ personal development. They also met with leaders responsible for the provision

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for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors met with the leader responsible for the early years, visited the early years and spoke with children.  Inspectors met formally and informally with groups of pupils.  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.  Inspectors considered responses received on Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They met with parents in person at the school gates. Inspectors also considered responses to the Ofsted surveys for school staff.

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Inspection team

Matthew Fearns-Davies, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ben Waldram Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 January 2025

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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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