Repton Primary School

Inspection of Repton Primary School Springfield Road, Repton, Derby, Derbyshire DE65 6GN

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 21 and 22 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children get off to the very best start at this welcoming village school. They flourish in the exceptional early years provision, excelling in its nurturing and stimulating environment. Reception Year staff make the most of every moment, consolidating and extending children’s understanding through high-quality talk.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well at Repton. The school’s ambition for every pupil is typified by its ethos of respect, pride and success. These three core values are woven through the school. Pupils display them through their interactions and in their work. They show respect for people’s differences. Pupils know that the protected characteristics are important as they help us make sure that no one is discriminated against.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are warm relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils feel valued, safe and secure. They are cheerful and polite. Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. Classrooms are calm places. Pupils focus and listen well most of the time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A plethora of high-quality enrichment opportunities and extra-curricular activities are available to develop pupils’ talents and interests. These include learning to play a wide range of instruments and frequent occasions to perform on stage. Pupils also engage with an extensive variety of sporting clubs and competitions and a host of residential stays.

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced. Pupils are introduced to new knowledge, skills and vocabulary in a logical order. In many subjects, pupils remember their learning well, talking confidently about what they are doing now and what they have covered before. However, pupils do not remember important knowledge securely in some areas of the curriculum. This is because teachers do not revisit important prior learning as effectively as they could in a small number of subjects.

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

Staff teach phonics well. They show pupils how to read fluently, for instance by encouraging pupils to sound words out in their heads. The reading books that pupils take home are matched to the letter sounds they recognise. Any pupil who falls behind in learning to read gets extra help swiftly. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading. They are fond of the stories they read together as a class. Their love of reading is fostered from the moment they start at the school. Children are immersed in a world of books as part of the school’s language-rich early years provision. Reception Year staff are experts in developing children’s communication and language skills.

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

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They ask questions that challenge pupils to think deeply. They demonstrate new concepts clearly so that pupils can learn from their examples. In the early years, staff show children how to solve problems and collaborate. This helpful modelling leads to children being able to sustain their concentration. They learn on their own, as well as being able to work and play together effectively. 21 and 22 January 2025

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Teachers check closely on pupils’ progress through the curriculum. However, at times, they do not use this information well enough when setting work for some pupils. The writing tasks for some pupils are occasionally too hard for them. Staff sometimes ask these pupils to compose whole texts instead of spending time securing basic skills in spelling, handwriting and sentence construction.

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Teachers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) successfully. They know what works well for the pupils with SEND in their class. They make effective adaptations to the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can access learning and achieve well.

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Staff teach pupils how to be effective learners and how to get on with each other. Pupils live up to these high expectations and behave well most of the time. Attendance is high. The school supports families to improve their child’s attendance if they are absent too of- ten.

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The school’s personal development provision is a strength. There are many curriculum- linked trips and visitors used to enhance pupils’ learning and broaden their horizons. The school makes the most of its local heritage, including celebrating Repton’s Viking past. Pupils enjoy numerous leadership roles and responsibilities, such as being class ambassadors or members of the eco council. Pupils benefit from a comprehensive personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils understand the importance of equality and they are respectful of difference. Some pupils’ knowledge of world faiths is less secure, though.

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The school profits from strong leadership. Leaders ensure that staff have the training they need to teach the curriculum well. Governors and the local authority provide effective support and challenge.

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Staff like working at Repton. They are unanimous in their praise for school leaders. Staff appreciate the consideration for their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, some pupils do not remember key curriculum content securely. Consequently, they cannot build on their prior learning and deepen their understanding. The school should refine its approach to the retention of important learning so that pupils gain a rich body of subject curriculum knowledge.  Writing tasks are occasionally too demanding for some pupils. This prevents some pupils from mastering the basics of spelling, handwriting and sentence formation as 21 and 22 January 2025

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quickly as they could. The school should ensure that pupils have secure knowledge and skills in transcription so they can access more complex writing tasks.

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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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.repton-pri.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not 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.  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. 21 and 22 January 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered pupils’ learning in history, art and design, religious education and PSHE.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, teachers and support staff. Inspectors also met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, the early years, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  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.

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 Inspectors examined a range of school documents relating to behaviour, attendance and governance, as well as the school improvement plan and documents relating to leaders’ self-evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from different year groups.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and the results of Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

George Huthart Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 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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