Dunham-on-Trent CofE Primary School

Inspection of Dunham-on-Trent CofE Primary School Laneham Road, Dunham-on-Trent, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG22 0UL

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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 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be members of this school. They are happy and confident, and they greet visitors eagerly. Pupils value the leadership opportunities on offer, for example being a member of the school council or a leader of collective worship.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. They are part of a community that places respect at the heart of everything. Pupils enjoy the positive relationships they have with each other. The oldest pupils show care to those who are younger. Pupils are keen to include everyone at playtime.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is mutual respect between pupils and staff. Pupils behave well in lessons, with only occasional disruptions. They enjoy learning and do well. They take pride in their work and take time to complete tasks, offering help and support to each other. They develop a sense of independence when working in pairs and small groups.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A clear focus on reading provides pupils with access to a rich assortment of books. These are chosen to expose pupils to different cultures and beliefs. Reading ambassadors share their love of reading, giving advice and feedback to others about books they have read.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities. The annual residential trip provides opportunities to develop their talents, interests and character.

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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 planned for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children in the early years. The school has identified the knowledge that pupils need. This ensures that the curriculum is designed to suit the needs of this small school. Teachers have received the right training to ensure they have secure subject expertise.

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

The curriculum is usually delivered effectively, and pupils learn well. However, there are times when pupils’ prior learning is not checked carefully enough. This means that some learning activities do not take account of pupils’ different starting points or resolve gaps in their knowledge. There are also times when learning tasks are not adapted appropriately to meet individual pupil’s needs. As a result, some pupils are not able to access the learning as well as they should.

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

The school spots when a pupil may have a particular learning need and ensures that they get the right help, including from external professionals. These pupils benefit from close support that helps them to do well.

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

There is a strong focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary across the school. This starts in the early years, where reading is a priority. Expert teachers support children to develop positive reading habits. Children begin to sound and blend words with confidence. When children fall behind with their reading, support is available to help them catch up and keep up. Pupils across the school develop a love of reading. The well-resourced reading corner 25 and 26 March 2025

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is popular and is looked after by the reading ambassadors. Children in the early years enjoy being read to by staff and listen intently. Children develop their curiosity as a result of the storytelling.

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Pupils embrace the school’s ethos of community and respect. They show very positive attitudes towards each other and staff. They respect their environment and appreciate the opportunities provided by the school. Pupils value the rewards for good behaviour. They enjoy receiving stickers and points for their good work and certificates for reflecting the school’s values.

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Pupils’ attendance continues to improve. The school’s efforts to engage with families have resulted in improved attendance for those pupils where it had, previously, been a concern.

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Parents and carers enjoy being a part of the school community. They are positive about the progress their children make and are grateful for the extra-curricular activities available. The school makes sure that all pupils can access memorable experiences, particularly the residential trip and visiting a science museum.

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The school’s values and ethos are visible across all areas of the provision. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is cultivated through well-designed activities and resources. They are prepared well for life in modern Britain, beginning in Reception. Pupils value difference and embrace diversity. They are taught about, and understand, how to keep themselves safe out in the community and online. In Reception, children learn the importance of eating and drinking, taking naps and being active.

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The school benefits from strong leadership. Leaders have identified the school’s priorities clearly and taken the right steps to secure improvement. Staff are positive about the support they receive to manage their workload and look after their well-being. The close working relationships between senior staff and governors provides helpful direction and challenge to the school. Governors ensure that the school meets its responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not always delivered in a way that helps pupils’ knowledge build securely over time. Sometimes, information from checks of what pupils can recall is not used well enough. This means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge or misconceptions persist. The school should ensure that information about what pupils know and understand is used effectively to identify appropriate next steps in learning so that pupils learn and remember more of the school’s well-planned curriculum. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 Sometimes, the tasks given to pupils are not adapted in a way that enables them to access the learning successfully. When this happens, pupils may disengage from learning or develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should continue to work on helping teachers to identify how learning activities can be adapted appropriately to enable pupils to achieve the aims of the curriculum.

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Kathryn Watkinson

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School details

Website www.dunham-on-trent.notts.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2023.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Southwell. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school took place in May 2019.

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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 of the quality of a school’s education provision. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: 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 reviewed the curriculum in some other subjects, including science, physical education and computing.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy head teacher, subject leaders and staff. Inspectors also met with leaders responsible for SEND, behaviour and attendance, personal development and safeguarding.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central

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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.  Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan, as well as documents relating to behaviour, attendance and governance.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair and vice-chair of the local governing board. The lead inspector also spoke with representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Nyree Parker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Mann Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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