Dore Primary School

Inspection of Dore Primary School Furniss Avenue, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S17 3QP

p.1

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

p.1

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 March 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud and happy to attend Dore Primary School. Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils. Most pupils achieve well and are ready for the next stage of their education.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They live the school values of ‘Be Ready. Be Safe. Be Respectful’. For example, they are kind to each other. Outdoors, pupils play well together. Movement around school is calm and orderly. In lessons, most pupils are attentive and respond to instructions from adults. When behaviour issues arise, they know that the adults in school will help them. Pupils who are the ‘Dore Democrats’ participate in the development of the school. They gather ideas from classmates and create positive changes along with school leaders.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of experiences to support development. Pupils enjoy educational visits to historical places, sporting opportunities, residential trips in key stage 2 and a planetarium visit to school. The school provides a wide range of opportunities to learn outside. Pupils have access to gym equipment, outdoor lessons and work in the woodland area.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about physical and mental health. Well-being activities help them to manage their own emotions and responses. Pupils know how to stay safe, including when they are online. Pupils feel safe in school.

p.2

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. In mathematics and reading, teachers check how well pupils remember what they have been taught. For example, the school realised that some girls did not achieve as well as boys in mathematics at the end of key stage 2. Specific lessons are now in place to address this. Pupils now remember more. In most other subjects, the curriculum clearly sets out the knowledge that pupils will learn. In these subjects, pupils are able to build on previous learning. Staff check how well pupils achieve in these subjects. This information is then used to address gaps in pupils’ learning. However, in some curriculum subjects, it is not consistently clear what key knowledge and skills pupils should know and understand. When this happens, the implementation of the curriculum is less secure. As a result, pupils cannot recall some learning in depth.

p.2

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

Children in the early years get off to a flying start. They settle quickly. Staff carefully select activities and check understanding. Pupils learn to read quickly and effectively. In early years, a sharp focus on learning important new words and phonics helps children to become fluent readers. Well-trained staff are deployed to ensure that pupils who need additional support receive it. Pupils in key stage 2 who need phonics teaching have catch- up lessons. The school helps pupils to develop a love of books and reading. Older pupils enthuse about the books they read. They talk confidently about how they choose fiction and non-fiction books. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.2

3

Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well in lessons by staff. Some pupils entering the school on a morning through ‘The Croft’ provision have a calm and positive start to their day. They are then able to access learning in their classroom. However, for some pupils with SEND, the support that the school provides for them does not closely match pupils’ needs. This makes it difficult for staff to adapt activities and lessons, and for pupils to make the progress in building knowledge that they could.

p.3

3

The personal, social and health education curriculum prepares pupils well for life outside school. Pupils know how to stay safe, both online and while outside the school environment. They learn how to manage finances and about different careers. The school wants pupils to become well-informed global citizens. Pupils are tolerant and accepting of people who live differently to themselves. Everyone in school is accepted and valued. Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures, but sometimes pupils’ learning lacks depth.

p.3

3

Parents are positive about the school’s work. They appreciate the clear communication that leaders have put in place. Parents feel well informed about school life. There are opportunities for parents to work with the school through learning workshops and celebration events.

p.3

3

School leaders are supported well by the governing body, who have a range of skills and experience. Governors feel well informed about the school’s work. They undertake focused visits that support leaders. The school carries out staff surveys to ensure that it considers workload and well-being. Staff feel well supported by the actions of leaders. Staff are proud to work at this school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school has not identified clearly enough the key knowledge and skills that it wants pupils to learn. This affects its teaching and assessment of the curriculum. Consequently, some pupils’ understanding lacks depth. The school should ensure that the curriculum is well thought through and builds progressively over time.  For some pupils with SEND, the school’s identification of needs and the support that it should provide is not refined enough. This means that staff are unclear about how to meet pupils’ needs and adapt learning for some pupils. It is then difficult for the school to evaluate the progress in learning that pupils make. The school should ensure that it helps all pupils with SEND to make progress well through the curriculum.  Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures through religious education. They do not always remember what they have learned in these lessons. In order to ensure that

p.3

4

pupils have an understanding about the wider world they live in, pupils should be given opportunities to recap and build on previous learning.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 18 and 19 March 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 24 March 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher of this school was appointed in September 2024.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

p.5

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.

p.5

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. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with senior staff in the school. This included the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, design technology and history. 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.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and their experiences at school. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the beginning and end of the school day.  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

p.6

6

safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour at the school.  Inspectors reviewed the parental responses received through Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

p.6

Inspection team

Helen Haunch, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Simon Swift Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7