Danson Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Danson Primary School Danson Lane, Welling, Kent DA16 2BH

p.1

Inspection dates: 30 April and 1 May 2025

p.1

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming, respectful school. Pupils work extremely hard and are rightly proud of their learning. They have high attendance because they do not want to miss any important learning.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Strong relationships between staff and pupils permeate the school. School staff and Achilles, the school dog, greet pupils warmly each morning. This creates a positive start to the day. Pupils know that if they have a worry, they can speak to teachers who will listen and help them. This helps pupils feel happy and safe.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour and conduct is excellent. This starts in the Reception Year. Routines for behaviour are well established. Pupils across the school show highly positive attitudes to their learning.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities and leadership roles. Older pupils run clubs for younger pupils. Anti-bullying ambassadors look out for pupils who might need someone to play with. These opportunities promote the school’s values of kindness and collaboration.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Key stage 2 outcomes in 2024 across reading, writing and mathematics were high. Pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve highly across the range of other subjects. This means that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their learning journey. 30 April and 1 May 2025

p.1

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

The school has created a strong culture of reading. Pupils read widely and often. They explain with enthusiasm how reading ‘Macbeth’ inspired them to write a soliloquy. Pupils discuss confidently the impact of their expressive phrases and rhetorical questions to reveal Macbeth’s inner thoughts.

p.2

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

Pupils learn to read as soon as they join the Reception Year. Teachers are experts at teaching early reading. Phonics is taught consistently and effectively. Teachers model sounds with precision. They intervene and address any errors swiftly. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils know. This helps pupils to read with increasing fluency and confidence. Those pupils who find reading difficult are quickly given the help to catch up.

p.2

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

The school has in place a broad and ambitious curriculum. The school has expertly sequenced the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn from the Reception Year onwards. Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to practise and revisit this important content. As a result, pupils connect knowledge across the curriculum securely. For example, in religious education, pupils in Year 5 link what they know about Islam to what they know about Christianity. They use subject-specific vocabulary, such as ‘monotheism’, confidently.

p.2

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

Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. They explain concepts clearly. This supports pupils to achieve well. Pupils with SEND are identified as early as possible. Teaching staff know pupils and their needs well. Therefore, teaching approaches are effective so that these pupils access all the school has to offer. For example, Year 6 pupils, including those pupils with SEND, relish the opportunity to replicate the style of artists such as Cai Guo- Qiang to create a 3D installation.

p.2

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

Pupils are motivated, resilient learners. This starts in the Reception Year, where children persevere with challenging tasks. Pupils’ behaviour across the school is impeccable. This means teaching is not interrupted. Those pupils who need help to manage their behaviour receive targeted, personalised support.

p.2

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

The programme for pupils’ wider development is exemplary. For example, from Year 1, pupils are given the opportunity to run a shop so that they can apply what they know about profit and loss. Pupils learn about interest, loans and savings. This helps pupils understand the concept of managing money. Pupils learn about different careers such as engineering, architecture and finance. These experiences raise pupils’ ambition.

p.2

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

Pupils are taught how to identify risks within and beyond the school. They know to block and report anything they encounter online that might make them feel uncomfortable. Pupils learn about consent in an age-appropriate manner.

p.2

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

School leaders and governors have high expectations for the school. The governing body has appropriate processes to support and challenge the school. Staff value the help they 30 April and 1 May 2025

p.2

3

receive to manage their workload. They are overwhelmingly positive about being part of this ambitious school community.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2015.

p.3

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.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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 30 April and 1 May 2025

p.3

4

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). 30 April and 1 May 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Co-headteachers Leona Casey Anne Allen Website www.danson.bexley.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 24 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast and after-school club daily.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school is part of an informal working relationship with Bexley Federation, consisting of 11 schools.

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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the senior leadership team.  The inspectors met with representatives of the governing body and the school improvement partner. 30 April and 1 May 2025

p.5

6

 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.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors listened to some pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors observed pupils behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Deborah Walters, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lisa Strong His Majesty’s Inspector 30 April and 1 May 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