Digby the Tedder Primary School

Inspection of Digby the Tedder Primary School Trenchard Road, Ashby-De-La-Launde, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN4 3JY

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good 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 March 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 7 and 8 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are looked after well and cared for at Digby the Tedder. Relationships between staff and pupils are consistently positive. The large proportion of service children who join the school are expertly supported. As a result, they quickly settle and go on to achieve well. The school takes good care of all pupils, but it is especially mindful of those who might need extra help because some of their family is deployed overseas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school aims for all pupils to learn ‘to fly’. They are expected to live up to the school’s values and achieve highly. Typically, they do. Pupils do their best to show resilience, aspiration, respect and to cooperate with others. The characters of ‘Samir the Squirrel’, ‘Rosie the Bunny’, ‘Harry the Hedgehog’ and ‘Ollie the Owl’ help pupils to understand what each of these values mean and what they look like.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive on the many opportunities that they have to make a positive contribution to their school. Well-being champions, reading ambassadors, librarians and the variety of other roles play an important part in the day to day running of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour and manners are exemplary. Pupils are consistently eager to do the right thing, both for themselves and for others.

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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 designed. Pupils are introduced to new knowledge and vocabulary in a logical order. In most subjects, including English and mathematics, pupils remember their learning well. However, in a small number of subjects, and in some places in the early years, the curriculum does not make clear the most important knowledge that pupils are expected to know and remember. As such, teachers do not know which parts of the curriculum to prioritise. In these instances, pupils do not consistently remember important knowledge.

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

Teachers have good subject knowledge. In lessons, they ask questions that challenge pupils to think deeply. They check closely on how well pupils learn and remember content. However, in some subjects, the school does not use this assessment information well enough to check on which parts of the curriculum are working well, and which parts need to be strengthened.

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

Pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read achieve well. The school’s phonics programme is well considered. The school checks closely to ensure that it is taught well. Children in the early years quickly master the sounds that they are taught. They use these well to decode unfamiliar words. By the end of key stage 1, the vast majority of pupils have mastered phonics. They go on to study a wide range of texts, authors and genres. They read regularly. They talk confidently about their favourite authors. Pupil librarians help their peers to read more widely. Teachers read to pupils daily. These strategies result in pupils developing a love of reading. 7 and 8 May 2025

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. The school ensures that these pupils’ needs are identified, understood and catered for. Staff skilfully adapt lessons so that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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In the early years, children quickly learn to get along with each other. They learn and play cooperatively. Through key stages 1 and 2, pupils develop a strong understanding of the school’s rules and values. They go on to become highly courteous and well-mannered. They open doors for each other and stand aside to let others pass, always with a kind word. Pupils in the ‘Quad Squad’ help to ensure that everyone is safe and follows the rules outside. The school’s well-being ambassadors are quick to lend a hand if anyone feels unhappy or upset. The ‘Dandelion Group’ provides well-tailored support for pupils who have family members deployed away from home. This positive ethos results in pupils loving school. This is reflected in high rates of attendance.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They benefit from a well-structured personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils learn about a range of people, religions and cultures from around the world. They have a secure knowledge of fundamental British values and an age-appropriate understanding of the protected characteristics.

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The school is well led and managed. Leaders, ably supported by a committed governing body, have created a positive culture where both pupils and staff are nurtured. Staff are incredibly proud to be part of the school team. They are well supported both with their workload and well-being, as well as through a broad programme of development and training.

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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 subjects, and in some areas of learning in the early years, the curriculum does not make clear enough the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember. As a result, teachers do not know which parts of the curriculum to prioritise. Pupils’ recall of the curriculum in these subjects is inconsistent. The school should, across all subjects and areas of learning, ensure that the curriculum makes clear the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember.  In a small number of subjects, the school does not use assessment information well enough. As a result, it does not have a fully-rounded view of where strengths and weaknesses lie in the curriculum and its implementation. The school should ensure that 7 and 8 May 2025

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its assessment information is used to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to inform its strategic work.

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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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 and 20 March 2014 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is situated on the RAF Digby airbase. The vast majority of pupils that attend the school are from service families. Because of the regular movement of families to and from the base, the number of pupils joining or leaving the school at times other than usual is very high.  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 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 judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 7 and 8 May 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the senior teacher, curriculum leaders, the early years leaders, staff responsible for pupils with SEND and groups of staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in PSHE and modern foreign languages.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body. He held a telephone discussion with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. An

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inspector spoke informally to parents and carers outside the school. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  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 reviewed school documents, including those relating to governance, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ plans for improvement and their assessment of the school’s effectiveness.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils at breaktimes, in the dining hall and on the playground.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Rouse Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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