Elton CofE Primary School

Inspection of Elton CofE Primary School Main Street, Elton, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 2BW

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Inadequate

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When Elton CofE Primary school was inspected in May 2024, it was judged to require special measures. Subsequently, the school was inspected on one occasion. At the last monitoring inspection, leaders were judged to have made progress to improve the school, but more work was necessary for the category of concern to be removed. 8 and 9 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This small school is determined to improve. This renewed ambition is shared by all. The curriculum is beginning to help pupils build their knowledge and skills. Expectations of what pupils will learn have increased. However, some of the recent changes are still taking root. At times, pupils do not benefit fully from the recent developments, particularly changes to the school’s curriculum. As a result, the school’s broader ambitions are not realised fully.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and playing alongside their friends. Parents and carers value how their children’s needs are met. Pupils feel happy and safe. Systems to keep pupils safe now work effectively, including when pupils access the internet.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Increasingly, they model the school’s values of kindness, respect and determination. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are taught practical strategies to self-regulate. This helps them to stay focused on their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the wider opportunities that the school offers. They attend weekly swimming lessons and some learn to play a musical instrument. Pupils plant wildflowers for the local bees to enjoy, helping them to understand their impact on the natural environment.

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

There have been positive improvements to the education that pupils at this school experience. They now benefit from a well-sequenced curriculum that outlines clearly the knowledge they are expected to recall. However, this curriculum has only been introduced recently. Its impact on how well pupils remember important information over time is not fully evident. While staff have received some training to teach the curriculum, there is still some variation in how well the curriculum is delivered. This is particularly the case in the wider curriculum subjects. At present, the school’s systems to check how well pupils recall curriculum content are in their infancy. Some staff are developing the expertise needed to check the impact of recent curriculum improvements.

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

The school has introduced a well-structured early reading programme. Staff use appropriate strategies to help pupils learn to read. They ensure that pupils have books that are well suited to their reading level. Pupils who fall behind get effective extra support. The school has also developed a reading comprehension curriculum. This approach is improving pupils’ understanding of increasingly complex texts.

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

Staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND swiftly and provide appropriate extra support. They adapt lessons well so that these pupils learn the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND are keen to talk about their learning and explain their ideas. Governors check that these pupils’ needs are being met. However, expectations for writing are too low for pupils with SEND. These pupils do not rehearse key writing skills often enough, to help them write fluently and independently across the curriculum. 8 and 9 July 2025

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Pupils understand the school’s behaviour expectations and they follow routines closely. They show maturity in their interactions with others. When pupils need extra help to manage their emotions and feelings, staff support them closely. Suspensions are used appropriately.

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The school’s revised systems for punctuality have had a positive impact, helping to keep pupils safe during the school day. Pupils who attend the daily breakfast club experience a calm start to the school day, so that they are ready to learn.

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The personal development programme helps pupils to become thoughtful young people, who respect and appreciate the diversity of the world in which they live. The school makes sure that all pupils, including pupils with SEND, benefit from everyday experiences of the wider world. This helps them to understand social norms and appropriate behaviours. For example, by attending sports events or visiting shops, pupils develop their confidence and resilience in new situations.

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The school has worked quickly to begin to resolve the areas for concern from its previous inspections. Staff are proud to be part of the school and understand why changes are needed. Leaders and staff are keen to continue their work to ensure that recent improvements are embedded consistently.

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Governors are beginning to hold the school to account effectively. They make the necessary checks to assure themselves that the school is improving in ways that are needed. They recognise the importance of maintaining a sharp focus on those areas that the school still needs to develop.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not fully developed its programme for the teaching of writing. This particularly affects pupils with SEND and limits how well these pupils are prepared for the next stage of education. The school must ensure that the English writing curriculum enables all pupils to build knowledge systematically, learn and recall the necessary skills consistently and write with increasing fluency and independence.  The school have not made sure that all staff have the depth of expertise necessary to teach all subjects across the curriculum. As a result, pupils’ learning slows at times in some subjects. The school should continue to ensure that all staff are equipped with the necessary knowledge and expertise to deliver the full breadth of the curriculum effectively.  The school does not check the effectiveness of the impact of its actions consistently. This limits its ability to identify clearly what is working well and where further work is

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needed. The school should further develop its systems to assure itself that its actions are having a positive impact on school improvement.

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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). 8 and 9 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Oona Gilbertson (Executive headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 January 2025, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Elton CofE Primary School is part of the Diocese of Derby. The last section 48 inspection of this school took place in June 2025. This is an inspection of the school’s religious character.  The executive headteacher has oversight of two schools.  Most pupils that attend this school have SEND. Several have an education, health and care plan.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was deemed to be a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 8 and 9 July 2025

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management). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and a range of staff.  The lead inspector met with the local governing body and spoke with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the 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. The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The school’s curriculums in a range of other subjects were also considered.  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 that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and at lunchtime. Inspectors spoke with pupils about the school and their learning, behaviour and safety.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils, staff and parents.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jeremy Spencer Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 July 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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