Darrington Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Darrington is a welcoming school where Christian values are at the heart. Pupils are kind and caring towards each other. The school has a particularly supportive and nurturing ethos.

This helps pupils to develop positive attitudes towards adults and each other. Pupils value differences such as gender, sexuality, faith and ethnicity. Pupils say that people are never discriminated against because, 'There is no need to.

People are just the same; they are free to do what they want to do.'

Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that staff care about their well-being. Pupils generally behave well.

They know whom to talk to if they have any concerns ...and trust staff to always help them. Some parents and carers say that bullying is an issue, but pupils told inspectors that bullying does not happen. If pupils are mean, then adults help them sort issues out.

Leaders have worked hard to plan lessons that are helping pupils to remember more. Pupils know that their teachers want them to do well in their learning. Pupils told us they like history.

They enjoy the many trips and visits they make that bring their learning to life, such as a visit to London.

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

The school is well led and managed. Leaders know what the school does well and what it needs to do better.

Leaders have made changes to the curriculum to ensure pupils are remembering what they learn.

Leaders make sure that pupils have a wide range of experiences and develop the right knowledge and skills to achieve well. As a result, pupils are confident and successful learners.

By the time they leave the school, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Reading is a priority across the school. Children get off to a good start right from Reception because phonics is taught very well.

All adults have had the training they need to deliver the phonics programme successfully. Leaders check learning carefully so that any pupils who start to struggle are quickly identified and given the help they need to catch up. Books are well matched to the sounds pupils know.

Pupils like reading. As pupils move up the school, they learn to evaluate books, understand characters and use well-developed vocabulary. Occasionally, the quality of comprehension teaching varies.

This is because teaching assistants do not yet have the skills to be able to support pupils to answer challenging questions.

In mathematics, teachers plan work that develops pupils' fluency and mathematical understanding well. They ensure that pupils understand important concepts and calculation methods.

However, for some pupils, the work does not challenge them to think deeply enough. These pupils need to be moved on to challenging work more quickly.Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective extra help from staff.

Staff expect pupils with SEND to develop the same knowledge as their peers.

In early years, children settle in quickly. They are eager to learn from a wide range of interesting activities.

For example, children looked closely at different coloured blocks of ice with fascination. Adults ask considered questions to help children to think more deeply about what they are doing. Regular opportunities to practise new skills help children to remember what they have already learned over time.

This means that they are well prepared to move on to key stage 1.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. There is a calm atmosphere throughout the school.

Pupils' learning is rarely interrupted by poor behaviour. Some pupils do display some off-task behaviour when work is too easy.

Pupils cooperate well in lessons.

They show interest and enjoyment in learning. Staff insist that pupils show pride in the presentation of their work. However, not all staff insist that pupils use the correct basic skills, such as in spelling and punctuation, consistently.

There is a buzz for history throughout the school. Well-planned learning ensures that pupils make links across topics. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the way in which teachers help them remember their learning, such as with songs and rhymes and exciting trips and visitors.

Pupils enjoy the varied extra-curricular activities on offer. These include clubs for singing, sport and dance. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils have full access to these activities.

All staff take a keen interest in developing pupils' physical and mental well-being. They teach pupils what they can do to lead healthy lives.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a vigilant and caring ethos in the school. Staff receive regular and appropriate training. They can recognise the signs that a pupil is at risk of harm.

Staff are confident to report any concerns. Leaders follow up concerns rigorously and swiftly. Leaders accurately record concerns and the actions taken.

They seek support from external agencies when required so that pupils get the help that they need.

Pupils learn to keep themselves safe, including when working online. Leaders know the risks that exist in the local area.

Pupils learn about these risks through assemblies and special lessons. Leaders make strong links with local community agencies, such as the police.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders should ensure that expectations of pupils are always high, particularly in mathematics, so that pupils can apply their skills and extend their learning.

Pupils who are secure in their learning should be moved on to more complex problems more quickly. . Leaders have worked hard to plan learning in history that pupils remember.

Leaders should ensure that this successful model is replicated in science so that pupils build successfully on their knowledge. . Staff are well trained in the teaching of phonics across the school.

Leaders now need to ensure that teaching assistants who support the teaching of reading comprehension are sufficiently trained to ensure that all pupils are challenged. . Leaders need to ensure that there is consistency in identifying errors in spelling and punctuation so that pupils' work is always of a high quality.