Devonshire Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Devonshire Park Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of this caring and welcoming school. They know that each member of staff cares about them as individuals.

Many pupils, and their parents and carers, spoke of the loving school family.

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. It has fostered a supportive learning environment.

The school enables pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to succeed. Each specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced... provision) is an oasis of calm where pupils thrive. Pupils try their best.

They achieve well from their differing starting points.

Pupils understand the school's high expectations of their behaviour. They are polite and respectful towards each other and to staff.

They enjoy playtimes with their friends and the 'personal best' challenges that staff organise. Pupils relish the variety of opportunities that are on offer, such as attending the Zumba or judo clubs, as well as taking part in the parent-and-child art masterclass sessions.

Pupils make a positive and real contribution to the development of the school.

For example, happiness heroes and staff work closely to help support pupils' mental health. The happiness heroes have introduced a pet tortoise that everyone loves. Pupils are proud of, in their words, the 'breathtaking' artwork that is displayed around school.

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

Over the last couple of years, the school has been successful in bringing about improvements to many aspects of its provision. In recent years, the team has overhauled the curriculum, and it has now constructed it carefully and made it ambitious. The curriculum is well designed and enriches pupils' learning across subjects.

The key knowledge and skills that pupils should learn are set out in a logical order, so that teachers know what to deliver and when. Pupils excitedly shared their recent learning and felt enthused by the trips and visitors to school that have enriched their experiences. Many pupils make strong progress through the curriculum.

The school has systems in place to make sure that staff quickly identify the needs of pupils with SEND. The school has a good understanding of their barriers to learning. The plans in place support pupils with SEND well.

In the main, they achieve well alongside their peers. Pupils in the specially resourced provision flourish because of the school's personalised and carefully considered approach.

The use of assessment is more established in the stronger areas of the curriculum.

In some subjects, the school's systems for checking what pupils know and remember over time are less effective. This means that the school is unsure of what gaps pupils have in their long-term memory, and in turn, these gaps are not promptly addressed.

Early reading is at the heart of the curriculum.

In the Nursery class, children learn songs and rhymes that prepare them well for learning how to read words in the Reception class. The school provides regular training and support to ensure that staff implement the phonics programme to a high standard. This sets pupils up for success as they begin the key stage 2 curriculum.

However, this is not consistently replicated in terms of early writing. Some pupils are not supported well enough in relation to their pencil grip and letter formation. These weaknesses linger as they move through school.

This hinders the quality of pupils' written communication.

Pupils make the most of the opportunities provided to practise reading and become competent readers. They value the wide range of literature that is available and the inspirational author visits that take place.

Pupils are keen to try out books that these authors have written. Pupils are proud of their roles as 'reading ambassadors'. The school successfully promotes poetry.

Pupils relish the opportunity to discuss and listen to poems. This helps them to become proficient poets in their own right.

From the youngest age, there are high expectations of children's behaviour.

In the early years, children are able to sustain focus on playing, talking and learning. They share and care for each other. Adults successfully support children to develop their communication and language skills.

Pupils are keen to attend school. They know why education is important. However, too many pupils are persistently absent from school.

This means that these pupils develop gaps in their knowledge from missed learning opportunities.

The school prioritises the provision for pupils' wider personal development. There is a strong and meaningful emphasis on listening to pupils' views and what they care about.

The school helps pupils to discuss and debate issues that are important to them. Pupils were keen to share about the debate academy and the national competitions that they have won for both mathematics, art and performance poetry.

Many staff speak very positively about the school.

They praise the support that they receive for their professional development so that they can be more focused on pupils' learning. Governors use their experience and knowledge to support the school. Staff and governors are proud to be a part of this inclusive school community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's expectations for pupils' early writing are not high enough. This means that some pupils have not mastered legible and accurate letter formation by the time that they leave Year 2.

This hinders pupils writing fluency and communication as they go through the school. The school should ensure that there is an increased emphasis on pupils' writing skills from the start of their time in school. ? The checks that the school makes on pupils' learning do not identify gaps in pupils' knowledge sufficiently well.

This means that some pupils move through the curriculum with ongoing gaps and misconceptions in their learning. The school should refine its assessment strategies to upskill staff so that pupils' learning is secure before introducing new concepts. ? Persistent absence rates are high.

Too many pupils do not attend school often enough. This limits their achievement. The school should build on its emerging strategies to secure good attendance, so that pupils attend school regularly.

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.

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.This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2019.