Diptford Parochial Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The school has many outstanding features, but a few weaker areas prevent it from being outstanding overall.

Pupils make outstanding progress in Key Stage 2, and reach high standards by the time they leave at the end of Year 6. Some teaching is exceptionally skilful. The teaching of writing observed during the inspection was outstanding.

The headteacher is taking strong and effective action to improve the quality of teaching even further. Pupils behave well and feel very safe. Older pupils show excellent levels of courtesy and maturity.

Pupils enjoy a very wide range of stimulating learning activities. They develop outstanding pe...rsonal skills as they move through the school, and by Key Stage 2 they work exceptionally well in teams. The headteacher and governors know the school very well.

They know what they have to do to raise pupils' achievement, and are in a good position to do so. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Progress in Reception and Key Stage 1 is not as rapid as in Key Stage 2. It is slowest in Year 1.

Not all of the pupils in Reception or Year 1 have developed good attitudes to learning or concentrate as well as usual for their age. Lesson activities are not always planned precisely enough to make sure pupils build on what they already know and can do.

Information about this school

The school is much smaller than the average primary school.

The large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. No pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is broadly average.

The proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is above average. However, in both cases, the actual numbers are small because the school is so small. A very small proportion of pupils are supported by the pupil premium, which is additional government funding given to schools to help certain groups of pupils.

In this school, the pupils involved either have a parent in the armed forces or are known to be eligible for free school meals. Pupils are taught in three classes. Class 1 is for Reception (Early Years Foundation Stage) children and Year 1 pupils, Class 2 is for Years 2 and 3, and Class 3 is for Years 4, 5 and 6.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' progress and attainment. Diptford is part of the Totnes Federation of Village Schools, which was formed in November 2011, along with five other schools. Each school has its own headteacher and staff, but the whole federation has just a single governing body.