Dalton St Michael's Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 March 2023

Pupils are happy and safe at this small, nurturing school. They told inspectors that it is a welcoming place where they feel valued for who they are. Pupils spoke confidently about the things that they know and can do. Pupils know that their teachers have high expectations of their behaviour and achievement. Pupils appreciate praise, such as receiving raffle tickets for their efforts in class and for their positive behaviour. Pupils relish learning. Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils, including children in the early years, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Pupils understand the importance of respecting others. They talked positively about the many ways that people are different and unique. For example, they know that the way that people look does not change who they are on the inside. If bullying or name-calling happens, teachers address this quickly. Pupils know that there is always a trusted adult in school who they can talk to. Pupils were eager to talk about their contributions to school life and to the local community. For example, they have taken part in fundraising and litter picking. Each half term, everybody in the school comes together to enjoy a beans-on-toast breakfast.

What the school should improve

• In a few subjects, leaders have not clarified what pupils should learn and when this should happen. This hinders teachers when designing learning that builds on what pupils know. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking in these remaining subjects and identify the knowledge that pupils should learn and when this content should be taught.
• In a small number of subjects, teachers do not check sufficiently well that pupils have learned concepts securely before introducing new subject content. This means that, on occasion, some pupils develop some misconceptions in their learning. Leaders should ensure that in these subjects teachers use assessment information consistently well to check that pupils' prior knowledge is secure.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)