Daventry Hill School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 26 April 2022

Pupils enjoy attending this much improved school. Staff are very caring and supportive. Parents and carers appreciate the help staff give them and their children. Staff understand pupils' individual needs well. Pupils say that they feel safe and are happy at the school. One parent summed up the views of others when they stated, 'My child flourishes at this school.' Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils know staff will look after them and help them to learn. Staff are skilled in meeting the pupils' needs. Leaders have high expectations that pupils will be ready for their next stage in life. Leaders have ensured that the school supports all pupils to make a positive contribution to society. They want their pupils 'to be ready for the community and the community to be ready for their pupils'. Pupils behave well and engage with their learning. They have positive attitudes to their education. Staff know the causes of distress for each pupil and so can intervene early to help pupils remain calm. Lessons are not affected by disruption because staff support pupils to understand and manage their emotions. Pupils are certain that if bullying happens, staff will deal with it quickly and effectively.

What the school should improve

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects within their identified timescale. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.
• Leaders have not identified the knowledge that pupils need to gain through the personal development curriculum to develop their understanding of fundamental British values and aspects of spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. As a result, pupils enjoy planned experiences without realising the significance of what they are undertaking. They fail to retain the important knowledge that these activities were designed to provide. Leaders need to ensure that the personal development curriculum provides pupils with the necessary knowledge to enable them to prepare fully for life in modern Britain.

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