Deal Parochial Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 27 June 2023

There is a palpable sense of care and community at Deal Parochial Primary School. Leaders, staff, parents and carers work well together to foster a positive and supportive environment in which pupils are known well and their needs are met effectively. Pupils are happy to come to this highly inclusive school. They know that they are valued as individuals and that everyone contributes positively to their community. They are keen to meet the high expectations of staff by working hard in lessons and doing their best. Pupils behave well in this school and take responsibility for keeping their school community happy and harmonious. For example, if there are disagreements, pupils are well versed in having 'mending conversations', to, as one pupil explained, 'make friends again'. They are proud that they take charge in this way and do not need to rely on staff to sort things for them. Pupils benefit from activities that support their development beyond the classroom, including regular tennis lessons, a variety of engaging STEM opportunities, sports and dance. They recently had the opportunity to see a national blind dressage champion perform on their school field, and they asked her questions about riding and competing at a national level.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have identified and mapped out the small steps of component knowledge and skills in each subject of the curriculum. However, there is not yet in place a systematic process for supporting pupils to retain their learning over time. Leaders need to continue to develop this system to support pupils in their ability to connect their learning and retain this in the longer term.

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