Derwent Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 July 2023

Pupils talk positively about life at school. They have adapted well as pupil numbers, and the building, grow. They are welcoming to joining pupils and like making friends. Those pupils in the new building are settling in well to their classrooms. Pupils are looking forward to having all the facilities and clubs back up and running now the building work is complete. However, they have still enjoyed residentials, taking part in sports tournaments, singing and joining in with football club. Pupils at this school want to succeed. They achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Some of their favourite lessons are art, design and technology, and computing. Pupils like their teachers. They appreciate it when staff give them points for their work. They know what teachers expect from them. Some pupils would like some of the work they are given to be even harder. Pupils know the school rules and values. Most pupils follow these well. Pupils, even the very youngest, focus on lessons and pay attention. There are a few pupils who need reminders of how to play sensibly. Pupils are confident that teachers will sort this out. They also know that teachers take any bullying worries seriously.

What the school should improve

• Teachers are still getting used to the recent curriculum updates and are not always clear what pupils have learned already in previous years. Therefore, teachers currently do not build enough on prior learning in some foundation subjects, which limits the level of detailed knowledge pupils gain. Leaders must ensure that teachers are systematic in checking, and then building on, what pupils already know, in order to deepen pupils' understanding and meet the ambitious aims of the curriculum.
• Some teachers are not consistently adapting learning to meet the specific requirements of their class. This means some pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not always have work precisely matched to their needs. Leaders need to continue to provide bespoke subject knowledge and pedagogical training for staff to ensure that all pupils are provided with learning activities suitably adapted for them.
• In some subjects, some pupils are set work that is not ambitious enough. This means that, in these subjects, not all pupils are achieving as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that all staff are clear on the expected outcomes for all pupils, especially in the updated foundation subjects, and check that these high expectations are matched in the work teachers set for pupils.

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