Dormanstown Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 November 2023

Since the previous inspection, leaders have been effective in improving the quality of education offered. This is now a good school where expectations of pupils' achievement and behaviour are high and, overall, pupils achieve well. Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. The well-stocked and inviting library motivates children to read regularly. From the early years to Year 6, classrooms are awash with high-quality texts. Pupils read a wide range of books from different authors and this helps them to learn in other subjects. Older pupils enthusiastically told the inspector how their class book on Charles Darwin helped them to understand more about evolution in their science lessons. Pupils feel safe and happy at school. They say that although arguments do happen, teachers are quick to help them sort them out. Pupils believe that teachers are fair and make them work hard. Pupils find lessons fun and this helps them to progress well. Golden tickets and golden coins motivate pupils to do their best. The school encourages pupils to take on responsibilities. Pupils enjoy being part of the junior leadership team, prefects and librarians. Some pupils have been trained as ''headstarters'. These pupils help others when they are upset or worried. Trips are carefully planned to broaden pupils' curriculum experiences. These include visits to the theatre, sporting events and a nearby modern art museum.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, for example in history, the curriculum is going through a process of change. This work has not been completed. The concepts that the school wants pupils to learn remain too broad and the sequencing of learning is not precise enough. As a result, teachers interpret the curriculum differently and some key knowledge is not taught. The school needs to finish updating the curriculum so that it is well sequenced and the gaps in pupils' understanding are addressed.
• Pupils' understanding of different world faiths and viewpoints is underdeveloped. Pupils do not have a clear understanding of the religions that they have studied. The school should ensure that the approach to teaching this aspect of the curriculum is reviewed so that pupils remember what they have been taught and develop the skills and knowledge they need to play an active role in modern Britain.
• In the early years, the way in which adults promote new language is inconsistent. The school should ensure that the vocabulary they want children to know is clearly identified so that all children benefit from high-quality adult support as they learn new words in Nursery and Reception.

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