Dundry Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 December 2022

'A beacon of hope where everyone is joyful' is how one pupil describes this school. Others agree. Pupils enjoy being part of a community. They like how staff take the time to get to know them and nurture their interests. During the day, it is common to see pupils of all ages play and learn together. From den building to ball games, or time in the reading nook, pupils all become involved and are included. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Over the last few years, they have improved the curriculum, notably in reading. This has inspired pupils to read widely and be curious about the world around them. Pupils relish the important roles they have in the school, for example as young ambassadors. A highlight for many is the weekly celebration assembly. Here, older pupils award certificates to younger pupils displaying the school's values, such as resilience or kindness. Pupils show high levels of respect towards each other and staff. They are polite and well mannered. In lessons and around the school, pupils rarely need reminding about how to behave. Bullying is not a problem. Staff are quick to sort out any minor issues that arise. This helps pupils feel safe.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, changes to the curriculum are recent. In these, pupils do not gain such deep knowledge as they do in others. Their recall of prior learning is sometimes patchy. Leaders need to ensure that pupils have the same detailed depth of knowledge in all subjects.
• Leaders' systems for checking pupils' understanding in subjects in the wider curriculum are new and not fully established. As a result, some subject leaders do not know how well pupils are learning. Leaders should ensure that implementation of the new system is effective. This will enable subject leaders to check what pupils know and understand in all areas of the curriculum.

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