Dewsbury primary school told it requires improvement in latest Ofsted report

The school was rated good in three of the five categories it was inspected on - behaviour and attitudes, personal development and early years provision - but was told it requires improvement in leadership and management and in overall effectiveness.

The report says it is a caring, happy and inclusive place, that pupils enjoy attending, behave well, feel safe and that adults are kind and listen to them.

It says the school's attempts to improve the curriculum have had a positive impact in most core subjects and that pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.

But the report says that some of the foundation subjects need further consideration to ensure that the planned learning supports pupils to build their knowledge over time.

Pupils are polite and inquisitive, the report says, and they understand the rules and follow them carefully.

Pupils with SEND are extremely well supported, the report says. However, in some lessons, learning is not as well adapted for pupils with SEND.

Children in the early years enjoy the positive, happy environment the school has created, both inside and outside the classrooms

The report says there is insufficient monitoring of how school improvement targets are being addressed, which means that some staff do not receive the training theyneed to implement the new curriculum effectively and some struggle to maintain amanageable workload.

However, a recent governor review has been commissioned.

The school has 224 pupils and was rated good at its last inspection.

In a statement, Amanda Pickup, the school's headteacher, said: "As you can imagine we are very disappointed with this overall judgement, especially as there is so much in the Ofsted report to commend us as a school.

"There is much to celebrate in the report and we are pleased that the inspectors saw many strengths in the school.

"We are determined to see this as an opportunity for change and improvement for our school, and value your support whilst we put this in place.

"We are well aware of what our next steps are and how we can continue to work together to move forward positively and effectively.

"The senior leadership team alongside the governing body and staff team have already begun making plans to ensure that the recommendations from Ofsted are acted upon quickly and effectively.

"We have also asked for financial support from our local authority to help us move forward in our endeavors due to financial constraints with the school budget.

"As always, we will be looking for opportunities for self-improvement and recognise that we can take further actions to re-establish ourselves as the good school that is at the heart of our community and all who work here.

"I also wanted to personally thank everyone who completed Ofsted’s Parent View survey. This is such important feedback and told the inspectors how proud you are of our school.

"I was especially honored to read that 100 per cent of parents who completed the questionnaire would recommend this school to another parent.

"This is the best kind of validation a school can have.

"Thank you once again for all the support you continue to give the school. I remain incredibly proud to lead this school and am committed to build on our strengths and address the areas we need to improve.

"A visit from Ofsted is a two-day snapshot of what we do and cannot possibly capture all of the excellent work that happens here.

"We know our school and what we do well.

"I would also like to add that during the course of the inspection I had the opportunity to take the lead inspector on a tour of the school and have several conversations with her about our school and the community that we serve.

"She was particularly impressed with the quality of the school environment and our extensive grounds.

"This is due to the care, love and pride all of our staff have in this school and the work that they do each and every day.

"I am proud to serve this community and lead such an excellent team of dedicated, caring and knowledgeable staff who strive to work together valuing and nurturing children to make our school “a happy place” for all who attend.

"If you have any questions about this report specifically, please contact me on [email protected] and I will read and respond to your comments personally."