Dimple Well Infant School and Nursery

Overview

Dimple Well Infant School and Nursery is described as a "nurturing and friendly school" where pupils are happy and demonstrate "positive attitudes to their learning." The report highlights a "tangible ethos of high aspiration, respect and success," supported by leaders who are determined that all pupils will reach their full potential.

Strengths

• The curriculum is "interesting, ambitious and well-sequenced," helping pupils build detailed knowledge in a wide range of subjects.
• Children in the early years get off to an "impressive start," with a curriculum that "precisely identifies the important knowledge that children will learn."
• Leaders "prioritise reading," delivering a phonics programme with confidence so pupils read with "increasing fluency."
• Staff meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively, ensuring they learn the "full curriculum."
• Relationships between staff and pupils are "warm and respectful," with low-level disruption being rare.

Areas to improve

• Teachers do not always use ongoing assessment effectively, meaning pupils "do not always achieve as well as they should." Leaders must ensure staff use assessment to identify precisely what pupils know and adapt the curriculum accordingly.
• Leaders recognise that aspects of personal development would benefit from "discrete teaching in defined personal, social, health and economic education sessions."

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders ensuring staff have relevant training and systems for reporting concerns working well with external agencies.