Dundonald Primary School

Overview

The report describes a school where “pupils are happy and safe” and “achieve well overall” within a community centred on rights and responsibilities. Leaders have created an “ambitious curriculum” that fosters high expectations, resulting in pupils who behave well and respect diversity. The inspection highlights strong personal development and effective teaching, though it notes specific areas for refinement in curriculum sequencing and reading support.

Strengths

• Leaders have skilfully created an “ambitious curriculum” with the school’s ‘seven Cs’ embedded to ensure all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.
• Personal development is rated “Outstanding,” with pupils taught about “healthy relationships, consent and privacy” and given plentiful opportunities to become active citizens.
• Teachers explain new learning effectively and use checks on understanding to ensure pupils learn what is intended, leading to successful knowledge building over time.
• Reading is a “top priority” with a consistent approach to phonics; staff are skilled at supporting pupils to decode unfamiliar words and develop fluency.
• Staff workload is manageable, and leaders are “supportive and mindful of their well-being,” contributing to a positive staff environment.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should refine curriculum thinking to clearly define how learning in Year 1 builds progressively on early years foundations, as this link is not yet fully considered in some subjects.
• Leaders should provide further guidance on the catch-up programme for reading to ensure support is “sharply targeted” and helps pupils build fluency quickly, as current support is not always precisely adapted to individual needs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with staff well trained to spot signs of risk and follow internal procedures, while leaders work closely with external agencies and families to ensure pupils’ safety.