Dunster First School

Overview

Dunster First School continues to be a good school, offering a "calm, friendly and caring environment" where staff know pupils well. The school fosters a strong sense of community and belonging, with high expectations for behaviour and a focus on developing resilience and active citizenship.

Strengths

• Reading is a clear priority, supported by a "well-structured phonics programme" that helps pupils become "confident and fluent readers".
• Pupils feel safe, understanding how to resolve bullying and knowing there are adults to talk to if they have concerns.
• The curriculum enriches learning through community involvement, such as beach cleans and charity fundraising, helping pupils learn to be "active citizens".
• The school effectively identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring individual plans match specific needs.
• Pupils value leadership opportunities, including roles in the school council and eco-team, which work effectively to improve the school.

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure staff have sufficient subject expertise to teach the mathematics curriculum effectively, addressing variance in implementation and gaps in pupil understanding.
• The school needs to regularly check the effectiveness of the curriculum across all subjects and phases to gain an accurate view of pupil knowledge and inform staff training.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."