Bentley New Village Primary School, located in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, underwent an inspection on October 8 and 9, 2024. The inspection revealed that the quality of education at the school requires improvement, while behaviour and attitudes, as well as personal development, were rated as good. Leadership and management, along with early years provision, were also found to require improvement. This marks a decline from the previous inspection in May 2019, where the school was rated as good.
The school environment is described as safe, fostering positive relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils express enjoyment in attending school and trust the adults to support them. However, the school's ambitions for pupil achievement are not reflected in actual outcomes, with some pupils not achieving as well as they should. The school provides necessary support for pupils with behavioural challenges, helping them manage their emotions and adhere to classroom routines. Nevertheless, the early years curriculum does not adequately prepare some children for the transition to key stage one.
Pupils benefit from a variety of experiences beyond the classroom, including opportunities to engage with charitable causes, which helps them develop a strong moral compass and awareness of societal issues. Despite these positive aspects, the school's educational ambitions are not fully realized in the quality of education provided. Recent efforts to clarify the curriculum have been made, but there are still gaps in the detailed knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn, particularly in the early years.
The school has effective systems for identifying pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, but there is a lack of clarity regarding the specific gaps in knowledge that some pupils have. This is particularly evident in the early years, where some children leave Reception not as well prepared as they should be. The phonics curriculum is well-structured, and there have been efforts to improve pupils' attitudes towards reading. However, the delivery of this curriculum is inconsistent, leading to some pupils not becoming fluent readers as quickly as expected.
Pupils generally behave well in lessons, demonstrating enthusiasm and understanding of school rules. The school has implemented systems to promote attendance, which have shown positive results, with a reduction in persistent absenteeism. The personal development curriculum is well-designed, covering essential topics such as online safety and healthy relationships. Pupils also have opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, which are accessible to all, including those with special educational needs.
The school is attentive to staff workload and well-being, engaging with staff to understand their views on these matters. Governors are aware of their responsibilities and have challenged school leaders on attendance strategies, leading to improvements. However, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the effectiveness of actions taken to improve pupil outcomes.
The safeguarding arrangements at the school are effective, ensuring that pupils are protected and supported. To improve, the school needs to ensure consistent delivery of the phonics curriculum and address the gaps in the early years curriculum. Additionally, it should clearly identify the essential knowledge to be taught in foundation subjects and utilize assessment effectively to understand and address gaps in pupil knowledge. Finally, leaders at all levels must evaluate the impact of their actions on pupil achievement to ensure that all students reach their full potential.
