Ofsted conducted a short inspection of Diptford Parochial Church of England Primary School on December 6, 2018, following a previous judgment of good in June 2013. The inspection confirmed that the school continues to maintain a good quality of education despite facing significant challenges, including a complete turnover of teaching staff since September 2016. This instability has impacted the school, particularly for older pupils, and has contributed to a decline in enrollment and standards in some areas. However, the leadership team, under the direction of the executive academy head, has taken decisive actions to improve the situation, including recruiting new teachers and enhancing parental confidence in the school.
Pupils express enjoyment in attending school and demonstrate respect for one another, contributing to a positive school community. They appreciate the recent improvements, particularly the higher expectations set for their performance. The school offers a variety of extracurricular activities, which pupils value highly. Safeguarding measures are effective, with staff well-trained and vigilant regarding potential risks to pupils. However, there are areas for improvement, particularly in ensuring that older pupils have a better understanding of the risks associated with extremist views and in maintaining rigorous pre-employment checks for staff.
The inspection focused on the provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The newly appointed SEND coordinator has made significant strides in accurately identifying pupils' needs and engaging specialists to support them. This has led to improved support for pupils with SEND, allowing them to make good progress. In mathematics, while key stage two pupils faced challenges in achieving expected standards, key stage one pupils showed rising standards, with most reaching expected levels. Leaders have recognized the need for improvement in mathematics and are introducing new resources to enhance teaching.
Writing standards have been a concern, with significant declines noted in 2017 and continued low performance in 2018. Although changes have been made to the writing curriculum, variability in teacher confidence remains an issue. In key stage one, pupils are beginning to demonstrate good writing skills, while in key stage two, progress is mixed, with some pupils excelling while others struggle with spelling and complexity in their writing.
Next steps for the school include ensuring that pupils, particularly in years five and six, make more rapid progress in writing, that support from leaders leads to tangible improvements across all year groups, and that pre-employment checks are conducted in a timely manner with accurate record-keeping. The inspection findings highlight the need for ongoing efforts to address these challenges while building on the strengths of the school community and the leadership team's commitment to improvement. The letter will be shared with relevant stakeholders, including the board of trustees and the regional schools commissioner, and will be published on the Ofsted website.
