Ark Dickens Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ark Dickens Primary Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Laura Berry. This school is part of The Ark Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lucy Heller, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tina Alexandrou. There is also an executive headteacher, Anne Hibberd-Chapman, who is responsible for this school and one other.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this school.

The school is determined to help all pupils to 'be your be...st'. Strong, respectful relationships permeate throughout. Pupils are delightful to talk to.

They are polite, confident and articulate. Staff prioritise getting to know all pupils as individuals. They ensure that pupils feel welcome and valued.

Pupils appreciate this. They trust adults completely to help them with their learning and to provide pastoral support. Pupils love coming to school and feel very safe.

Pupils achieve well. They learn a broad range of knowledge and skills in all subjects. Right from the start of Nursery, children develop a wide vocabulary and understanding about how language works.

They also learn important social skills such as turn taking and how to resolve conflicts, which helps them to settle well into school life.

Preparing pupils for life beyond school is an absolute priority. By taking local walks and learning to ride bikes, pupils learn how to keep safe when out and about in their local, coastal community.

Furthermore, through a comprehensive swimming programme and visits to the beach, pupils develop a crucial understanding of water safety. In addition, trips to places of interest, such as to the zoo and historical locations, enhance pupils' learning further.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Aspirations are high at this school.

All staff work tirelessly to help pupils achieve their very best. The school is determined that every pupil will learn the knowledge and skills they need to be well prepared for their next steps. School and trust leaders ensure that staff receive the training they need to do their jobs well.

The school's curriculum enables pupils to learn important knowledge in a sensible order over time. For the very youngest children in early years, there is a clear emphasis on securing basic knowledge and skills. This gives them necessary foundations on which to build their subsequent learning.

The school makes sure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are carefully identified as early as possible. Carefully chosen strategies and resources enable pupils with SEND to access learning successfully.

Teachers have well-developed subject knowledge.

They use this knowledge expertly to present new information clearly to pupils. Generally, teachers use a range of effective strategies to check learning and to enable pupils to deepen their understanding and achieve well. For example, in mathematics, all pupils have regular opportunities to practise skills by applying previous learning in different ways.

Furthermore, in Nursery, staff make regular checks on what children know and can do. They skilfully identify gaps in children's understanding and address these through providing thoughtful activities for children's play. However, on occasion, teachers do not capitalise on opportunities to reinforce important knowledge.

When this happens, pupils do not remember their learning or deepen their understanding as well as they could. For example, sometimes in writing, pupils do not have sufficient, regular opportunities to reinforce basic punctuation and grammar skills so that they learn to use these automatically without thinking.

Pupils have very positive attitudes to reading.

The school makes sure that all pupils learn the phonics knowledge they need to read with confidence. Right from Reception, pupils throughout the school enjoy their visits to the local library. This encourages them to read a wide range of exciting and engaging literature.

Pupils who need additional help with reading receive regular, appropriate support. All pupils are encouraged to read aloud regularly. This helps to develop their fluency well.

Pupils behave well. The school has established strong routines. Staff and pupils follow these with high levels of consistency.

In lessons, pupils focus keenly and work hard. They show positive attitudes to learning, rising to staff's high expectations very well.

The school's provision for pupils' personal development is a significant strength.

Pupils develop positive character traits through learning about values such as kindness, respect and resilience. These values are interwoven throughout the curriculum and life of the school. Pupils learn how to be responsible citizens through caring for their local environment and by raising money to pay for end-of-year treats.

Furthermore, pupils are proud of the contribution they make to their school through taking on responsibilities such as 'class monitors', 'lunchtime monitors' and 'school councillors'. Pupils learn age-appropriate knowledge about healthy relationships and consent. In addition, they are encouraged to keep physically fit.

Pupils take part in daily exercise and often walk to locations within the city when taking part in off-site activities and visits. This has the added benefit of teaching pupils how to navigate key routes around their city.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, pupils do not practise and reinforce previously learned knowledge and skills as a matter of routine. When this happens, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils have sufficient opportunities to review and apply their understanding in all subjects so that they can remember their learning well.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2019.

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