Welcome to Dorchester Primary School

We hope that our website gives you a glimpse of life at our school.

I am very lucky to be Headteacher here, working alongside wonderful children and hardworking, committed staff. Our aim is simple: we want to enable our children to flourish, to be successful, to develop life skills and to leave us, ready for the next stage of their education.

Dorchester is part of Hull Collaborative Academy Trust (HCAT), one of the largest and most successful academy trusts in Hull and the East Riding. It is made up of fifteen primary schools and one secondary school and our collaboration ensures that we are able to offer our children a high standard of education and wide-ranging experiences.

We are a fully inclusive school and have a strong reputation in the local area in catering for pupils with a range of additional needs. Our internal ‘Hive’ provides a more bespoke learning experience for children who find whole-class learning difficult. Our excellent team of support assistants help children to be successful and overcome any difficulties they may have.

As a restorative school, we encourage our children to make the right choices and be reflective when things go wrong. Our staff know our children well and can offer the right support at the right time. We value the strong relationships we have with our families and have an ‘open door’ policy so that parents/carers can resolve any issues.

We hope that you are able to find the information you need on our website but if there is any further information you need, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to help.

We look forward to continuing our work together to give the very best for our children.

  • Mr Stuart Mills
    Head Teacher

“Leaders have established ‘hive’ provision for pupils who need it. These well-resourced, intimate settings provide the intense support that a significant minority of pupils need.”

Ofsted

“Pupils are clear about the school rules.”

Ofsted

“In subjects such as history, teachers use assessment skilfully to find out what pupils know before they start to teach a new unit of work.”

Ofsted

“Knowledgeable and highly trained leaders ensure that pupils get the support they need to achieve.”

Ofsted

“Leaders ensure that opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical understanding are provided in the activities pupils
complete.”

Ofsted

“The mathematics curriculum is clearly sequenced. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to continually revisit and review previous learning.”

Ofsted

“Pupils now use mathematical vocabulary with accuracy.”

Ofsted

“Strong, cross-curricular links with subjects, such as science, give pupils the opportunity to apply their skills and
knowledge when making products.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have rightly reorganised their curriculum to make up for learning that has been
lost during the COVID-19”

Ofsted

“The help that leaders provide for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the school.”

Ofsted

“Leaders provide ‘chatterpacks’ to parents so that they have the age-appropriate resources they need to support their child’s
reading.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have ensured that pupils have plenty of opportunities
to design, make and evaluate projects using different materials.”

Ofsted

“Pupils feel that they are being listened to and that their views help leaders to improve the school.”

Ofsted

“In other curriculum
areas, such as design technology (DT), the curriculum is improving rapidly.”

Ofsted

“In the short term, leaders have placed a greater focus on subjects such as
English and mathematics.”

Ofsted

“One pupil told inspectors that ‘teachers are really caring, we know if we ask for help, we will get it’.”

Ofsted

“School council representatives attend School Stakeholder Group (SSG) meetings to share their views.”

Ofsted

“In the early years, mathematics is a high priority. Daily ‘carpet time’ is used to teach children
mathematical concepts”

Ofsted

“Leaders use assessment well to ensure that the books pupils read match the sounds they already know.”

Ofsted

“Leaders ensure there is a focus on developing pupils’ mathematical vocabulary.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that sets out clearly what pupils should
learn and when.”

Ofsted

“Pupils spoke with enthusiasm about the school garden they are developing and of their plans for the fruit and vegetables they will grow.”

Ofsted

“Leaders’ subject monitoring has led to a consistent and successful approach to the teaching of phonics across the early years and key stage 1.”

Ofsted

“Teachers provide lots of opportunities for pupils to rehearse and say the sounds they are learning aloud, which helps them to remember them.”

Ofsted

“Children are
taught to read as soon as they start in the early years.”

Ofsted

“As soon as children start school, leaders check their speech and language needs so that extra help can be provided, where it is required.”

Ofsted

“Democratically elected roles, such as house captains and school councillors, enable pupils to contribute purposefully to school life.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have continued to prioritise the teaching of phonics and reading.”

Ofsted