Dunn Street Primary School

Dunn Street Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 11–12 October 2011 Inspection number 377801 Unique Reference Number 108695 Local authority South Tyneside Inspection number 377801 Inspection dates 11–12 October 2011 Reporting inspector Gordon Potter

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 117 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jackie Gilmore Headteacher Stewart Reader Date of previous school inspection 22 April 2009 School address Minster Parade Jarrow NE32 3QH Telephone number 0191 483 6619 Fax number 0191 483 9463 Email address info@dunnstreet.s-tyneside.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children's services, and inspects services for looked after

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children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. The inspectors observed 12 lessons taught by six teachers, conducted visits to lessons with the headteacher and held meetings with members of the governing body, representatives from the local authority, staff, parents and carers, and groups of pupils. They observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of school policies and documentation relating to safeguarding and strategic planning, examples of pupils’ work, assessment data and monitoring records. They also scrutinised the 74 questionnaires returned by parents and carers as well as questionnaires from pupils and staff.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

■ Whether a stimulating curriculum and good teaching across school enable all groups of pupils to make good progress. ■ The degree to which recent strategies to increase progress and to raise attainment are having an impact. ■ The degree to which the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage is effective.

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Information about the school

This school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is average. The school has achieved the Activemark and Healthy School status. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

This is a good school. Outcomes for pupils are outstanding. Pupils’ behave exceptionally well and their awareness of being healthy and fit is outstanding, as is their contribution to the school and wider community. All staff provide exceptionally sensitive care, guidance and support which ensure that pupils’ well-being and personal development are promoted extremely well, and that pupils are happy and feel extremely safe. Pupils have an exceptionally strong sense of how to help others, a mature understanding of other faiths and cultures and a highly developed awareness of life in other countries. This, together with the school’s development of pupils’ interest in the historical richness of the local area, enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness, which is outstanding. Attendance is average. Despite the school’s efforts to improve attendance, a few pupils do not attend regularly enough.

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Main findings

Well-judged initiatives, which have reversed a decline in attainment, ensure that overall good teaching engages pupils and helps them to make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make excellent progress because of the extremely skilful support and teaching they receive. The curriculum provides a range of memorable experiences and has a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ basic skills in English and mathematics. Pupils often work together, solve problems and apply their skills in open-ended and investigative activities. However, these activities occasionally lack challenge, as information about pupils’ abilities is not used well enough to ensure that work consistently matches the needs of all pupils. In addition, such information is not used well enough to ensure that pupils have targets to help them make step-by-step improvements in their learning. Progress is occasionally slower for pupils in Years 1 and 2 as opportunities are missed for them

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Main findings

to be exposed further to the early learning goals and the range of learning experiences which served them well in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Main findings

The school has outstanding arrangements to engage with parents and carers, and, accordingly, parents and carers are highly supportive of the school. Excellent partnerships with outside agencies encourage creative, enterprise and teamwork skills and there are highly effective links with other agencies to support pupils with a range of complex needs. The school's accurate self-evaluation and its success in raising attainment demonstrate its good capacity to improve. It provides outstanding value for money.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ By the summer of 2012, further increase the rates at which pupils make progress, particularly in Key Stage 1, and raise pupils’ attainment to higher levels, by:  ensuring that data are well used so that teachers have accurate information about how well pupils are progressing and use that knowledge to plan work that is well matched to the needs of individual pupils  ensuring that pupils have clear targets that are specific to themselves and help them improve the level of their work, step-by-step  ensuring that, where appropriate, pupils in Years 1 and 2 have continued exposure to the early learning goals and the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Improve attendance by working closely with families to help them ensure their children come to school regularly.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

The extent to which pupils achieve and enjoy their work is good. Pupils have excellent attitudes, are extremely courteous, form very positive relationships and show great keenness to do well in their work. They especially enjoy challenging and lively activities, such as projects linked to visits to museums, to explore life in different countries; they also enjoy experiments into chemical reactions or developing their writing skills, linked to their reading of ‘Macbeth’. Pupils achieve well in art, gymnastics, music, sport and humanities.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Although cohorts vary in this small school, the skills and abilities with which children join the Early Years Foundation Stage are typically below and often well below expectations overall. Pupils make good progress to attain standards which are broadly average at the end of Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well cared for and supported in their learning and they make outstanding progress because their work provides appropriate challenge and interest and they are taught extremely effectively.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils are exceptionally aware of the importance of a healthy diet and of taking plenty of exercise. This is reflected in their very enthusiastic involvement in physical education and the fact that all pupils enjoy a healthy school meal. They care for one another remarkably well, have great respect for each other and for the adults in the school, and say they feel extremely safe. Pupils are confident that they know exactly what to do in the event of a concern.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils make a highly positive contribution to the school community through what the school call family groups, which discuss and enact improvements in school, such as the purchasing of playground equipment or raising funds to help others. These groups meet regularly and play a major role in helping pupils to behave exceptionally well and feel extremely safe. Pupils willingly take on roles as playground and lunchtime helpers. They support a wide range of charities and participate in competitions with other local schools, in activities in the town which celebrate local history and with the local churches and older residents. Average attendance rates, good punctuality, involvement in enterprise activities, allied to good skills in team work and in information and communication technology, ensure that the development of pupils’ workplace skills is good.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils' attainment 1 3 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2 The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress The extent to which pupils feel safe 1 Pupils' behaviour 1 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 1 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils' attendance 1 3 The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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How effective is the provision?

Teachers make learning fun, and make it clear to pupils what they will learn and how they will know if they have succeeded. They employ interactive whiteboard technology well to engage and involve pupils. They plan effective opportunities for pupils to learn through practical activities, including experiments, games and using role play. Teachers use questions well to ascertain what pupils already know and check that they have made progress. There are very strong relationships and teachers and teaching assistants interact extremely well with pupils to support them in their learning. Occasionally, the pace of learning drops because introductory activities go on too long, teachers offer too much information, and pupils are prevented from getting on with tasks or exploring together. Marking is used well to tell pupils how well they have achieved and how to improve their work. However, opportunities are missed to set targets for improvement which will help pupils know

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How effective is the provision?

clearly how to achieve the next level in their work.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum contributes to pupils’ good progress by offering a range of stimulating activities, which increasingly help them to develop and apply important skills, including working as a team and enterprise. For example, work on themes such as the Second World War, the Egyptians, or life in Australia and Africa, successfully develops imagination, creativity and research skills. Occasionally, work is not well matched to the abilities of individual pupils and does not offer sufficient challenge. Planning does not provide for those pupils in Years 1 and 2 who would benefit from opportunities to re-visit aspects of their earlier learning and acquiring skills and

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low knowledge through play. There are effective procedures to encourage pupils’ enthusiasm for reading and there has been an increase in opportunities for pupils to write at length. Well-planned enrichment activities, including visits to residential centres and to museums, and visits to school from religious groups, artists, writers, gymnasts and cheerleading coaches, help to develop pupils’ skills in sport and art and their understanding of environmental issues and other faiths and cultures. There are many popular extra-curricular clubs.

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How effective is the provision?

The extremely effective work of all staff ensures that pupils’ individual needs are recognised and that extremely effective strategies are put in place to help those pupils who have a range of complex learning, social, emotional and behavioural needs, and their families. The school can show that support for children whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable has made a strong contribution to their well-being and progress. The school has striven to improve attendance and has significantly decreased the number of pupils who are persistently absent. Well- established and highly effective practices involve parents and carers when their children enter school, move from class to class and transfer to secondary school.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning 2 The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1

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How effective are leadership and management?

The highly experienced and well-respected headteacher is strongly committed to driving improvement. He has established and developed an enthusiastic leadership team, which has skilfully introduced initiatives that have brought about an improvement in school effectiveness. They have rigorously pursued and implemented strategies that have reversed a decline in attainment and improved the rate at which pupils make progress. All staff have clearly-defined roles and responsibilities and are enthusiastic about their contribution to the development of key areas of the curriculum. They welcome these opportunities to contribute to decision-making and to the very detailed school improvement plan, and appreciate opportunities to advance their own professional development. While the school obtains much information about pupils’ progress and attainment, this information is not refined enough to ensure that teachers use it to respond to pupils’ individual learning needs

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How effective are leadership and management?

or to offer pupils clear targets for improvement. The governing body offers good support and challenge to the school and has developed effective procedures to monitor learning.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school's arrangements for safeguarding pupils are good: all aspects meet government requirements and are rigorously monitored and reviewed to ensure pupils' safety. Arrangements to ensure that child protection issues are acted upon rapidly and sensitively are excellent. The school has introduced a range of highly effective initiatives to involve parents and carers in their children’s learning and regular information about their children’s progress. It also has exceptionally effective links with outside agencies to support the pupils’ wide ranging needs and to develop learning opportunities. For example, a Family Learning project with Sunderland Football Club enables parents and carers to help their children learn at home and encourages pupils' better attendance at school. There is a clear commitment to promoting equal opportunities and to ensuring that discrimination against any group is avoided at all times. The school is proud of its inclusive nature and makes an

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How effective are leadership and management?

outstanding contribution to community cohesion. The sense of community in the school is exceptionally strong and there are excellent links with the local community. Pupils have a highly developed understanding of the United Kingdom as a diverse, multicultural society and of life in other countries.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for the leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning 2 The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively a nd statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school's engagement with parents and carers 1 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 1 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 1 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Effective and enjoyable interventions, by all adults, are skilfully directed to develop skills in singing, counting, speaking and listening and linking sounds and letters, so that children make good progress from their starting points. Children particularly enjoy creative activities, construction, using information and communication technology and role play. There is a clear commitment to outdoor learning and children enjoy exercising on their climbing frame and exploring together.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children develop independence and a good understanding of how to stay healthy, through accessing healthy snacks and drinks. The staff ensure that requirements regarding children’s safety are rigorously met. They encourage children to share, to take turns and to behave well. The Early Years Foundation Stage leader has a clear understanding of how children learn and is developing a new team relationship with the Reception class teacher so that work is well planned and increasingly based on observations of children’s learning. However, it is not always clear how activities are specifically linked to learning goals in the Reception class. While information about children’s skills and abilities offers a clear picture of attainment on entry, it is less well used to measure ongoing and overall progress. Extremely positive partnerships with parents and carers enable children to settle quickly into the Early Years

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Foundation Stage classes. The learning journals, in particular, help parents and carers to understand how well their children are progressing. These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation stage Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2 The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Approximately two thirds of parents and carers responded to the questionnaire, which is much more than typical nationally. The respondents strongly support the school and its leaders and how they meet their child’s needs, ensuring their child enjoys school, is healthy and safe. The inspection findings reflect these very positive views.

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questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Dunn Street Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspector received 74 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 117 pupils registered at the school.

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questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 53 72 1 24 1 1 1 1 The school keeps my child safe 49 66 24 32 0 0 1 1 The school informs me about my child's progress 40 54 31 42 1 1 2 3 My child is making enough progress at this school 43 58 28 38 2 3 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 47 64 26 35 0 0 1 1 The school helps me to support my child's learning 41 55 30 41 0 0 2 3 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 46 62 25 34 0 0 2 3 The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 36 49 35 47 0 0 0 0

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questionnaire

The school meets my child's particular needs 41 55 30 41 1 1 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 38 51 33 45 2 3 0 0

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questionnaire

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 36 49 31 42 2 3 1 1

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questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 47 64 21 28 3 4 2 3 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 51 69 21 28 1 1 1 1

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questionnaire

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9 Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5 All schools 10 44 39 6

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above is for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.

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Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Inspection of Dunn Street Primary School, Jarrow, NE32 3QH

On behalf of the inspection team, thank you for making us so welcome when we inspected your school.

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Inspection of Dunn Street Primary School, Jarrow, NE32 3QH

You go to a good school and your teachers know how to make it even better. We were very impressed by your exceptional behaviour and politeness and the excellent care and respect you have for one another. We also admired your outstanding understanding of how to stay healthy and your knowledge about life in other countries. Your teachers take outstanding care of you. You told us that you look forward to coming to school because you like your teachers and appreciate the activities the school provides for you, such as visits and clubs. Your parents and carers like the school very much. Your teachers have agreed with me that they should do the following things to help your school to improve even more:

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Inspection of Dunn Street Primary School, Jarrow, NE32 3QH

■ help you reach higher standards at the end of Year 6, by making sure that all the information that teachers have about how well you are doing is used to plan work that is at the right level of challenge for all of you ■ make sure that you have clear targets to help you to improve your work ■ give pupils in Years 1 and 2 more opportunities to learn through playing together ■ work with your parents and carers to make sure that some of you attend school more regularly.

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Inspection of Dunn Street Primary School, Jarrow, NE32 3QH

You can help by continuing to do your best and attending regularly. We wish you every success in the future.

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Inspection of Dunn Street Primary School, Jarrow, NE32 3QH

Gordon Potter Lead Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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