Eastlea Primary School

Cramlington Eastlea Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 01–02 May 2012 Inspection number 380417 Unique Reference Number 122191 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 380417 Inspection dates 1–2 May 2012 Lead inspector Alison Thomson

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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 209 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Diane Oliver Headteacher Emma Beeston Date of previous school inspection 26 March 2009 School address Durham Road Cramlington NE23 3ST Telephone number 01670 732261 Fax number Not applicable Email address admin@eastlea.northumberland.sch.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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 assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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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

Alison Thomson Frank Cain Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspectors observed 10 teachers teaching 18 lessons, of which one was a joint observation with the headteacher. Meetings were held with school leaders, governors and pupils. The inspectors observed the school’s work, including analyses of the pupils’ work, and looked at a number of documents, including those relating to safeguarding, child protection, development planning and the monitoring of the quality of teaching. The inspectors also analysed 87 parental and carers’ questionnaires, 102 pupils’ questionnaires and 29 questionnaires completed by the staff.

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Information about the school

This school is average in size. A much larger than average proportion of pupils is known to be eligible for free school meals. Most pupils are White British and speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs, including those supported by school action plus and those who have a statement of special educational needs, is much larger than average. The school has many awards, including Healthy School status for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The school meets the current government floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics .

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Information about the school

Separate childcare provisions share the school site. These are not managed by the governing body and were not included in this inspection but reports of their quality can be found on the Ofsted website. 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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Key Findings

 Cramlington Eastlea is a good school. It is not yet outstanding because, although achievement has improved considerably since the previous inspection, the progress pupils make is not yet outstanding. All aspects of the school are good, including the effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Typical comments from parents and carers, such as, ‘Best school ever’, ‘A very friendly, caring school’, and, ‘I cannot praise the school enough', sum up their positive views of the school.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ achievement is good. From starting points that are generally below age-related expectations on entry to the Nursery, pupils make good progress and typically leave in Year 6 with attainment that is in line with national averages. This includes pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is good and some is outstanding. Teachers provide interesting learning experiences that enthuse pupils and allow them to practise their basic skills in literacy, numeracy and communication. However, the best practice in teaching is not shared well enough.

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Key Findings

 Pupils have positive attitudes to their work and behave well. They say that they feel very safe in school and are active in promoting safety for others. They describe their school as 'friendly and kind' and say that bullying rarely occurs. Attendance is average but improving. The school has not been successfull in persuading all parents and carers of the importance of regular attendance of their children.

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Key Findings

 Leadership and management are good and there is a very happy, purposeful climate for learning. Management of performance and leadership of teaching have been instrumental in the improved success of the school, although currently observations of teaching do not always have a clear enough focus on pupils’ learning. Both the curriculum and the promotion of the pupils’ spiritual, moral social and cultural development are good, although pupils’ understanding of the diversity of cultures in Britain today is less secure.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve achievement by: - sharing more effectively the best practice in teaching - always focusing clearly on pupils’ learning when judging the quality of teaching - persuading all parents and carers of the importance of regular attendance of their children - deepening pupils’ understanding of life experiences in the wider community that reflect the diversity of culture in Britain today.

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Achievement of pupils

Almost all parents and carers agree that their children make good progress and the findings from the inspection confirm this. Pupils enjoy learning and make good progress in lessons. They are usually very attentive and engage enthusiastically with their work. They particularly enjoy practical work and respond positively to challenging activities. For example, children in Reception delighted in finding treasure in the outside sandpit. They made good progress as they carefully worked out if the coins they found had real words printed on them. Year 6 pupils were seen making good progress in their understanding of rhetorical questions in a persuasive writing lesson.

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Achievement of pupils

An analysis of the school’s assessments shows that children enter the Nursery with generally below and sometimes well below expected skills, especially in aspects of communication, language and literary. Some children are dependent initially on adult support for basic needs. By the time children reach the end of Reception, although many have skills which are still below age-related expectations, most have made good progress, particularly so in linking letters to sounds. This is because of the support, encouragement and praise they receive and also a strong focus on teaching in that area. This good progress continues throughout the school and attainment gaps between girls and boys and between pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and their peers are narrowing rapidly. Attainment in reading by the end of Key Stage 1 is just below average and by the time pupils leave school, it is securely average. Attainment overall in English and mathematics at the end of

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Achievement of pupils

Year 6 is in line with national expectations.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils make good progress and achieve well because leaders and managers have been successful in ensuring that the curriculum is interesting and matched well to the needs and interests of the pupils. Initiatives, such as the Olympic Reading Challenge have really captured their interests and improved progress in reading. The inspectors observed achievements in reading celebrated during an assembly. The pupils were extremely proud to have their pictures attached to the podium and many are eagerly working to convert their silver awards into gold ones. During the inspection there were many instances of pupils successfully applying their good skills in literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT). Year 3 pupils were seen writing instructions for drivers to reach the railway station by carefully interpreting virtual maps. Pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs also make good progress. This is because the

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Achievement of pupils

school identifies their needs early and accurately, and provides effective support, both in the classroom, in small groups and individually. A small group of pupils in Year 2 with special educational needs were seen making outstanding progress in doubling and halving numbers, through carefully designed shopping activities.

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Quality of teaching

The quality of teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. The parents and carers’ questionnaire show that they strongly agree teaching is good. Similarly, the pupils say that teaching is good and that the school helps them to do as well as they can. Teachers know the learning and emotional needs of their pupils very well and they plan their lessons accordingly to match these. For example, the relative underachievement of girls has been redressed through projects such as the Year 6 World Project that involved them making food from different parts of the world. This has also helped to strengthen their understanding of different cultures. Pupils are given many opportunities for reflection. For example, Year 4 pupils were observed during a religious education lesson reflecting on positive qualities of their classmates and differences between people. Specialist teaching, such as that in French and music, enhances pupils’ experience at school. Excellent teaching

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Quality of teaching

was observed in a Year 5 music lesson where all pupils advanced well, thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to play the Northumbrian fiddle.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers mark the pupils’ work thoroughly, particularly so in English. As well as correcting mistakes and giving praise, there are many comments to help pupils know how they can improve their work, through the regular use of ‘next steps in your learning’. There are also some examples of the pupils responding to their teachers’ comments, although this feature is not consistent in all classes. In the best lessons teachers involve pupils in helping to assess their own learning. This was exemplified well in a Year 1 literacy lesson on writing about pirates where pupils filled in a very clear checklist as they worked. They were then encouraged to assess for themselves how well they had learned. Many did this well. However, best practice such as this is not present in all lessons and is not shared well enough, meaning learning and progress are not as high quality as they could be. Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils who are disabled and for those who have special

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Quality of teaching

educational needs enabling them to make good progress.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school is an orderly, caring and safe environment. Pupils behave well, are very courteous and polite and enjoy school very much. This was very evident throughout the inspection and was supported by the parents’ and carers’ questionnaire. Good behaviour was seen in almost every lesson during the inspection. Pupils are confident to talk about their experiences of school and enjoyed sharing their views with the inspectors. They particularly appreciate the awards, not only for good work but also for good behaviour, and say that this encourages them to behave well and work hard. Around school and at play pupils are considerate of each other. The role of Sports Leader, where older pupils lead play for younger ones, is much coveted. Pupils show a good knowledge of how to stay safe. They say that bullying is rare and that if anyone is being unkind, adults intervene quickly and effectively. Pupils have a good understanding of different risks, such as internet safety and

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

have actively promoted this by designing posters warning of potential dangers and how they can be overcome. The school council, known as Brainwaves, promotes the views of other pupils well and has been responsible for gathering pupils’ views on behaviour to improve it even further. The school records any incidents of misbehaviour carefully and these confirm that day-to-day behaviour is typically of the good quality seen during the inspection. Parents and carers, as well as pupils, told us of the positive impact of ‘Golden Days’ on behaviour. Attendance has improved and is average. Currently, the school does not promote well enough the importance of regular attendance to all parents and carers.

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Leadership and management

The determined leadership of the headteacher has been instrumental in bringing about improvements since the previous inspection. Accurate and thorough self-evaluation has highlighted the correct priorities to move the school forward. Rigorous monitoring of individual pupil progress ensures that any relative underachievement is identified early and addressed swiftly. As a result, gaps between the performance of different groups are closing fast and the equality of opportunity is good. Racism and any poor behaviour are not tolerated. Subject coordinators are supported well and are effective in their roles. The staff work very well as a cohesive team. It is very clear that they want the best for the pupils. One parent commented, ‘The children’s needs always come first, academically, emotionally socially’. The staff questionnaires showed that the all members of staff are very positive about all aspects of the school. One remarked, ‘This is a very rewarding school to work at’.

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Leadership and management

Governance is good. Members of the governing body challenge the school well and are very much involved in moving it forward. They not only monitor and evaluate the performance of the school well, but increasingly their own performance. Safeguarding meets current statutory requirements with pupils themselves involved in some risk assessments.

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Leadership and management

The school engages with the parents and carers well. The questionnaires showed that they are positive about all aspects of the school, including the extent to which the school helps them to support their children’s learning. Since the previous inspection, in response to very effective professional development and performance management, there have been many improvements, including progress in all areas, behaviour and attendance. Teaching has also improved, although its quality is not judged well enough in relation to the learning that is taking place, nor best practice shared well enough. The curriculum is good, as is the promotion of the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school works hard to widen pupils’ life experiences, for example with residential visits that build their confidence and visits to the theatre that enhance their appreciation of the arts. The school recognises that such visits should be further developed to include experiences that deepen

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Leadership and management

pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity. The positive experiences of the pupils at school and the many improvements that have occurred indicate that the capacity for future improvement is good.

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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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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school 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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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school's efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils' punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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

Floor standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils' freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Cramlington Eastlea Primary School, Cramlington, NE23 3ST

Thank you for being so polite, welcoming and friendly when the inspectors visited your school recently. We very much enjoyed our visit. Thank you for telling us about your work and all the other things that you do at school. Your views are very important and we have taken them into account when making our judgements.

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Inspection of Cramlington Eastlea Primary School, Cramlington, NE23 3ST

Yours is a good school. We were pleased by your good behaviour and attitudes to work, which help you to make good progress in your learning. You told us that bullying is rare, that you feel very safe and that it is a friendly school. Teaching is good and you told us that your teachers make your learning fun because there are a lot of exciting things, such as the Olympic Reading Challenge. Your school is well led by your headteacher and the governing body and all staff do a great job in looking after you.

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Inspection of Cramlington Eastlea Primary School, Cramlington, NE23 3ST

Your headteacher and staff know how well the school is doing and how to improve it even more in the future. We have asked your teachers to help you achieve even more highly by sharing better the many positive features that we saw in lessons. We would like when adults observe your lessons to look more closely at how well you are learning. Your attendance has improved and is in line with other schools. However, we would like it to be even higher and the school to impress upon all your parents and carers the importance of you attending regularly. Although the school gives you lots of interesting visits and visitors, we would like you to have more experience of the different cultures that exist in the different parts of Britain.

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Inspection of Cramlington Eastlea Primary School, Cramlington, NE23 3ST

You can help by all coming to school regularly, continuing to behave well and keep being interested in all the exciting things that the school has to offer.

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Inspection of Cramlington Eastlea Primary School, Cramlington, NE23 3ST

Alison Thomson 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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