Caedmon Community Primary School

Caedmon Community Primary School Whitehall Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE8 4LH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This is a good school. Select

 Leadership and management are highly effective which is demonstrated by the rapid improvement since the last inspection. Great care is taken to carefully check the quality of teaching and the progress pupils make. School leaders use this information to identify exactly what needs to be done to improve the school further. Procedures to check and improve the quality of teaching are very effective. As a result, pupils’ achievement is rising.  Since the last inspection effective training has raised the quality of teaching to be good with some that is outstanding.  Good teaching and a good curriculum hold pupils’ interest which means they are motivated to learn well.  Pupils make good progress in English and mathematics.  Attainment in English and mathematics has improved significantly to match national standards.  Focused improvements to the teaching of reading have been very successful and pupils’ standards in reading by the end of Year 6 are

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This is a good school. Select

higher than those nationally.  Pupils enjoy school and take great pride in it. They have excellent relationships with their teachers and with each other. As a result their behaviour is outstanding and this has a positive impact upon their learning and the progress they make.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding to enable pupils, especially more-able pupils, to make consistently rapid progress.  There are too few opportunities for pupils to practise their new skills in reading, writing and mathematics in activities which are both practical and investigative.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons, of which two were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, the inspection team made a number of other short visits to lessons, to small support groups and listened to reading.  Discussions were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body, staff, parents and a representative from the local authority.  Inspection took account of the five responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) that were submitted during the course of the inspection be taken into consideration when planning the inspection. Also taken into consideration were the views from the school’s most recent parental questionnaire and discussions with members of the Parents’ Forum.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and took into account the work in pupils’ books, the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Kate Pringle, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Derek Sleightholme Additional Inspector Shirley Fall Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 In this average-sized primary school the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupils’ premium is considerably higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils on roll from minority ethnic groups is lower than average but the proportion who speaks English as an additional language is higher than national levels with 16 different languages spoken as pupils’ first language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average. Their needs mainly relate to speech, language and communication difficulties.  The proportion supported at schools action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below the national average.  The number of pupils joining or leaving the school at times other than the usual times is higher than average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this school

 A breakfast club is provided by the school.  The school holds the award for Eco-Schools. It also holds the Inclusion Mark and Healthy Schools status.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching in order to improve pupils’ achievement further by:  increasing the challenge for more-able pupils to achieve at higher levels  providing more opportunities for pupils to practise and improve their skills in reading, writing and mathematics through practical and investigative work, including activities in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Overall, pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points is good.  Most children enter nursery with skills well below those which are typical for their age. This is especially so for skills in reading, writing and counting which are particularly low.  In their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage, children make good progress in all areas of learning. Despite this, they enter Year 1 with skills which are below average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1. There has been good improvement since the last inspection and standards are currently in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.  School leaders rigorously check and address the quality of pupil progress. This means that pupils who fall behind are identified early and teachers help them to catch up to the level of others in their group. The level of progress across the school is consistent across different year groups

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The achievement of pupils is good

and this means that overall progress is increasing.  Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 2. The improvement in Key Stage 1 is moving through the school but not yet impacting fully on Year 6 results. By the time they leave Year 6, standards are in line with national levels in writing and mathematics. Changes to the teaching of reading have vastly improved pupils’ progress across the school and their achievement in this aspect of learning is outstanding.  Whilst the progress of more-able pupils is good overall there are missed opportunities to challenge these pupils. As a result of this not as many pupils as possible achieve at the higher levels by the end of both key stages.  Pupils who are disabled and those with special educational needs achieve as well as others from their starting points. Teachers quickly identify where problems lie and give appropriate tasks to support their individual needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium has been used very successfully. These pupils make outstanding progress and by the end of Year 6 their standards are broadly in line with those of other pupils of their age.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching quality has improved greatly since the last inspection. Several methods are used to motivate pupils to learn and make good progress. In one literacy lesson, Year 6 were spellbound as the teacher played a video in which it appeared that ‘someone’ in the classroom was using the interactive whiteboard to leave messages. Pupils were highly reflective as they considered how the writing could have appeared when no-one appeared on the camera. New vocabulary was explored and different forms of grammar and punctuation were considered and these ideas contributed to good quality writing.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage benefit greatly from an excellent curriculum which reflects their interests. For example, a teacher used children’s interest in a fire engine to introduce new vocabulary; discussions gave excellent opportunities to practise the new words and then children were encouraged to share this new learning with others by labelling the

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The quality of teaching is good

engine’s various parts. Children were completely absorbed and as a result made outstanding progress.  Overall teachers plan well to meet the needs of different groups of pupils. Good use is made of learning targets and pupils are encouraged to consider these as they work in order to progress well. At times, challenge for more-able pupils is not matched as well as it could be and then their progress is not as rapid.  An interesting curriculum provides lots of experiences for pupils. However, although there are opportunities for pupils to use their skills of reading, writing and mathematics across subjects, there are too few activities for pupils to use their developing skills in practical, problem-solving and creative ways.  Marking gives pupils good opportunities to check their own learning and make corrections where they are needed with best practice shown in writing. Pupils are encouraged to read and respond

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The quality of teaching is good

to teachers’ comments and to note what they need to learn next. Teachers are working hard to share with pupils what they have to learn next in order to progress to higher levels.  The use of teaching assistants is very effective. Their highly-developed skills are used very successfully to guide, support and improve learning for pupils of all abilities. Their use has been particularly effective in improving reading standards where, together with teachers, they deliver the reading programmes to small groups of pupils very successfully.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 This school provides a friendly and positive atmosphere to play and learn in. Pupils are very polite and well-mannered, engaging enthusiastically with their friends and with staff.  Pupils enjoy school. They like and respect their teachers and are eager to please. They behave extremely well and show very good attitudes to learning. They listen carefully, address tasks enthusiastically and are eager to engage in learning.  Pupils are happy and enjoy the friendships they make. They understand well the differing forms that bullying might take but are confident that in their school it is not a problem. Pupils say that if they are worried staff will deal very quickly and effectively with any concerns.  The school has well-established methods for dealing with inappropriate behaviour which are shared with parents. This includes a system developed by the school council to reward good behaviour and address any misbehaviour by pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Because high expectations are shared, pupils have a very good sense of right and wrong and they make friendships based upon respect for others. Throughout the school behaviour is outstanding and has a positive effect upon pupils’ attitudes to learning and the progress they make.  Parents feel that they have a very good relationship with the school. They completely trust the staff to care well for their children and provide a happy and safe place to be. The positive links and communication between school and home are greatly appreciated and parents feel secure that any concerns they may have will be quickly and successful addressed.  The work with parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly has been highly effective. Attendance is in line with the national average and is rapidly increasing. Persistent absence levels are much reduced. Because more pupils are attending more regularly, their

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

opportunities to make better progress are improving.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Under the uncompromising and inspirational leadership of the headteacher there have been considerable and rapid improvements since the last inspection.  Together, senior leaders and governors have diligently and successfully pursued higher quality teaching. This has improved standards for pupils through highly focused management of the performance of teachers and their assistants.  Staff show an excellent team spirit being fully involved in improving the school. They are highly motivated and keen to develop their skills and practice rapidly. Senior leaders have successfully developed the leadership skills of other staff. All are involved in identifying and driving forward actions linked to improve school development. Staff are supported very well to advance their careers to higher professional levels and promotion.  The systems for checking on the quality of teaching are of exceptional quality. This leads to high

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The leadership and management are outstanding

quality training for teachers and their assistants to develop their skills and this contributes strongly to the increasingly rapid pace of pupil progress.  Pupils’ progress is closely tracked and shared with teachers. This is used to develop a good understanding of pupils’ needs and enables staff to direct resources to improve pupils’ achievement.  The local authority is strongly supportive of the school and has contributed successfully to the improvements of the school using well-targeted support to check the quality of teaching and progress of pupils. Positive relationships with the school underpin a firm commitment to high expectations and further development.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is central to the school’s success. Staff are good role models and provide a range of experiences to support pupils’ personal and learning needs very well. A wide range of additional activities, including a residential visit,

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The leadership and management are outstanding

enables pupils to be aware of the possibilities in a world outside of their immediate community.  Pupils are encouraged to learn about the differing cultures within the school. They work with other schools locally and in other countries which develops their understanding of others and their role as responsible citizens.  The governance of the school:  Highly positive and effective relationships with the school staff and with the local authority support governors’ strong contribution to school improvement. Governors work very closely with school leaders to ensure good improvement to teaching and to pupils’ achievement. Governors make sure that safeguarding procedures meet government requirements. They ensure that financial management is matched well to improving pupils’ achievement and the impact is carefully scrutinised, for example, the use of the pupils’ premium funding to provide precisely targeted support for individual pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 108380 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 405165

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 252 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Allan Symons Headteacher Clive Wisby Date of previous school inspection 19 October 2010 Telephone number 0191 433 4095 Fax number 0191 433 4100 Email address info@caedmonprimary.org guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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. 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

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

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