Belmont Primary School

School report Belmont Primary School Lauderdale Drive, Hunters Hill, Guisborough, TS14 7BS

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children get a good start to their time in school. They mostly join with skills that are typical for their age and make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress due to teaching that promotes their understanding well throughout the Nursery and Reception classes.  Progress throughout Key Stage 1 is good, and sometimes outstanding, due to a strong focus on developing pupils’ reading, writing and mathematical skills. Teachers are particularly good at promoting children’s speaking and listening skills.  Progress in Key Stage 2 is good and rapidly improving with pupils achieving well above average standards by the time they leave the school in Year 6, due to improvements in teaching.  Pupils entitled to support using specific funding and those who are disabled or have special educational needs also make accelerated progress due to the effective use of support staff.  Teaching is good overall. It is sometimes

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

outstanding, particularly where teachers engage pupils and allow them to be independent in their learning. They are very effective at developing pupils’ understanding through well targeted questioning that promotes pupils’ thinking further.  Pupils behave very well and are enthusiastic about coming to school. They have a good understanding of how to keep safe and the school has good procedures in place to safeguard pupils.  The headteacher provides strong and determined leadership and is well supported by her senior leadership team. All staff members are very committed to the school and its pupils. They know their school well and this has been instrumental in driving improvement. Governors provide good support and challenge and have a wide range of expertise.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ progress in mathematics at Key Stage 2 does not yet match their progress in English.  Not enough teaching is of outstanding quality so that it enables pupils to become even more engaged and independent in their learning.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 30 lessons or parts of lessons of which one was a joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors observed pupils working with teaching assistants and listened to some Year 2 pupils read.  Inspectors talked about the school to one specific group of pupils and to others in the playground and at dinnertime.  They met with members of the governing body as well as teaching staff, including senior and middle leaders. They also met with a local authority representative.  Inspectors took account of 31 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. They also looked at the school’s parent and pupil questionnaires and had a discussion with a random selection of parents and two parents who made a specific request to talk to the lead inspector.  They observed the overall work of the school and looked at a number of documents including the school’s data about pupils’ current progress. They also looked at documents relating to

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. Other documents considered were school improvement plans, minutes of the meetings of the governing body and school action plans.  Inspectors also looked at a range of other evidence including school displays, its website, and pupils’ current work in books across the whole school, and evidence representing the school’s wider achievements.

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Inspection team

David Shearsmith, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sue Smith Additional Inspector Diane Coleman Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an above-average sized primary school.  A well below average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium.  An average proportion of pupils are supported at school action. A below average proportion of pupils are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The school has achieved the National Healthy School award as well as an Anti-Bullying Charter.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum standards for schools in terms of standards and progress.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is taught in two Reception classes and one Nursery class.  A deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher have been appointed since the last inspection.  The school is split into two separate buildings which occupy the same site.  The school has a childcare provider that is not managed by the governing body and is subject to

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Information about this school

a separate inspection by Ofsted. Its report will be available on the Ofsted website.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve progress in mathematics at Key Stage 2 by:  e nsuring there are more opportunities for pupils to participate in mathematical investigations and problem solving  ensuring that the policy on how to teach calculation is applied consistently across the school and that pupils have more regular opportunities to practise their number skills  improving the marking of pupils’ work in mathematics to ensure they fully realise their mistakes and so improve their progress and understanding.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the amount of outstanding teaching by:  ensuring that all pupils’ needs are consistently met in all lessons, particularly at Key Stage 2  ensuring that pupils have more time to work independently and are able to assess their own and others’ learning  developing marking so that points for improvement are more precise and that pupils are given time to develop those aspects of their work which are highlighted  ensuring English and mathematics lessons engage pupils as well as lessons do in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well in this purposefully organised and improving school due to good teaching and a strong commitment to ensuring pupils’ further achievement.  Most children start school with skills that are typical for their age but an increasing number arrive with weaker literacy skills. They make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress in the Nursery due to good quality group teaching sessions that promote their speaking and listening skills well.  They continue to make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress in the Reception classes due to the strong focus on developing children’s reading, writing and mathematical skills.  Pupils make at least good progress throughout Key Stage 1 due to the good foundation that they have received. Good, and sometimes outstanding teaching, further accelerates progress and standards are above average by the end of Year 2.  Pupils continue to make good progress overall in Key Stage 2 and improvements in teaching

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The achievement of pupils is good

have speeded up their progress. Standards are rapidly improving and are now well above average overall by the end of Key Stage 2 due to better quality teaching. Progress in mathematics however, is relatively weaker as pupils have insufficient opportunities for investigations, problem solving and time to practise their number skills.  The school teaches reading well and, as a result, pupils develop good skills at both key stages to reach standards that are well above average. The school has a wide range of strategies to promote reading that assure continued good progress.  Money allocated by the government to support pupils who are likely to underachieve is used well by the school. It has had a positive impact on improving such pupils’ overall achievement and ensured that they have reached, and in some cases exceeded, expectations.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well catered for and make

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The achievement of pupils is good

good progress due to carefully organised learning activities. Teaching assistants provide effective support in and out of class to ensure that pupils in their care make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The majority of teaching is good and sometimes it is outstanding, as all leaders have worked hard to improve the quality of teaching across the school. Direct teaching in the Reception and Nursery classes is particularly strong and is often outstanding. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and this creates a positive atmosphere for learning.  Teachers now have higher expectations than in the past and pupils are responding well. Progress is accelerating across the school. In a history lesson in a Year 3 and 4 class, pupils were inspired to find out about the Victorian period by using photographs of artefacts. All pupils made good progress as they were independent in their learning and the pace was good. This is not always seen in mathematics and English lessons where the teaching does not consistently engage pupils.  Teachers use questioning to very good effect and this accelerates progress in lessons. Pupils are

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The quality of teaching is good

able to explain their thinking and they readily answer questions well, particularly when they are involved in partner discussions. However, lessons are not always structured to promote independent learning and allow pupils to assess their own and others’ learning.  Reading is taught well as the school has adopted an effective system that involves teaching pupils in groups organised according to their needs. The use of not only the sounds that letters make (phonics) but also picture clues with questioning develops their understanding of the text. This was observed in one Reception class when reading a story about a pancake race. The children made good progress due to clear, precise teaching.  Marking takes place regularly and the school has developed this well with some good practice already evident. Teachers regularly provide comments but these are not always sufficiently precise to ensure pupils understand how to improve. Teachers do not always allow pupils time to

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The quality of teaching is good

practise their skills in order to accelerate their progress and understanding. In mathematics, not enough marking helps pupils know what to do to rectify their mistakes.  Teaching assistants generally support pupils well both in and out of lessons and, as a result, pupils who are in danger of underachieving make good progress. Staff are also well deployed to support disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs to ensure they make good progress.  Most staff meet pupils’ learning needs well by providing work that is well matched to their abilities, and there is very good practice in some classes, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, this is not the case in every lesson, particularly Key Stage 2. Work in pupils’ books clearly showed that where their needs were not effectively matched, their progress slowed.  Assessment information is being used increasingly by teachers to support their teaching. Pupil

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The quality of teaching is good

progress meetings and a robust tracking system are used very effectively to raise expectations, increase progress and raise standards in all lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say that they love coming to school and taking part in the different activities that they participate in during and after school. As a result attendance is well above average.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning and are keen to find out about the world we live in. Behaviour in lessons is typically good although sometimes pupils become less engaged and passive learners when they do not have sufficient time to be independent in their learning.  Pupils are well mannered and move around the school in a very responsible manner. They are proud of their school and their own achievements. Staff members have high expectations of how pupils should behave and foster this in a very positive way.  Pupils enjoy their playtimes and lunchtimes when they can meet up with their friends. They play well together and share equipment well. Playground buddies also help the younger pupils to play and socialise.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils said that there was little bullying in the school. If there was, pupils regarded it not always as bullying, but more as minor arguments. They said that they are often able to sort these out for themselves. If a conflict is not able to be resolved, they are confident staff would help. The school also has good systems in place to resolve any issues regarding bullying.  Pupils say they feel very safe in school. They have a good understanding of how to keep safe, including how to be safe when using the internet. Very good procedures are in place to support this across the whole school.  The majority of parents are very positive about the school. Inspection evidence confirms that the school has good procedures to ensure pupils are safe, including good levels of supervision at playtimes and lunchtimes.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides strong, determined but supportive leadership to the school and has been instrumental in improving standards and the quality of teaching and learning.  Senior leaders support her well. They complement the headteacher through their respective roles and have brought a range of skills that have further strengthened the school’s drive to improve achievement.  The school’s checking of the quality of its work is very accurate and provides a good overview of the school. Performance management is used very effectively by the school to improve teaching and raise standards.  The school has good procedures in place to ensure pupils’ safety and safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.  The school works very hard to engage with parents. This was seen to very good effect in Nursery where 20 parents attended a regular, weekly session on ‘Reading and Enjoying Books with Children’ session. A curriculum event has also been held recently where many parents

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The leadership and management are good

participated in the day’s learning.  The school’s curriculum is developing well. During inspection, an ‘Anglo Saxon day’ inspired pupils to learn about this period of history. Pupils were actively engaged in learning and made at least good progress in their understanding. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall and the school is planning to extend its cultural experiences further for pupils.  The school works with an increasing range of partners to support pupils’ learning and progress. A secondary school partner was seen supporting a sport session during the inspection and this was providing valuable experiences for pupils.  The local authority has provided good support to the school through two reviews. Support is also provided from a valued school improvement officer.  The governance of the school:  Is able to provide both strong challenge and support to the school. The governors are very

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The leadership and management are good

knowledgeable about the work of the school and pay regular visits to support this work. They also have a wide range of skills that they use very effectively to ensure that the school secures value for money. They are ambitious for the school and are keen to ensure that every pupil achieves well.

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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 111662 Local authority Redcar and Cleveland Inspection number 405350

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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 352 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Bloomfield Headteacher Susan Porteus Date of previous school inspection 11 October 2010 Telephone number 01287 635332 Fax number 01287 205008 Email address belmont_school@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk 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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