Forest View Primary

Forest View Primary School Rembrandt Avenue, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE34 8RZ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Too few pupils, including those in receipt of pupil premium government funding, make expected progress in writing and mathematics in Key Stages 1 and 2.  Pupils supported at school action plus do not attain as well as they could in all subjects by the end of Year 6.  Improvements to teaching have not had sufficient time to bring about rapid progress for all pupils.  Pupils do not always use their targets so they can consistently improve their work.  Pupils do not always have enough first-hand opportunities to develop their skills practically, particularly in mathematics.  The role of senior and subject leaders have not yet been fully developed to contribute well enough to improving the quality of teaching.  Systems to enable leaders to track pupils’ progress accurately are too complicated.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils behave well and are respectful, courteous and well-mannered.  There is an increasing amount of good teaching across the school.  The headteacher has a good understanding of school improvement priorities and specifically how to improve pupils’ achievement through improving the quality of teaching.  Pupils benefit from the school’s work with a wide range of partners.  Actions taken by leaders have resulted in improvements to what is provided, particularly outdoors in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The headteacher and governors have put good systems in place to check the quality of teaching and learning. They have secured effective support from other leaders to assist the development of leadership across the school. As a result, the quality of teaching is improving and pupils are making increasing progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 21 lessons or parts of lessons, of which two were joint observations with the headteacher.  In addition, inspectors heard groups of children read in Key Stages 1 and 2 and undertook a scrutiny of pupils’ work.  Discussions were held with a range of pupils, senior and subject leader, two members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors met a number of parents and carers informally at the start and end of the school day. They took into account the 32 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and those in the school’s own survey of responses.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s view of its own performance, improvement planning, records of the quality of teaching, the schools data relating to pupil performance and records of attendance, behaviour and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Irene Cochrane, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Karen Holmes Additional Inspector Dominic Brown Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (funding provided by the government to support the learning of pupils who are known to be entitled to free school meals, in the care of the local authority or children from armed service families) is well above average.  The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is broadly average.  The proportions of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are slightly above average.  In 2012, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school opened in a new building in September 2011 after the amalgamation of three schools including an infant school, a junior school, and a primary school.

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Information about this school

 There have been a number of changes to staffing and staff absences since the school opened.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to at least good in order to raise standards and accelerate pupils’ progress, especially in writing and mathematics, by:  increasing the importance and use in lessons of the target-setting system already in place so that pupils know exactly what the next steps are in their learning  providing more opportunities for pupils to practise their skills through interesting and engaging activities where they can apply their skills practically, particularly problem solving in mathematics  increasing the pace of teaching in lessons so that pupils produce more work and make quicker progress particularly for more-able pupils  ensuring pupils of low ability have work that is well matched so they can make at least expected progress compared to similar pupils nationally.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by:  developing the roles of senior leaders and those with responsibilities for subjects with regard to raising the quality of teaching through planned lesson observations and through checking pupil performance data  establishing a more simplified and coordinated system for tracking pupils’ progress which is easy for teachers to use and gives a clear picture of pupils’ performance and so in turn helps teachers to plan their lessons for individual pupil’s progress  developing opportunities to further improve communication with parents.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children enter the Nursery with skills that are well below those expected for their age in their communication and language, and their personal and number skills. They make satisfactory and improving progress to enter Year 1 with skills that remain below average. The quality of what is provided has improved rapidly, particularly outdoors with sharply focused help and support and a strong commitment from all staff to bring about further improvement. Children are happy, confident learners who relate well to each other.  Progress across the school and by different groups is inconsistent and too few pupils have reached the standards expected of them. Progress has been affected by inaccurate assessments and high levels of staff absence, although these have recently become more stabilised. The needs of lower-ability pupils and higher-ability pupils are not always sufficiently met in all subjects. Although progress is improving through the increased checking by leaders, it is not yet

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

good enough across the school. There are too few opportunities to challenge pupils to achieve the higher levels across the school.  Standards reached at the end of Year 2 in 2012 were low in writing and mathematics and broadly average in reading. This was a result of weak teaching and staff absence. Inspection evidence shows that standards in all subjects are currently improving. A lower than average proportion of pupils reached the standard expected in the Year 1 phonic screening check with girls achieving less well than boys. The school has responded to this with staff training and improved equipment and a subsequent increase in opportunities for pupils to develop their knowledge of letters and sounds. There are now signs of improvements in pupils’ reading skills across Key Stage 1.  Standards reached by Year 6 were low in mathematics and broadly average in English overall. Standards in writing were below average and in reading were broadly in line with national

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

expectations. Lower-ability pupils did less well than their peers and than similar pupils nationally. The school’s current records show that pupils in Year 6 are making better progress as a result of increasingly good teaching and rigorous checking. Inspection evidence shows that standards are improving and harder work is being set to help the higher-ability pupils to reach the higher levels in all subjects in Year 6. However, this is not yet consistent across the school.  In 2012, the attainment of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and receive additional support funded by the pupil premium was below that of non-eligible pupils and their progress was well below average. The proportion making expected progress compared to national averages is well below, particularly in English.  Pupils with special educational needs, who are supported at school action, do as well as their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

peers nationally but those supported on school action plus are not reaching expected standards by the end of Key Stage 2. While all pupils make less than expected progress, it is more noticeable for those on school action plus.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is improving but still has inconsistencies across the school. Although some good teaching was observed in all key stages during the inspection, this has yet to ensure pupils’ good progress consistently across the school.  In the best lessons, teachers build on prior learning well and lessons get off to a good pace because teachers have high expectations and know their pupils well. They plan interesting activities that engage pupils actively in their learning and skilful questioning provides opportunities for pupils to share and extend their learning with others. Teaching assistants are well prepared and contribute well to pupils’ learning.  Where teaching is not as good, the pace of learning slows because teachers talk for too long and so pupils are listening but not actively learning for long periods. Work is not always sufficiently different for all pupil groups and so for some pupils the work is too hard and for others it is too

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

easy. The expectations of teachers are not high enough to move pupils to the next level quickly enough, particularly for the higher-ability pupils.  Pupils at risk of not doing as well as they should are identified and additional help is put in place. For example, support packages have helped individual pupils to improve in reading but not all support packages are as successful resulting in variable progress and expectations.  Pupils have targets to help them move to the next level in their work but they are not consistently used across the school, or given a high enough profile in lessons. As a result, pupils are not always clear about what steps they need to take to improve and move to the next level in their learning. Work is marked regularly, but teachers’ comments do not always give consistent guidance to pupils on how to improve. Opportunities for pupils to respond to that guidance are also not always provided.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The curriculum is clearly focused on developing basic skills but does not offer enough opportunities for pupils to practise their skills through first-hand practical experiences, particularly in problem solving in mathematics. Pupils told inspectors that they thought their work in mathematics was too easy.  Relationships between adults and pupils are good. Consequently, pupils are unafraid to ask questions and share their learning in class. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and are keen to take part in activities.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is swiftly improving as a result of external support and an enthusiasm and commitment among team members in checking what is provided to ensure children’s needs are well met. In discussion with parents during the inspection, parents expressed their appreciation of the support given by the staff and how much their children enjoyed coming to school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are happy in school and have good attitudes to learning. They work and play well together and are polite to adults. They enjoy lessons that motivate and engage them. Occasionally, when work in lessons is not hard enough, their attention wanders but rarely disrupts learning.  Pupils say that behaviour is good in lessons and any instances of misbehaviour at playtimes are dealt with through ‘the card system’. Pupils like the expectations that inappropriate behaviour will not be accepted. During the inspection, good behaviour was seen in lessons as well as in and around the school.  Pupils feel safe in school and on the playground. They have a secure understanding of how to stay safe in and outside of school, because the school teaches this well. They are aware of the different forms that bullying can take. They report that bullying is rare and, if it happens, it is dealt with promptly. Training and information for pupils on the safe use of the internet and other

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

technical communication equipment is comprehensive and shared with parents and carers.  The schools records of behaviour show that the school manages pupils’ behaviour well.  Attendance is broadly average and has improved as a result of rigorous checking and successful efforts by the school to work with parents and pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher has shown a resolute drive and determination for school improvement since the school opened. She has been successful in improving the quality of teaching following regular lesson observations and pupil progress meetings. Consequently, teacher knowledge and expectations of what pupils can achieve are improving. Well-planned training has assisted the development and teaching of letters and sounds which is beginning to show in improved standards in reading and writing.  The governing body and local authority have worked together with the headteacher to bring stability to the school after a period of significant staffing change. As a result, effective partnership work with a local school has been established and is strengthening the leadership and shared expertise between staff.  Roles and responsibilities have been reorganised to support subject leadership and school development priorities. Although some leaders are new to their roles, there is a shared vision for

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The leadership and management requires improvement

school improvement. Most are still to develop skills in being able to check the success of their work to raise achievement and in monitoring the quality of teaching.  A new system has been implemented to track the achievement of individual pupils and all groups but this is not yet fully embedded. As a result, systems to track pupils’ progress are complicated and do not always give leaders a standardised and accurate view of pupils’ performance in every class.  Performance management for teachers is in place and documentation shows measurable targets expected in line with salary and experience. The school places high priority on improving the quality of teaching.  The local authority has provided help for the school to improve what is provided in the Early Years Foundation Stage. It has also provided help to improve the quality of teaching, and in developing partnerships with other successful leaders to strengthen the leadership of the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school engages with most parents well. However, during the inspection, some parents expressed concern about the number of supply teachers some classes had experienced and indicated that they feel the school does not respond as well as it could to concerns raised. The school works well with all outside agencies to support the welfare and opportunities for all pupils.  The school takes the safety of pupils seriously and has good systems in place that meet all safeguarding requirements.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is highly supportive of the school and understands the key priorities for improvement. It is aware that the school’s performance is not as good as other similar schools. Governors strongly support the headteacher in managing the performance of teachers, ensuring that good teachers are rewarded and that where teaching is weak, the ensuing problems are tackled. Governors are aware of the difference that the pupil premium

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The leadership and management requires improvement

monies are making to pupils’ progress and know that the achievement of pupils and the standard of teaching must continue to improve. The role of governors linked to curriculum areas is developing well through regular meetings and reports. They have a clear understanding of the action to be taken to further strengthen leadership. The governors attend appropriate training and ensure that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities in safeguarding.

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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 135842 Local authority South Tyneside Inspection number 400262

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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 300 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair William Brady Headteacher Cheryl Ward Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 0191 5191990 Fax number 0191 5192209 Email address info@forestview.uk.com 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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