Whitehouse Primary School

Whitehouse Primary School Whitehouse Lane, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 8PE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  Pupils make good progress and attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is now above average in reading and mathematics and average in writing.  Teaching is mostly good and some is outstanding. Teachers have supportive relationships with pupils and plan lessons which help them to learn well.  Behaviour is good. Pupils enjoy learning and are eager to do their best. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. They are polite and courteous and respectful at all times to adults and to each other.  Leaders and governors are ambitious for the school and have built on the good performance at the time of the previous inspection.  Supported by new senior leaders and by other staff the headteacher provides determined leadership. As a united team they have successfully improved the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although teaching is mainly good, there are not enough lessons that are outstanding. The best practice is not always shared amongst staff.  Pupils do not always respond to suggestions about how to improve their work.  Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to develop their writing skills in different subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 11 lessons, one of which was a joint observation with the headteacher. Inspectors also heard pupils read in Years 2, 3 and 6.  They took account of 18 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View) and 10 questionnaires completed by the staff.  They held a meeting with a group of pupils from Year 6 and talked informally with other pupils at lunchtimes and break times. Inspectors talked to the vice-chair of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. They also had discussions with leaders at different levels including the leaders of English and mathematics, the special educational needs coordinator and the leader of the Assisted Resource Provision.  Inspectors observed the school at work and looked at a range of documentation, including internal and external information relating to pupils’ progress, pupils’ workbooks, school improvement planning and the school’s procedures for gaining an accurate view of its own

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Information about this inspection

performance. They also considered reports written by the local authority, documents relating to the management of teachers’ performance, and safeguarding and child protection documents.

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Inspection team

Peter Evea, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Greame Clarke Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and those from service families, is approximately twice the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is just below average.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or by a statement of special educational needs is above average.  There is a specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs who have moderate learning difficulties. The Assisted Resource Provision has 11 pupils currently on roll. Pupils are educated both in the Assisted Resource Provision and with the rest of the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by sharing the best practice consistently across the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the rate of progress made by all pupils in writing by:  providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in different subjects  making sure that all pupils respond to teachers’ suggestions by making the suggested improvements.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enter the Nursery with skills, knowledge and understanding below, and for some well below, those typical for their age. They make very good progress to reach standards that are similar to those seen nationally at the end of Reception because they are very well cared for and given interesting and enjoyable activities to take part in.  Good progress continues in Key Stages 1 and 2 so that by the end of Year 6 pupils’ standards are now above those expected of their age in reading and mathematics and similar in writing. In recent years progress has been slower in writing and mathematics but this has accelerated, particularly in mathematics, as a result of better teaching; consequently, standards are rising.  Information about the progress of pupils and recent test results show that a well-above-average proportion exceeded expectations in reading and mathematics, and the proportion of pupils who

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The achievement of pupils is good

exceeded expectations in writing, whilst still below national averages, has improved and more pupils made the progress expected of them. The improvements in writing do not match those seen in mathematics.  There are effective systems in place to check on pupils’ progress throughout the school. As a result, the school can quickly identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. Action is taken promptly to provide extra support in class or out of class to boost pupils’ learning.  The progress of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, is good, and the gap between their performance and the performance, in English and mathematics, of other pupils has closed by the end of Year 6. This is because of the extra support provided for them, such as the small-group and individual one- to-one work.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make the same good progress as

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The achievement of pupils is good

others in the school as a result of the detailed knowledge of their needs and the appropriate support provided for them. Pupils who attend the Assisted Resource Provision also make good progress. The supportive and nurturing environment and the successful integration into the life of the main school play an important part in helping this to happen.  Younger children are taught well how to link letters to the sounds they make using improved systems to help them read unfamiliar words. This good start is built on in Key Stage 1 and pupils are becoming good readers. Pupils now have a rich variety of experiences to write about and standards are approaching those in reading and mathematics. By the end of Year 6 pupils can tackle and solve mathematical problems.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most of the teaching is good and some is outstanding in the impact it has on pupils’ learning. The good relationships between pupils and staff ensure a productive atmosphere for learning.  The teachers’ understanding of the needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensures that they make a very good start to their learning.  In Years 1 to 6 teachers expect pupils to achieve and behave very well and so lessons run smoothly. Pupils want to learn and to do well.  Reading is taught well across the school because teachers are skilled at helping pupils to develop their reading skills and provide sufficient opportunities to read. Mathematics is now also taught effectively and, as a result of the solid foundations laid during the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, pupils in Key Stage 2 are able to solve increasingly complicated problems.  Pupils are now given a range of stimulating, first-hand experiences to write about. In literacy

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The quality of teaching is good

lessons they develop their writing skills and by Year 6 can write for different purposes. However, they do not always use these skills in other subjects because they do not have enough opportunities to do so.  Pupils’ books are marked regularly and teachers make suggestions about how to improve the work. However, in some classes pupils do not always make the suggested improvements before they move on to new learning.  Where teaching is outstanding, teachers work very successfully to provide activities that make learning interesting and exciting. For example, in a Reception class children very enthusiastically searched for words with ‘ow’ sounds in the artificial snow, and in a Year 2 mathematics lesson pupils were absorbed in solving problems that included red herrings.  Teaching assistants and other adults are deployed well and have a clear understanding of the needs of different pupils. They work closely with teachers and are skilled at providing effective

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The quality of teaching is good

support for those who need it, including those who have special educational needs or who are disabled.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is typically good and sometimes exemplary, for example when on school visits. In lessons pupils behave well because they want to do well.  Pupils say that bullying is uncommon and the majority of parents and staff agree. Pupils have a good understanding of different forms of bullying and what to do if it happened.  Pupils say that they feel very safe in school and know how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.  Pupils are very polite and courteous and are proud of their school. Throughout the school there is a caring and supportive feel. Pupils know, through assemblies and teaching, that it is important to behave well and look after each other.  Attendance has improved as a result of the school’s determined work and because pupils want to come to school to learn.  The school offers a rich variety of subjects and a wide range of after-school clubs and activities

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

that pupils benefit from. Pupils are proud of their sporting record and eager to talk about the different competitions they have taken part in.  Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as being peer mentors who work with younger pupils, and they are very responsible in carrying out their duties.  The school has very effective systems for managing pupils’ behaviour and learning is rarely disrupted. There have been no fixed-term or permanent exclusions in recent years.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, ably supported by a relatively new leadership team, has been determined and successful in improving pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. She is well supported by an effective governing body. Staff morale is good.  Leaders evaluate the work of the school accurately and there are effective plans for improvement. There are now effective checks on pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching.  Improvements in teaching are well managed. Performance management systems are robust, any underperformance is tackled rigorously and staff are given appropriate support. Teachers are set challenging targets and would not benefit from an increase in salary unless these are met.  Leaders, including the governing body, use the pupil premium funding effectively. The extra staffing which they have decided to employ allows for small-group and one-to-one support which helps some pupils to make as much progress as other pupils in the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff training is leading to more effective teaching and is well directed towards the school’s priorities and individual staff needs. However, the very best practice that exists in the school is not routinely shared amongst all staff.  The subjects offered to the pupils meet their needs well. There are now far more visits, which give pupils real-life experiences to write about. During the inspection some pupils visited Beamish Museum and others visited a synagogue. The subjects studied by pupils also promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school has worked effectively to involve more parents in supporting their children’s education. An assembly performed by the whole of the Foundation Stage to celebrate their year in school was very well attended by parents, who were very happy with the start their children have made.  All staff are committed to promoting equality of opportunity and all pupils have equal access to

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The leadership and management are good

all the subjects offered and to different after-school clubs and activities, as well as school visits. Pupils from the Assisted Resource Provision join main-school classes wherever possible.  An improvement in the achievement of pupils eligible for free school meals indicates that there is a strong capacity for further improvement.  Safeguarding and child-protection policies and procedures meet statutory requirements.  The local authority is providing appropriate advice and support, such as the accurate assessment of pupils’ writing, which is appreciated by the school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is determined and effective in helping the school to improve. Governors know the school well, check how well it is doing rigorously and ask challenging questions to promote further development. They are ambitious for the welfare and achievement of the pupils and are well informed about all aspects of school life, in particular about the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching and the information relating to pupils’ achievement. Governors are familiar with the nationally agreed standards for teachers and use them to help manage teachers’ performance. They oversee the spending of pupil premium funding and are well aware of the positive impact this is having on pupils’ achievement. Although the composition of the governing body changes regularly, its members regularly attend relevant training from the local authority.

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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 108577 Local authority North Tyneside Inspection number 412121

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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 176 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tony Tatam Headteacher Rachel Woods Date of previous school inspection 10 December 2009 Telephone number 0191 200 6346 Fax number 0191 200 6257 Email address rachel.woods@northtyneside.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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