Carr Hill Community Primary School

Carr Hill Community Primary School Carr Hill Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE9 5NB

p.1

Overall effectiveness

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children enter school with skills that are well below what is typical for their age. However, they get a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They settle quickly due to a caring and supportive approach; this ensures they make outstanding progress in their personal development.  Pupils make good and improving progress across Key Stage 1 to reach standards that are below average but rapidly improving. Pupils make good and sometimes outstanding progress across Key Stage 2 to reach standards that are broadly average and improving by the time they leave the school.  Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. Teachers are effective at engaging pupils in learning. Questioning is used well in all lessons to develop pupils’ understanding and ensure they make at least good progress. Teaching assistants provide invaluable support, which meets a range of pupils’ needs well, both in and out of lessons.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary at all times. They have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe. Relationships are very good. Pupils’ personal development ensures they are keen and ready to learn.  The school’s curriculum significantly enriches pupils’ lives and raises their aspirations. A myriad of activities during and after school inspires pupils to learn.  The inspirational leadership of the headteacher, working in partnership with a very skilful deputy headteacher and committed staff, ensures that the school continues to improve. They have identified areas for improvement in teaching and raising standards and are acting upon these effectively.  Governors challenge the school to improve further and use the pupil premium funding effectively to raise standards. They know their school well and understand its strengths and areas for development.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not consistently outstanding as the school does not use the expertise of outstanding teachers sufficiently to improve the practice of others.  Marking does not always give clear enough points for improvement or specific time for pupils to improve their work.  There are insufficient opportunities for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage to experience activities in groups taught by the teacher in reading, writing and calculations.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 do not always have sufficiently challenging work to take them to the next level in their work.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 30 lessons, two of which were carried out jointly with the headteacher and another with the deputy headteacher. Inspectors observed groups of pupils working with teaching assistants and listened to some pupils read from different year groups, including Year 2.  Inspectors talked to a number of pupils including those from the School Council about their work and play in school.  Meetings were held with 10 governors as well as teaching staff, including senior and middle leaders. Discussions were also held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 25 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). They also considered the school’s staff questionnaires. Four parents sent written information to the inspection team about the support given to their children. One previous pupil also wrote to the inspectors and two previous pupils spoke to the lead inspector about the quality of education

p.2

Information about this inspection

they had received at the school.  Inspectors 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 safeguarding, governance, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors looked at a range of other evidence including school displays, its website, and evidence representing the school’s wider achievements beyond the classroom.

p.2

Inspection team

David Shearsmith, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Christopher Young Additional Inspector Kathleen Mullen Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average sized primary school.  A well above average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium; this is additional government funding for those pupils eligible for free school meals, children in care of the local authority and children of service families.  A well above average proportion of pupils are supported at school action. An average proportion of pupils are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The school has achieved the National Healthy School, Arts Mark and Sports Ambassador awards.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is taught in a separate Nursery and two Reception classes.

p.3

Information about this school

 The school has a breakfast club each morning managed by the governing body.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is consistently outstanding by:  using the existing outstanding teaching in the school more often to coach other teachers to reach the same level  ensuring that when marking pupils’ work, points for improvement are precise and that pupils are given time to respond in order to learn from their mistakes and improve, so they can reach the next level in their work.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate progress across the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 by:  providing more opportunities for small group teaching of reading, writing and mathematical skills in the Early Years Foundation Stage  ensuring that all work in Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics, is sufficiently challenging so pupils reach higher levels in their work.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well because the school carefully tracks their progress and provides challenging targets for everyone in the school. Regular and rigorous assessment ensures that pupils make good and sometimes outstanding progress.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are well below what is typical for their age. They have significant weaknesses in their literacy skills. However, children make good progress from the moment they step into school as staff pay close attention to children’s personal development and developing their confidence; consequently, they get a good start. Although children make good progress they still have weaknesses in their reading, writing and calculation skills because opportunities are not always taken to develop these skills.  Pupils make good progress across Key Stage 1 to reach standards that are below average overall in writing and mathematics, although reading is closer to the national average. Standards in

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics, reading and writing have declined over two years. The school has arrested this decline through well-targeted and specific learning programmes. Standards are now rising although pupils are not always sufficiently challenged to reach higher levels in their work.  Pupils make good progress across Key Stage 2 to reach standards that are broadly average but rapidly improving. Standards in reading and mathematics are currently higher than they are in writing. However, results from the 2013 tests show that pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is continuing to accelerate across Key Stage 2.  Pupils make good progress in reading as the school has a strong commitment to ensuring all pupils read widely and often. In the Year 1 phonics test, they performed in line with the national average because the school has developed a good approach to teaching phonics (the sounds that letters make). More than half of all pupils in Key Stage 2 achieved higher levels than those

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

expected nationally in the 2013 reading test.  Pupils make good progress in their mathematical skills due to good teaching particularly in Key Stage 2. The school has been successful in ensuring more than half of all pupils in Key Stage 2 reached higher levels than would be expected in the 2013 tests.  Pupils known to be entitled to the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, make good progress across the school. From a low starting point, these pupils make good progress across Key Stage 1. However, they still remain approximately one term behind similar pupils nationally although the gap is closing rapidly. By the time they leave in Year 6, these pupils attain standards that are broadly in line with similar pupils nationally. The difference in progress between pupils eligible for free school meals and those who are not, is closing rapidly, particularly at Key Stage 2 due to very effective support developed by the school.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good and rapidly improving progress across the school. They receive considerable support from very skilful teaching assistants. Currently, they reach standards by the end of Key Stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics that are in line with similar pupils nationally. At Key Stage 1 these pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. They are reaching standards that are close to average for similar pupils nationally and the gap is closing rapidly.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers provide pupils with activities that inspire them to learn. Questioning is used effectively and pupils respond well in lessons. Teachers ensure that work is matched to pupils’ needs. For example, in a very effective lesson in Year 6, pupils made outstanding progress in their mathematical understanding. Pupils were challenged to improve their multiplication skills through quick fire questioning that met pupils’ needs well.  A lesson in the Early Years Foundation Stage had children working on group activities with the teacher. They received appropriate support and there was a good balance of activities chosen by the children themselves and activities led by teachers. The face-making tasks saw children make good progress with their creative skills by experimenting with different materials. Discussions with the teacher led to improvement in their speaking and listening skills. Children’s skills in

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

literacy and mathematics are not as well developed as they are in other areas where they usually achieve well.  In an English lesson in a Year 2 class, the teacher was highly effective at meeting pupils’ needs and accelerating their progress during the lesson. He made sure pupils understood what they were learning about and that they knew how to be successful when planning and writing their story. Effective modelling helped these pupils improve their work further and they made outstanding progress. However, this does not happen in all lessons and as a result, pupils are not always challenged to reach the next level in their work.  Teachers are enthusiastic and provide well structured lessons that ensure pupils achieve well. In a Year 4 writing lesson, the teacher very effectively introduced pupils to ways they could improve their use of verbs. The work was well planned to meet all pupils’ needs. Pupils worked

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

quickly and efficiently and made outstanding progress in their understanding of past, present and future tenses.  Teachers generally mark pupils’ work thoroughly and follow the school’s policy for marking. In the Year 5 and 6 class, marking in literacy is particularly effective as it gives pupils clear points for improvement and then time for them to respond. Consequently, these pupils reach higher levels in their writing and make better progress. Although teachers mark work diligently, it is not always successful in moving pupils on to the next level in their work as they do not give clear points for improvement or dedicated time to improve. This is particularly the case at Key Stage 1.  Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning across the school. Well planned support and small group work is instrumental in meeting the needs of pupils entitled to the pupil premium funding. Teaching assistants are also well deployed and support pupils with

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

learning difficulties so that they also make good progress.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils behave exceptionally well in this caring, supportive and nurturing school. They thrive due to the school’s commitment to their personal development and wellbeing. Pupils are polite, industrious and well mannered in all aspects of school life.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school and attendance is above, and sometimes well above, average. The school is rigorous in ensuring all pupils attend well so they can maximise their potential.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural experiences are a particular strength of the school. They underpin pupils’ personal development and ensure pupils achieve well in all aspects of their work. Pupils readily take on responsibility as members of the School Council or as playtime friends. They play an active role in the life of the school.  The school gives a high priority to ensuring that pupils understand the different types of bullying in school. Pupils told us that there was very little bullying in their school as the headteacher

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

would not tolerate such behaviour. If any bullying should occur, they said they were confident it would be dealt with straight away by staff.  Pupils participate well in lessons. They are keen and attentive and have good attitudes to learning. Teachers are very good at ensuring pupils engage well in lessons and subsequently, pupils work well in groups and with partners.  The school ensures that pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep safe in a range of situations including when using the internet. Through its curriculum, pupils have a wide range of practical experiences that promote their understanding of safety issues further.  The school’s breakfast club is a great asset to the school and often up to 50 pupils participate in the club. It gives them an excellent start to their day and contributes well to pupils’ overall achievement.  The school provides a wide range of sporting activities that support pupils’ wellbeing and fitness.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

School lunches are of a good standard and healthy eating options also promote pupils’ health and wellbeing.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, well supported by a talented deputy headteacher, a strong group of senior leaders and a dedicated staff, has ensured that the school continues to improve. They have successfully implemented improvements since the last inspection and are committed to ensuring pupils achieve as well as possible. Actions taken have not yet sufficiently impacted on standards at Key Stage 1 although they are rising rapidly. The school already uses some of its outstanding practice to improve teaching and has plans to extend this further.  The school has an accurate understanding of its own performance and knows what it needs to do to improve further. It has identified and prioritised certain areas and these are already underway in the school’s improvement plans. School leaders have identified the need to improve standards for pupils across Key Stage 1. They rigorously check on pupils’ progress. By using

p.6

The leadership and management are good

small group teaching, that has already proven to be successful at raising standards in Key Stage 2, the school has targeted Key Stage 1 pupils in need of support. Signs of improvement are already being noted.  The school checks on teachers’ performance and rewards them appropriately for their work. School leaders have high expectations of what can be achieved. They set challenging targets for staff and they support them in their various roles, including through relevant training opportunities.  The school’s curriculum provides memorable experiences that raise pupils’ expectations of themselves and enriches their understanding of the world. Residential visits and shorter excursions on the school’s mountain bikes widen pupils’ horizons. Their broader academic skills are also stretched so they are well prepared for their next stage of schooling.  The school already provides a very wide range of sporting activities for pupils and has plans to

p.6

The leadership and management are good

extend this further using the new sports funding. Pupils displayed very good coordination and team skills in a Year 6 basketball lesson during the inspection. The school also achieved an award after performing in a variety of sporting activities.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural experiences are many and varied, including a commitment to a sizeable group of pupils learning to play the violin. The school significantly enriches the curriculum, including through links with other schools, to promote pupils’ understanding of different cultures.  The school is strongly committed to ensuring all pupils achieve well. It has implemented a rigorous approach to providing support for pupils at risk of underachieving and making sure they get an equal opportunity to all that the school has to offer.  The school has a good range of partnerships including a strong partnership with the local authority. The headteacher and deputy headteacher also support other schools.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The school’s strong relationship with parents enables them to support pupils in their learning. The school is highly regarded by parents and the community. This also enhances the school’s work.  The school gives due regard to ensuring pupils are kept safe and safeguarding procedures meet requirements.  The local authority gives light-touch support to this good and continually improving school.  The governance of the school: Governors are well trained and know their school well. They constantly challenge the school to improve. They are aware of the school’s performance from national data and understand the need to improve Key Stage 1. They have effectively used their pupil premium funding by ensuring pupils who are entitled to it are given specific support to meet their needs and by providing activities that raise their aspirations. The school has improved standards at Key Stage 2 and there are signs of development at Key Stage 1. Governors regularly visit the school to

p.6

The leadership and management are good

check on pupils’ work and the teaching. They know about the quality of teaching and the use of teaching assistants. They check that salary awards are appropriately linked to teachers’ performance both in and out of the classroom. The school’s finances are in good order and the school is well resourced.

p.7

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

p.8

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.

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 108321 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 425992

p.9

School details

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

p.9

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 345 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Martin Gannon Headteacher Callum Kidd Date of previous school inspection 8 November 2010 Telephone number 0191 4771203 Fax number 0191 4213858 Email address info@carrhillprimary.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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

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

p.10