Havannah First School

Broadway East First School Broadway East, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE3 5JQ

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils are fully involved in the life of the school. Each individual is highly respected and valued. Behaviour is excellent. Pupils are always caring and helpful to others and they feel very safe.  All pupils make good progress and most reach standards that are well above average. The most able pupils, including some who speak English as an additional language, make rapid and sustained progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils from a variety of backgrounds and with different needs work extremely well together within a very supportive environment.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are extremely positive. Above average attendance reflects their enjoyment of school.  Highly effective provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensures that children get off to a very good start in learning.  Teaching is good overall. School leaders are clearly focused on increasing the proportion of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

outstanding teaching to raise pupils’ achievement and progress further.  The curriculum is outstanding. It provides a wealth of memorable and engaging experiences. It makes an excellent contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The headteacher provides strong leadership and is dedicated to ensuring that all pupils achieve as well as they can. Leaders and managers work together well to improve the quality of provision for all pupils.  Governors are highly effective in their role. They use their experience and expertise to support and challenge the school successfully to ensure that pupils’ needs are met.  Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding.  Lower-ability pupils and those with additional or special educational needs sometimes find planned tasks are too difficult and so do not do as well as other groups in these lessons.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons or part-lessons. Four observations were conducted jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. The inspectors also observed pupils being taught in small groups and listened to pupils from different year groups reading.  Discussions were held with a range of pupils, the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 68 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), and nine responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspectors observed the overall work of the school and looked at a number of documents including the school’s data about pupils’ current progress. In addition, the inspectors looked at documents relating to safeguarding, governance, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors looked at a range of other evidence, including school displays, the school’s website

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Information about this inspection

and evidence representing the school’s wider achievements beyond the classroom.

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Inspection team

David Wilson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Clive Petts Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a slightly smaller-than-average-sized first school; the majority of pupils are White British. However the proportion of pupils originating from minority ethnic heritages is increasing year on year and is now just slightly below average.  The proportion of pupils believed to speak English as an additional language is slightly higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is much lower than the national average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after by the local authority.)  The proportions of pupils supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are lower than the national average.  All pupils are educated at the school and none receives alternative provision.

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Information about this school

 Along with other awards, the school holds the Basic Skills award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of teaching that is outstanding to ensure a consistent pattern of rapid and sustained progress and high achievement for all pupils by:  sharing more widely the high quality teaching practice that already exists in the school  using progress information to support the learning of pupils of differing abilities so that they participate effectively in tasks set in lessons  eliminating the remaining gaps and variations in the performance of pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in the Reception class with skills and knowledge typical for their age. As a result of the caring, supportive and nurturing environment provided for them, they make a smooth transition to school. They very quickly settle to class routines with most children demonstrating increasing confidence and high levels of motivation.  Good progress is made in all areas of learning including speaking and listening, early reading and writing and number skills. Children make excellent progress in their personal and social development. They willingly join in new experiences and increasingly explore different situations. For example, in an excellent Reception class lesson, children carried out by themselves measuring activities linked to measuring toys that would fit in a special Christmas box.  By the end of the Reception Year most children reach or exceed expected levels and, as a result, are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in Years 1 and 2 build upon the good start made in the Reception Year. All pupils make at least good progress, with the most able pupils, including some pupils who speak English as an additional language, making rapid and sustained progress. While the progress of lower-ability pupils is good, the pattern of progress is sometimes more variable for this group.  Most pupils make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) and this improves their reading skills. Results from the Year 1 phonic screening test show that the vast majority of pupils reach the required standard. Year-on-year data show that the gap in achievement for specific groups, including those with special educational needs, is closing.  By the end of Year 2, levels of attainment are well-above average with the most able pupils, including a number who speak English is an additional language, achieving at very high levels

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The achievement of pupils is good

compared to those seen nationally.  This pattern of progress continues into Key Stage 2 with almost all pupils making at least the progress expected of them. The most able pupils continue to make rapid progress and levels of achievement are well above those expected in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school has few pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium funding. However, funds are used well to support those who are entitled to this support and so they do as well as their classmates and better than similar pupils nationally. Data show that over time the gap in attainment is closing and typically these pupils are only a term behind in their reading skills.  Numbers of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs are small. Pupils generally make good progress towards individual targets. However, achievement in 2013 at the end of Key Stage 1 showed rates of progress in reading to be slower than in previous years. This

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The achievement of pupils is good

reflects the specific and often complex needs of pupils as well as a few pupils at an early stage of acquiring English as an additional language.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils are motivated by the usually challenging and interesting activities. In some lessons, information on the progress made by some of the least-able pupils and those with special educational needs is not used to pitch activities in lessons at just the right level. Consequently, some of the tasks these pupils undertake are too difficult.  Pupils’ relationships with each other and with staff are excellent. As a result, they are keen and want to learn as much as they can.  In those lessons where pupils make at least good progress, effective use of questioning is helps teachers to gauge pupils’ level of understanding. Learning is then skilfully adapted to build upon existing knowledge, skills and understanding. For example, in a Year 4 mathematics lesson based on probability, pupils made excellent progress in following instructions and systematically recording data in table form to show all the potential number combinations linked to the

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The quality of teaching is good

throwing of a dice.  Over time, pupils have had the benefit of consistently good teaching which is reflected in their good and sometimes outstanding achievement and progress.  Teachers provide very detailed and high quality verbal and written advice to pupils and so they are very well informed about how well they have achieved and how they could improve their work. There are many examples of pupils responding to these comments and learning from their mistakes.  The teaching seen in Reception succeeded in supporting children to make good use of both the indoor and outdoor learning environments. Children are confident and are at ease with exploring new things as a result of the effective support and guidance they receive. A good balance between activities chosen by adults and those chosen by children is assured with the highly skilled and timely intervention of teachers and teaching assistants to move children’s learning

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 A welcoming, supportive ethos is evident across all areas of the school. Pupils, parents, teachers and governors are all proud to be part of the school community. Everyone genuinely cares about the school and values the excellent nurturing and inclusive environment it provides.  Pupils from a wide range of cultural backgrounds report that they are happy in school and that they all get along well with each other both in lessons and when playing together.  Attitudes to learning are excellent. All pupils are keen and eager to learn and, as a result, lessons progress without interruption. Pupils show sustained levels of concentration across all subjects and they are keen to develop their knowledge and skills.  Many lessons reflect high levels of co-operation as pupils work collaboratively together on joint tasks. They listen to and value the contributions their classmates make to learning activities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Across the school pupils are polite, considerate and treat each other with respect and courtesy.  Pupils state they enjoy their time in school. They feel very safe and secure and firmly believe that bullying does not happen in their school. Pupils also believe that all adults in school will listen to and act upon any concerns they have.  They enjoy taking on responsibilities such as class representatives and acting as school buddies. They particularly like looking after younger children at break and lunch times. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the extensive range of educational visits, sporting activities and opportunities to take part in residential visits.  Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. The responses from Parent View and from letters received from parents confirm that their children feel safe and enjoy school.  Pupils are very aware of their own personal safety. They are very well-informed about the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

importance of e-safety and what to do to stay safe when using the Internet.  Attendance rates are above average with very little persistent absenteeism. Punctuality is also very good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The inspirational headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, has established a highly positive ethos of success within the school. She demonstrates a clear commitment for continuous school improvement.  Since the last inspection, the school has improved consistently year on year with continued high levels of attainment in core aspects of reading, writing and mathematics. However, a pattern of rapid and sustained achievement for all pupil groups has yet to be attained.  All staff, both teaching and non-teaching staff, participate in appraisal and have targets linked to the school’s priorities. Training, through professional development, is on-going and again linked to school priorities. Staff expertise is used well but it is not used fully across the school, for example in modelling outstanding teaching to others in order to raise the quality of teaching overall to outstanding.  Good use is made of additional resources, such as the pupil premium funding, to support pupils

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The leadership and management are good

in a variety of ways, including through one-to-one help and homework clubs. As a result, the gap in the achievement and progress of some groups of pupils, including those with special education needs, with those of others is closing. Systems to monitor pupils’ achievement and progress are good. Regular pupil progress meetings between senior leaders and class teachers highlight the on-going progress of all pupils. As a result, pupils with specific needs are identified and they receive additional support. However, progress data are not always used sufficiently at classroom level to engage lower-ability pupils and those with specific needs in their work so that they make more rapid gains in their learning.  The curriculum is outstanding as it offers pupils many exciting and interesting opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding. Pupils’ achievement and their rates of progress are enhanced by the many educational visits linked to topics. Colourful displays around the school

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The leadership and management are good

reflect the pupils’ positive response. Additional sporting, musical and environmental after-school clubs expand the rich curriculum on offer.  The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding and is evident across all aspects of school life. The school celebrates its cultural diversity exceptionally well and is firmly committed to ensuring every pupil has an equal opportunity; discrimination is not tolerated.  Pupils’ participation in sport and physical well-being is strong. Excellent use is made of additional sport funding to promote physical development and encourage pupils to adopt a healthy life style. In addition to curriculum sport and physical education lessons, pupils have access to a wide range of extra-curricular sporting clubs including football, gymnastics, dance, cheer leading and Tae Kwan Do.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements and child protection procedures, site security,

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The leadership and management are good

risk assessments and staff recruitment are thorough. Training for designated staff is up to date.  The local authority, through its assigned school improvement partner, meets regularly with the senior leaders. They work together closely to judge the effectiveness of provision and help the school identify its current strengths and areas for further development.  The governance of the school:  Governors’ knowledge of the school is impressive. They are very well informed about the school and its strengths and current priority areas for further development. Governors provide high levels of support and challenge in equal measure.  Governors have effective systems to review the performance of staff, including that of the headteacher and are involved in determining teachers’ levels of pay. Governors have an excellent knowledge and understanding of additional pupil premium funding and are actively involved in the monitoring of its impact. Over time, governors have used their personal

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The leadership and management are good

expertise to support the work of the school in areas such as finance and health and safety. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.

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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 108443 Local authority Newcastle Upon Tyne Inspection number 425929

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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 4–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 221 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alun Jones Headteacher Helen McKenna Date of previous school inspection 18 November 2008 Telephone number 0191 285 5141 Fax number 0191 284 9507 Email address helen.mckenna@broadway.newcastle.sch.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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