Canning Street Primary School

Canning Street Primary School Wellfield Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE4 8PA

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher provides excellent leadership and an ambitious vision for the future of the school. Teamwork is excellent; all staff and governors are determined in their efforts to get the best for and from every pupil.  Pupils achieve well and make good progress during their time in school. An increasing proportion makes outstanding progress.  Teaching is good. Teachers know their pupils well, so learning is well matched to their needs in nearly all lessons. This helps pupils become successful learners and motivates them to work hard.  Children get off to a good start in Nursery and Reception classes, particularly in developing their personal and social skills. Excellent care and well- planned routines help them become confident, curious learners who delight in finding things out for themselves.  Pupils’ outstanding behaviour makes this a happy, welcoming school where all are able to do their best. Pupils show respect and consideration for

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

each other from the earliest age. They enjoy learning and are eager to please their teachers.  Excellent pastoral care from all staff creates a warm, safe environment where pupils are able to flourish. Pupils say they feel safe and know that all adults would help them if they had a problem.  The rich curriculum gives pupils many exciting and memorable learning experiences in and out of school. This supports their excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Parents value the many opportunities they have to join in their children’s learning and to learn how to support their children at home.  Senior and middle leaders skilfully monitor the school’s work and implement effective plans for improvements to the curriculum, teaching and pupils’ progress.  Governors are very well informed about teaching, learning and how well pupils achieve. They are passionate about making the school the best it can

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

be so that it fully serves the local community.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Children in Reception do not always make rapid enough progress in their writing skills, which prevents some of them from getting a good start in Year 1.  Progress in phonics is slowed for some pupils because groups are too large to allow teachers to deliver activities that target the correct level of learning for all pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 22 lessons or parts of lessons, three of which were jointly observed with senior staff.  Discussions were held with members of the governing body, senior and middle leaders, staff and pupils.  Inspectors observed the school at work and looked at a range of documentation, including that relating to the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures, information about pupils’ progress and attainment, the school’s evaluation of its own performance and the school development plan.  Inspectors examined pupils’ work on display and in their exercise books from this and the previous year. They listened to pupils from Year 2 and Year 6 read.  There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, so inspectors took account of the school’s recent surveys of parents’ views. Inspectors also took account of 54 questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Moira Fitzpatrick, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-size primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is high. The pupil premium provides additional funding for disadvantaged pupils and pupils looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs at school action is high; the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The vast majority of pupils are from Asian, Asian British or Romany/Gypsy heritages. Over 80% of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The school met the government’s current floor standards in 2013. These are minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The school experiences a high level of pupil movement in and out during each year. This is well above the national average and can account for 40% of the pupils in school in any one year. Much of this movement

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Information about this school

is accounted for by pupils arriving from overseas.  The school has experienced a higher than usual turnover in staff since the previous inspection, through promotion and retirement. Just under half of the teachers in the school have been appointed since then.  Since the previous inspection the school has opened provision for two-years-olds on site. The Clever Tots provision offers places to 20 children to help prepare them for Nursery.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further raise attainment in phonics knowledge (the sounds that letters and sounds make) by the end of Year 2 and in writing in the Nursery and Reception classes by: - reviewing teaching groups for phonics to ensure that all groups of children from Reception to Year 2 are taught at the correct level to ensure they make the best possible progress from their starting points - ensuring that planned activities for writing provide enough opportunities for children in the Nursery and Reception to apply their phonics knowledge by writing for different purposes each day.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher’s vision and ambition for the school have developed a range of new provision and forged excellent links with neighbouring schools since the previous inspection. This has added much to the already outstanding pastoral provision and is helping to accelerate pupils’ progress through sharing good practice and by getting children into early learning in the recently introduced Clever Tots provision. Staff who have joined the school since the previous inspection have been very well supported to develop their skills and manage the learning of complex groups.  Leaders and managers at all levels, including governors, demonstrate the determination to constantly improve the school. Their monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance is rigorous, accurate and used effectively to identify where further improvement is needed. Since the previous inspection there has been an increase in the proportion of pupils exceeding the expected rate of progress, and gaps between

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The leadership and management are outstanding

the performance of different groups have been reduced. Attendance has improved to average and the school has developed excellent partnerships with parents in all year groups.  The school has developed excellent systems to track pupils’ learning, so that any slowing in progress is quickly spotted and remedial action is taken. Regular progress meetings between teachers and senior leaders identify pupils who need either extra support or challenge to maintain a good rate of progress over time. This supports the school’s excellent commitment to equal opportunities.  Middle leaders effectively monitor the school’s work and accurately identify appropriate programmes for improvement. For example, the English and mathematics leaders have set targets for improvement in pupils’ recall of number facts and in their writing skills in the current year. Excellent teamwork, professional dialogue and the determination to get the best for every pupil ensures school-wide support

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The leadership and management are outstanding

for continuous improvement including to the quality of teaching. Responses to staff questionnaires show that morale is high across the school.  Staff performance is well managed with clear targets and priorities. All staff understand their accountability for the progress their pupils make. They are well supported in school by phase leaders and through regular training opportunities to help them reach their targets.  The excellent curriculum is well-planned to foster pupils’ interests and talents through its diverse thematic format. The school makes excellent use of the many cultures represented in its community to give pupils the broadest possible experience of modern British society. Links through the Erasmus project give pupils regular contact with teachers and pupils from other countries. The curriculum is very well structured to provide pupils with frequent opportunities to consolidate their literacy and numeracy skills. The richness

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and diversity of the curriculum provides excellent opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Additional funding for sport is used very well to increase pupils’ participation in sport – both in the many and varied after-schools clubs attended by children from Reception to Year 6 and in developing a range of sporting fixtures with other schools. The appointment of a part-time specialist has provided good-quality coaching for staff so that developments are sustainable into the future. There is a very high uptake from all age groups for after-school clubs so that the school day flows naturally on till 4.30pm, when long queues of parents arrive to collect their children.  The school makes excellent links with parents and goes to great lengths to involve them in the life of the school and their children’s learning. For example, they are frequently invited to join Family Learning

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The leadership and management are outstanding

courses or Stay and Play sessions to learn how best to support their children’s learning out of school. Many parents are volunteers in the school and make a good contribution to the well-being of groups of children. Parent surveys show that they are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and recognise that their suggestions are valued and acted upon.  Pupil premium is used well to support disadvantaged pupils to make the same good progress as their peers from their starting points at the end of Year 2. School data shows that disadvantaged pupils who attend the school from the start of Year 3 to the end of Year 6 close the gap in attainment between them and non-disadvantaged pupils in the school and nationally. They make the best progress in reading and mathematics, where the proportion exceeding expected progress exceeds the figure for non- disadvantaged pupils nationally.  The local authority provides light touch, effective support for this successful school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school: - Governors are very well informed about the school’s performance, the quality of teaching and how additional pupil premium funding is used to narrow the gap between the attainment of pupils eligible for the funding and others in the school. They visit the school regularly to monitor its work and undertake regular training to maintain their effectiveness. They ensure improvements to teaching by holding teachers to account for the progress their pupils make, only rewarding those who fully meet their targets. Governors ensure that statutory safeguarding requirements are met and that finances are very well managed so that there are good levels of staffing and resources to support pupils’ learning.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding in and out of the classroom. Pupils look after each other very well because they are set an excellent example by all staff in the school. They are kind and considerate to each other, to staff and visitors.  Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They are resilient and determined to succeed; they take pride in their work and will keep trying even if at first they find work difficult. As one Year 6 pupil put it, ‘We work hard because we know that education is important and we will do well if we keep going. We know that we all achieve by working as a team.’  Pupils are taught to understand the need for tolerance in their highly diverse school community. They are accepting of differences in culture and beliefs, and are extremely welcoming and supportive of children who join the school during the year. They quickly learn to uphold British values of fairness and the rules

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Behaviour

and structures that keep everyone safe. This is seen clearly in the harmonious, happy atmosphere in the playground.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Staff are well trained to spot any changes in pupils’ mood or performance. Pupils whose circumstances place them at risk of becoming vulnerable are very effectively monitored by staff. Rigorous systems ensure concerns are promptly and thoroughly investigated.  Pastoral care is excellent. It creates a happy, secure school where every pupil feels safe and valued. Carefully thought-out systems ensure that pupils who join during the school year are well supported to cope with often big changes in their lives. Class teachers are careful to assign a buddy to new entrants who can speak their language and help them become familiar with school routines.  Pupils are well taught to assess risks to their well-being from an early age, including those associated with the internet. They are taught to assess the behaviour of others and recognise that bullying is different

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Safety

from ‘letting off steam’ in the playground. Older pupils say that bullying would, ‘break the team and spoil the school’. They have absolute confidence in adults to solve problems and keep them safe.  Pupils relish taking on responsibilities for helping the school to run smoothly and in caring for other children in the playground. They feel they have a say in the school’s development and that their ideas are listened to. These experiences help to prepare them very well for the next stage of learning.  Attendance has improved well in the last year and is now close to the national average.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The headteacher and phase leaders monitor lessons and pupils’ progress rigorously to identify and share good practice with all staff. There is prompt support to help teachers improve their practice, so that there is very little teaching that requires improvement, and an increasing proportion that is outstanding.  Teachers know their pupils’ needs well through regular and meticulous marking of their work. This ensures that they generally plan activities which match the needs of all groups of pupils, so they make good progress each lesson. They also use the knowledge they gain of pupils’ weaknesses to set targets for improvement and give pupils time to make improvements to raise the level of their work. Examples of this were seen in books in all classes, demonstrating that the care staff take with marking and advice to pupils really accelerates progress.  Good questioning during lessons checks that pupils understand what is being taught and are able to work

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The quality of teaching is good

independently. The more able pupils in a Year 6 mathematics lesson on problem solving were very well supported by the teacher and teaching assistant who moved quickly alongside individual pupils to develop their thinking. This allowed the majority of pupils to exceed expected progress in the lesson and begin working at the higher level. Progress in mathematics is accelerating across the school because teachers plan daily sessions to help pupils improve their recall of number facts.  Pupils are given a simple description of what they are expected to learn in the lesson so they are clear about what they have to do. Teachers also signal their high expectations by showing pupils what they need to do to make better than expected progress in the lesson. This fires pupils’ enthusiasm and they apply themselves very well to tasks so that they please their teacher by making good progress.  Lessons are well structured and adapted to match the age and stage of pupils’ learning. For example,

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils in Year 2 made rapid progress in their writing lesson, when the teacher helped them remember the story by showing illustrations from the book. Pupils helped the teacher write a caption for the picture, while she in turn reminded them how to sound out words to help their spelling and writing. Pupils were engrossed and worked with great confidence when it came to writing on their own because of such skilful preparation for writing.  The teaching of early literacy skills, especially of phonics is not as effective as it could be in promoting good progress for all pupils in the Reception class, and classes in Years 1 and 2. There are too few groups to ensure that teaching is pitched at the correct level for all pupils in these classes, so that sometimes the most able are not learning fast enough and the least able cannot keep up. This slower learning of how words are formed has a negative impact on pupils’ ability to write independently.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are well trained to give effective support in class and when teaching groups directly within the class.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is good for pupils regardless of their starting points or when they join the school. This is because the school has robust systems to assess pupils’ needs whenever they join the school and a good level of staffing to ensure that pupils are supported as soon as their needs are known. Progress in recent years has been above the national average for the expected level and above the level in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils leaving Year 6.  The proportion of pupils that reached the expected standard in phonics in 2013 was above the national average. Results this year show a dip to below average.  Pupils make good progress from their starting points to the end of Year 2. While overall attainment at the end of Year 2 is below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics overall, many pupils do reach the expected standards, and those who do not continue to receive sustained support as they move

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The achievement of pupils is good

up the school.  Pupils’ performance in national tests at the end of Year 6 varies year on year, often depending on the proportions of pupils who join the school speaking English as an additional language after the start of Year 5. In 2013, performance in reading, writing and mathematics was at the national average. The proportion of pupils who made, or exceeded expected progress from Year 2, was above national averages. This represents good and sometimes outstanding progress.  Unvalidated results for the 2014 Year 6 show a slight decline in overall attainment from the previous year. However, analysis of results shows that this is linked to the attainment of almost one-quarter of the cohort who joined the school close to the end of Year 5 or during Year 6. The attainment of these pupils was below that of other pupils and reduced overall performance, which otherwise would have been above average. Progress for the cohort overall was good, with a good proportion of pupils making outstanding

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress from their starting points.  Pupils who join the school after the start of the school year are very well supported to settle into learning alongside their classmates. Their needs are carefully assessed and good-quality provision is made to help them overcome any barriers to their learning and ensure that they make good progress from their starting points.  Pupils’ reading skills develop well as a result of frequent reading sessions which target improving individual skills. By Year 6 the vast majority of pupils read with good understanding and pleasure. They explain their preferences in reading well and are grateful that the school provides such a wide choice of books to satisfy their needs. For some pupils, in the Reception class and Years 1 and 2, reading skills are not developed as quickly as they could be. This is because the organisation of groups for learning about phonics is not based closely enough on the levels of ability of all pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Writing is well promoted in all subjects from Year 1 onwards so that pupils are able to write confidently for different purposes as they move through the school. Examples of good quality writing about the Second World War were seen in Year 6 pupils’ books, while in other classes pupils use their developing skills by writing about their learning in history, geography and science.  The school’s recent focus on improving pupils’ knowledge of number is raising standards in mathematics. Regular sessions help pupils to recall key number facts quickly so they are able to calculate more accurately and progress more quickly in lessons.  The most able pupils are increasingly well challenged, especially in some Key Stage 2 classes, where teachers are ambitious to stretch their thinking and set challenging tasks and targets. Overall, the most able pupils currently achieve better in mathematics than they do in English.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs are supported to make similar progress to their peers in most lessons. This is not always the case for these, and the lower attaining, pupils when learning about phonics and developing early reading and writing skills. Currently, groups in classes from Reception to Year 2 are too large and pupils’ needs are not well met because teaching is aimed at too high a level for them to keep up. The school has these setting arrangements under review.  Pupil premium funds are effectively used to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make the same good progress as other pupils in the school. However, their attainment in 2013 was below that of other pupils in the school and below all pupils nationally by about three terms in reading, and mathematics and by four terms in writing.

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The early years provision is good

 Children enter the Nursery with skills below those typical for their age. For a high proportion of children their literacy and communication skills are hampered because they speak English as an additional language. This significantly slows their learning when they start school until they acquire enough English to understand and respond to adult talk. Nevertheless, by the end of Reception, children have made good progress, especially in their personal and social skills and in their confidence to explore and find out for themselves. The proportion achieving a good level of development is increasing year on year, though it remains below the national average when they start Year 1.  The learning environment is exceptionally well-planned to provide interesting experiences in all areas of learning indoors and out. Teaching is good. Adults work alongside children effectively helping them to develop their ideas and follow their interests. Many children show excellent listening and attention skills.

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The early years provision is good

However, leaders are aware that adults do not always seize opportunities to engage them in dialogue to develop their understanding of English and help them to extend their vocabulary quickly and are addressing this. Literacy skills are not as well developed as they might be because planned activities for writing do not provide enough opportunities for children to apply their phonics knowledge by writing for different purposes each day.  Leadership and management are highly effective in devising and managing rigorous systems to keep children safe and secure, which are reviewed regularly. Children’s excellent behaviour and willingness to share demonstrate how well staff have established high expectations and good routines. Leadership is skilled at encouraging parents to support their children’s learning through weekly workshops, weekly reading sessions and Stay and Play sessions.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 108461 Local authority Newcastle Upon Tyne Inspection number 448359

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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 472 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Bill Muir Headteacher Heather Campbell Date of previous school inspection 16 March 2010 Telephone number 0191 273 5465 Fax number 0191 273 6568 Email address admin@canning.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 and 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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