Sea View Primary School

Sea View Primary School Norham Avenue, South Shields, Tyne and Wear NE34 7TD

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher leads the school effectively. Since her appointment, she has developed a strong staff team who have driven improvements strongly. She is supported well by senior and middle leaders.  The curriculum is extremely rich, creative and stimulating. Subject leaders ensure that pupils are developing their subject-specific knowledge.  Leaders place a strong emphasis on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have a good understanding of British values.  Teachers use their secure subject knowledge to plan creative and exciting lessons for pupils. Teaching assistants plan and work closely with teachers and contribute significantly to pupils’ learning.  Pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics has been above average at the end of key stages 1 and 2 over time. Attainment and progress of current pupils in each year group is variable.  Most parents/carers are positive about the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school, praising strong communication and their children’s progress. A small proportion of parents shared concerns relating to pupils’ behaviour and bullying.  Children in early years make a strong start to their education. They thrive in the purposeful, inviting and nurturing learning environment. Children make strong progress and are prepared exceptionally well for Year 1.  Pupils do not build progressively on their exceptional start in early years. The expectations of what pupils can achieve are not as consistently high in key stage 1 as in the early years.  Pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. They make good progress from their starting points.  Governors are forward-thinking. They seek to constantly improve their own knowledge and skills and thus provide effective challenge and support for school leaders.  Although improving, the proportions of pupils who are absent or persistently absent are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

worse than the national averages. Term-time holidays have a negative impact on pupils’ achievements over time.  Although reducing, the proportion of pupils in receipt of fixed-term exclusions is greater than the national average.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Leaders and managers, including governors, should improve pupils’ attendance by: – ensuring that pupils, from all pupil groups, attend school more regularly so that attendance is at least in line with the national average – continuing to reduce the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent, so that it is at least in line with the national average – reducing the number of holidays pupils take in term time – reducing the number of fixed-term exclusions so that these at least reflect the national average.  Ensure that teachers capitalise on the strong start that children make in early years to enable pupils to make consistent progress across the school by: – having higher expectations of what pupils can achieve, particularly in key stage 1 – further strengthening the transition between Reception and Year 1.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since her appointment in September 2018, the headteacher has led the school effectively. She works collaboratively with the deputy headteacher and governors who share her determined vision to provide pupils with high-quality education and care. A notable strength of the senior leaders is that they accurately identify the strengths of the school and promptly work with staff on any priorities for development.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher have successfully supported other senior and middle leaders, by providing high-quality professional development and training. Leaders say that they are trusted to drive forward new initiatives and the strong staff team eagerly embrace the changes that leaders make. For example, ‘digital literacy’ has been successfully implemented in this way, resulting in pupils building upon their existing traditional literacy skills. Staff morale is high, with staff being overwhelmingly

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

positive about the school’s effectiveness.  Most parents who shared their views about the school during the inspection praised the school’s work. They particularly appreciate the support provided for their children and the approachability of the staff. A small number of parents shared concerns about the school, mainly relating to the way in which staff deal with behaviour issues. The school behaviour incident log shows that school leaders record behaviour issues, no matter how small. This has resulted in a large number of incidents being logged this academic year. Leaders document their prompt actions, including their discussions with pupils and parents, and make follow-up checks on selected incidents.  The curriculum has been carefully planned with a clear purpose for learning. It supports pupils to develop their knowledge effectively, so that they have a good recall when they are required to use their knowledge again. Leaders ensure that pupils study

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and compare a range of different faiths in religious education. Pupils can describe the similarities and differences between various religions. Pupils have a strong understanding of the fundamental British values.  Senior leaders make good use of the additional funding that they receive for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders adapt the pupil premium strategy on an annual basis, planning bespoke support to meet the needs of the pupils.  Leaders manage the provision for pupils with SEND effectively. Additional funding received for this group of pupils is focused sharply on their needs. Although the attainment of pupils with SEND is lower than the national average by the end of each key stage, their progress in English and mathematics is good across key stage 1.  The additional funding for physical education (PE) and sport is used effectively. Leaders have used the funding to purchase high-quality sports equipment and to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

develop the skills of teachers through close working with sports coaches. Leaders encourage high pupil participation in a range of physical activities and sports. Football, athletics, multi-sports, orienteering and a dance festival have all featured this year.

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Governance of the school

 Governors bring a broad range of skills, knowledge and experiences to their roles, which makes them, collectively, a strong governing body. They regularly evaluate their effectiveness by carrying out an audit of governor skills. Any gaps that they identify are used to inform their choices when appointing new governors. Governors are very proud that they were awarded recognised accreditation for their practice. They state that working towards the award helped them to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses as a group, supporting them to become even stronger.  Governors check that leaders’ spending of additional funding for pupils with SEND and for disadvantaged pupils is supporting these groups to achieve well and make strong progress.  Governors take their role in the school community very seriously. They check the results of parent surveys and make themselves available on parents’ evenings to

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Governance of the school

enable parents to discuss or share written views or queries with them. They also attend regular and relevant safeguarding training to ensure that they have a sharp overview of information about safeguarding systems, the safety of the building, recruitment of staff and safeguarding policies.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have detailed records relating to checks on the suitability of adults who work, or volunteer to work, with children. Leaders and governors scrutinise these procedures and records to make sure they are fit for purpose.  Leaders ensure that staff and governors access a wide range of training so that they are aware of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. This includes raising staff awareness of specific safeguarding matters such as radicalisation or child sexual exploitation. Staff understand the procedures well when dealing with a concern or disclosure made by a child and are aware of the clear guidelines they must follow.  Pupils say that they feel safe and are taught how to stay safe, including when online. Pupils can talk about what they learned during internet-safety week or anti-bullying week. Pupils described the importance of their ‘emergency lockdown’ training and

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Safeguarding

practice fire drills. One pupil commented: ‘You can’t just run around panicking. You need to know what to do’.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Senior leaders frequently check the quality of teaching and learning. They accurately identify strengths and provide teachers with useful feedback to help them to improve their teaching.  Pupils work collaboratively and concentrate well in lessons. Teaching assistants work effectively with teachers to have a strong understanding of what pupils need to be learning in lessons. This enables them to provide suitable and timely support to pupils who need additional or targeted help.  Teachers and teaching assistants have secure subject knowledge and use questioning carefully to check pupils’ understanding. Adults plan work that is relevant to pupils’ learning in other subjects. For example, pupils in key stage 1 regularly solve mathematical problems based on the stories they are reading, while older pupils constructed graphs based on the early ascents of Mount Everest based on a topic about explorers. Pupils are able to write at length across a range of subjects.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The teaching of phonics is good in early years and key stage 1. Adults are systematic in teaching pupils their letters and sounds. Pupils have access to high-quality texts matched well to their abilities. This enables them to apply their phonic skills effectively to read with confidence and fluency.  Although teaching is generally strong across the school, on occasion, work set for pupils does not match their abilities. Work in pupils’ books in some year groups shows variability in levels of challenge and expectation of what pupils can do. As a result, pupils’ progress is also variable across the school.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The strong relationships which exist help pupils to feel valued. This helps them to contribute confidently in lessons, answer questions enthusiastically and work well with their peers. Consequently, pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning, which support them to make good progress.  Pupils say that they feel safe and that they are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. They state that bullying is not a problem, but if it was, they trust that adults would deal with the issue and support them with their concerns. The majority of parents who gave their views during the inspection say that any bullying is dealt with effectively.  Pupils are proud of their school. They have many opportunities to undertake a range of responsibilities or develop their leadership skills. Pupils speak with pride about being a

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Personal development and welfare

buddy, eco-warrior, peer mediator or a school councillor. The school councillors talk with enthusiasm of the improvements they have initiated to the playground – for example, artificial grass, a shelter and a friendship corner. Inspectors witnessed a happy atmosphere when pupils were using these areas at breaktimes.  Pupils enjoy the happy, lively environment in breakfast club. Pupils are cared for and are provided with a wide selection of healthy food and drinks. They enjoy the activities that are on offer and play together cooperatively. The breakfast club provides a positive start to the school day.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils display good manners to each other, staff and visitors. For example, pupils hold doors open for each other or say, ‘You’re welcome,’ when thanked.  When pupils move between classes and at breaktimes, the atmosphere is calm and orderly, with children being friendly towards each other. Pupils take a pride in their work and their handwriting and presentation in books is of a high standard. Indeed, some written work, particularly by the most able pupils, is exemplary.  Behaviour for learning in classrooms is strong, with pupils working well together and showing respect for each other’s opinions. Staff promote high expectations of how pupils should behave, and pupils rise to these within lessons and around school. Staff understand the systems in place to deal with any pupils who have emotional or behavioural difficulties. Staff follow these systems consistently across the school and

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Behaviour

provide appropriate support for pupils during lessons.  Pupils say that some name-calling occurs, but adults take this matter seriously and deal with issues immediately. Behaviour logs show that the leaders record these incidents and take appropriate action. They also show, however, that the proportion of extreme behaviour instances leading to fixed-term exclusions were above the national average last academic year. The leaders took pivotal action and there have been fewer of these exclusions this academic year. Despite this reduction, however, fixed-term exclusions remain higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils who are absent, including those who are persistently absent, is higher than average. The headteacher and governors take a resolute stance about term-time holidays. Despite this, these holidays contribute notably to above-average absenteeism. Decisive action by leaders has resulted in some improvement in

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Behaviour

attendance, compared to the same period last year. However, attendance remains below average and there are still too many pupils who frequently miss school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stages 1 and 2 has been above the national average at expected and higher standards for three years.  In 2018, pupils’ progress across key stage 2 was well above average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. In 2018, boys’ attainment and progress in writing was weaker than in other subjects and below those of other pupil groups. Leaders wasted no time in tackling this issue. Books show that boys currently in school are making good progress, with no significant difference in attainment between boys and girls across the school.  Pupils acquire phonic knowledge well and apply their phonic skills in their reading and writing across the curriculum. The proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been above the national average for three years. The proportion of pupils currently working within the expected standard in

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Outcomes for pupils Good

phonics in Year 1 is broadly average.  Pupils’ work in books and the school’s own assessment information shows that although pupils’ progress for current pupils across the school is good overall, there is some variability between year groups and subjects. Work in books indicates that in some year groups work is not sufficiently challenging because pupils are given work that they already know or can do.  Although attainment for pupils with SEND has been below the national average at the end of key stage 2 over time in reading, writing and mathematics, the progress made by this pupil group has been above average. This stems from the strong support that pupils with SEND receive from teachers and teaching assistants.  By the end of key stage 2 in 2018, and over time, progress made by disadvantaged pupils was above average. Leaders use the additional funding well, providing effective support within lessons. The progress of current disadvantaged pupils is similar to that

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Early years provision Outstanding

 The Nursery and Reception years are exceptionally well led. The early years leader ensures that all staff build warm and nurturing relationships with children and have clear roles and responsibilities. All adults plan work which takes into account accurate assessments of children’s early development. The early years curriculum entices children and ignites their curiosity.  Most children enter Nursery with skills that are below, with some significantly below, those typical for their age. Children settle quickly due to the well-established routines and the high expectations that staff have of all children, no matter what their starting points. Staff provide appropriate challenge and this leads to children making strong progress in all areas of learning and the basic skills, preparing them exceptionally well for Year 1.  The proportion of children attaining a good level of development has improved over the

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Early years provision Outstanding

last three years, to be above the national average in 2018. Some children make exceptional progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Over time, the proportion of children reaching the higher standards, from very low starting points, is in line with national averages and continuing to improve.  Children make such a strong start to their education because they experience an exciting, challenging and well-structured learning environment and curriculum. For example, the children participated confidently in a wide range of practical activities relating to the story of ‘The Gingerbread Man’. They baked their own gingerbread people biscuits, wrote out the list of ingredients needed for the recipe, wrote a recount of the story and produced related artwork. Adults then used questioning highly effectively to enable children to reflect on their learning and deepen their thinking.  Adults plan a selection of reading, writing and mathematical opportunities for pupils to

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Early years provision Outstanding

explore independently both indoors and outdoors. Pupils developed their speaking, listening, communication and mathematical skills when ‘buying and selling’ items at the ‘ice cream shop’. They counted, sorted, estimated and measured in the mathematics area, and had several opportunities to write, including completing forms in the ‘police station’ role-play area. Consequently, children make exceptional progress in these areas throughout their time in early years.  All statutory safeguarding and health and safety duties are met, with no breach of the early years welfare requirements. Children behave exceptionally well because adults set clear boundaries and teach the children to follow instructions respectfully. As a result, children work collaboratively and play harmoniously.  The links between the early years practitioners and parents are excellent. For example, throughout the year, parents are able to get involved in their child’s learning through

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Early years provision Outstanding

‘stay and play’ sessions, parental workshops and home/school diaries. Parents give high praise for early years, with one parent writing: ‘The quality of teaching and activities is outstanding. The staff are excellent and very caring with the children.’

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address info@seaview.s-tyneside.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 July 2018

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed.  Sea View Primary School is larger than the average-sized school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.  The school is in an area of high deprivation.  The school runs a breakfast club and after-school club activities for its pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups. Some of the observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and early years leader.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, middle leaders, staff, groups of pupils, members of the governing body and the school improvement officer from the local authority.  Inspectors, together with leaders, viewed a range of pupils’ books from all year groups and a range of subjects.  Inspectors listened to a group of pupils reading.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day to gather their views about the school. Inspectors took into account 56 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, together with free-text responses. Inspectors also considered 37 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Documents were reviewed, including the school’s development plan, self-evaluation document and the single central record for employment checks. Inspectors also

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Information about this inspection

scrutinised documents relating to safeguarding, information about pupils’ attendance, their attainment and progress, behaviour and exclusion logs, governing body meeting minutes and school improvement officer reports.

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Inspection team

Alison Aitchison, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Dawson Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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