Dubmire Primary

Inspection of Dubmire Primary Britannia Terrace, Fence Houses, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear DH4 6HL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected 25–26 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their vibrant and welcoming school. Teachers care about pupils and expect them to work hard and succeed. This makes pupils feel happy and safe. Pupils achieve well in a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are tolerant, respectful and well behaved. They understand the importance of following the school’s rules. Pupils believe that their teachers are fair when they reward good conduct or address misbehaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy responsibilities such as ‘eco warrior’ or school parliament member. They take these roles seriously. Pupils are proud of the action they have taken to make changes to their school. For example, they have reduced the use of plastic.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate a wide range of cultural visits, including to Paris and London. Residential visits also include outdoor sports and skiing. Pupils enjoy after-school sports clubs and breakfast club.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors that bullying rarely happens at their school. Pupils are confident that adults will deal with any incidents if they occur.

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better?

The headteacher is new to the school. She understands the school’s strengths and weaknesses. She has gained the respect of pupils, staff and parents.

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better?

Leaders have created a climate where pupils feel confident, behave appropriately and achieve well. Teachers plan a wide range of educational visits and activities to complement the academic curriculum. These help pupils to develop a wider view of the world and the different cultures within it.

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better?

Leaders have improved the quality of education. They have reviewed the plans for what pupils will learn in each subject. Staff are relentless in their motivation to deliver these plans well. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They make sure that pupils go back to important topics. Staff help pupils to make connections between their learning. Pupils can explain how their previous learning helps them to attempt new work. For example, in mathematics, pupils used their knowledge of place value to do column addition. Pupils learn the rules of English grammar and make use of these to write accurately. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain at least as well as other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. The curriculum in other subjects, such as science and history, is also planned and taught effectively. This helps pupils to achieve well.

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better?

Teachers encourage pupils to have high expectations of themselves. Pupils know the standards they are capable of reaching. Teachers support them to learn well. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support in lessons so that they achieve well. 25–26 September 2019

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In the early years, children settle well and gain confidence. They enjoy the outdoor learning in the woodland. Children often join Nursery with communication skills which are below those typical for their age. Sometimes, children in Nursery play alongside each other without talking. During these times, adults do not do enough to support children to develop their language. Children begin the Reception Year with communication and language skills lower than they should be. However, adults help children to catch up quickly during their time in the Reception class. Pupils start Year 1 with the reading, writing and mathematics knowledge that they need.

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Leaders want every pupil to learn to read, regardless of their needs or abilities. Children get off to a strong start with phonics as soon as they arrive in Reception. Phonics teaching is effective across Reception and key stage 1. Pupils in the earliest stages of reading have reading books which match their abilities. Pupils confidently sound out unfamiliar words when reading. Their phonic knowledge helps them to spell words accurately when they write. Some pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not know how to spell trickier words that can’t be sounded out. For example, they struggle to spell words such as ‘said’ or ‘what’.

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Teachers introduce new and important vocabulary to pupils. However, teachers do not make sure that pupils remember this vocabulary. Pupils use new words when they first learn them but cannot recall and make use of those words over time.

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The chief executive officer (CEO) works closely with leaders. Together they have set a clear vision for the school. Governors ask challenging questions in meetings. They assure themselves of the accuracy of information provided by the headteacher about the school. Governors have taken steps to check that the quality of education is helping pupils to achieve well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff and governors see safeguarding as everyone’s responsibility.

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Safeguarding

Staff attend relevant safeguarding training. They are aware of the risks that pupils may face in the local community and online. They make sure that the curriculum helps pupils to learn how to stay safe.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant in how they identify and record any concerns about pupils’ safety. Leaders follow this up with the appropriate actions. Leaders work with professionals to provide advice and support to pupils and families.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils do not remember the new vocabulary that is introduced by teachers. Teachers have not planned well enough to revisit vocabulary so that it is retained 25–26 September 2019

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by pupils. Leaders should ensure that teachers develop effective strategies to help pupils to remember and apply new vocabulary.  The curriculum does not provide the right opportunities for pupils to learn and remember the spelling of words that cannot be sounded out phonetically. Leaders need to ensure that there is an agreed and effective approach to help pupils, including those with SEND, to learn the spelling of common exception words.  Children do not develop their language and communication skills well across the Nursery year. Leaders should ensure that adults in the Nursery use effective strategies to support children to develop language and communication skills during their play.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 25–26 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110544 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. It joined the Aim High multi-academy trust in October 2016.  A new headteacher was appointed in September 2019.  The school has a Nursery class and provides full and part-time places.  The school offers a breakfast club and a range of clubs and activities after school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with an education health and care plan is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who receive support for their special educational needs is broadly average.  The predecessor school was last inspected in September 2015. It was judged to be inadequate. The school received a monitoring visit in May 2016.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher, assistant headteachers, SEND coordinator 25–26 September 2019

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curriculum leaders. We held meetings with the chief executive officer of the trust, the chair and some members of the local advisory board, trustees and the school business manager.  We closely focused on reading, mathematics, science and history in this inspection. We visited lessons and talked to some of the pupils and teachers from the lessons. We met with senior and curriculum leaders and looked at pupils’ work in books together.  We checked documents relating to safeguarding. These included training records and referrals made to the local authority. We looked at safeguarding policies and procedures. We talked to staff about their role in keeping pupils safe.  We checked recorded behaviour incidents, including leaders’ actions to resolve any issues. Attendance and exclusion rates were also considered.  We observed playtime and lunchtime. We talked to children about what it is like to be a pupil in this school.

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 We met with staff to discuss the training they have received, the support they have from leaders and how workload is managed.  We took account of 32 responses to the staff survey and 44 responses to Ofsted online questionnaire Parent View, including free-text commentaries.

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Inspection team

Alison Aitchison, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Deborah Ashcroft Ofsted Inspector 25–26 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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