Greenland Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Greenland Community Primary School South Moor Road, South Moor, Stanley, County Durham DH9 7EZ

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Outcome

Greenland Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have created a nurturing and aspirational school. During my visit, there was an atmosphere of purposeful calm. Pupils thrive, and they are happy and safe. Staff guidance helps pupils know how to be a responsible citizen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They make sure pupils do well in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders constantly strive to improve the school. They have recently acted to make the teaching of phonics and reading even better. Staff are improving the teaching of other subjects, such as history. Pupils were able to tell me about their learning in this subject.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons. They listen attentively to their teachers. Pupils work cooperatively together and with focused effort. At breakfast club, playtimes and lunchtimes, pupils are friendly with one another. Pupils are polite and well mannered. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that staff will support them with any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are positive about all the school has to offer. They like how staff help pupils to grow in confidence. Parents find staff approachable and helpful. Many pupils attend the after-school clubs. Pupils enjoy these and the variety of activities available.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and staff are determined that all pupils achieve as well as they can. Planning and support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well matched to their needs.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teaching in reading and mathematics is well planned. This helps all pupils achieve well in these subjects. Yet leaders are not complacent. Their review of the teaching of reading found the need for further development. Leaders have raised the profile of reading so that pupils develop a love of reading. Classrooms have attractive reading areas. Pupils across school listen with interest and enjoyment during daily story times. 12–13 November 2019

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Currently staff aim to match younger pupils’ books to their phonics abilities. This is not fully effective for the least able pupils. Staff have recently received training in the teaching of phonics. Leaders have purchased more phonics-based books. These books link to this approach to phonics teaching. Staff are about to use these books in lessons. Leaders for English and phonics are clear how to embed these improvements.

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Leaders and staff have mapped out their intentions for developing the curriculum. In subjects such as history, this work is well on its way. In other subjects, such as modern foreign languages, this is still developing. The school’s revised planning for teaching history is having a positive effect. Pupils that I met enjoy history. They have a secure knowledge of what they have learned this year. Teachers are working hard to develop pupils’ vocabulary. Ways to check that pupils have remembered the important knowledge are developing. The history subject leader has clear plans to embed this work.

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Children settle well into the Reception classes. Staff plan learning to match children’s needs effectively. Children make a secure start to their learning in phonics and mathematics. Teaching about ‘people who help us’ sensitively explains about equality in the workplace. Staff expectations ensure that children behave well. Praise from staff reinforces good manners. I often heard children saying, ‘thank you’. Children share resources well and help one another.

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Pupils’ personal development is a school strength. A range of visits including residentials develop pupils’ confidence. High numbers of pupils attend the wealth of after-school clubs every school day. A range of opportunities help pupils develop citizenship qualities. These include charity fundraising, links with the community, and teaching about diversity. Pupils have a range of responsibilities in school. Pupil parliament helps them to understand democracy. Pupil reading leaders and playground buddies know about their important roles in school.

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Staff apply the school’s behaviour policy fairly and consistently. Pupils behave well in lessons. They listen attentively and work hard. Behaviour at playtimes and lunchtimes is friendly and positive. Leaders use exclusions as a last resort. Good attendance has a high profile. Pupils’ attendance has improved and now compares well with other schools. Bullying is rare. Staff deal with this promptly. Pupils are confident that staff help them if they have concerns.

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The headteacher, well supported by the acting headteacher, provides strong leadership. Along with other leaders, he has set up an ambitious vision for the school. Leaders’ plans for improvement are well matched to the school’s priorities. Some subject leaders are new to their roles. Training to develop their leadership skills is developing. This will use expertise in the trust’s and local authority’s networks. Leaders carefully take account of staff workload and well-being when they are implementing changes. Staff engage positively with parents and parental confidence in the school is high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12–13 November 2019

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Leaders, staff and trustees give the highest priority to keeping pupils safe. There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Well-trained staff promptly identify any safeguarding risks to pupils. Leaders work in a determined fashion to secure help for pupils and their families. They work well with a range of agencies. Leaders complete careful safeguarding checks for all staff, trustees, governors and volunteers. Leaders and staff are knowledgeable about specific safeguarding risks, such as county lines. If pupils leave, school leaders monitor their destinations carefully. This is to ensure that pupils do not go missing from education.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are ambitious that pupils’ outcomes in reading improve further. Recent staff training aims to develop the teaching of phonics and early reading. New reading resources to support this initiative are in school. Staff are about to use these books in lessons and for home readers. These recent developments need embedding. Leaders have clear plans for further staff training and to check on the impact of this work.  Leaders have reviewed the curriculum. In the subjects that they have prioritised for development, such as history, there is a clear sequence to the planned pupil learning. This is helping pupils to gain key historical knowledge and to start to think like a historian. Leaders have clear plans to use a similar approach to develop the planning of other subjects.  The school assesses pupils’ achievements in reading, writing and mathematics effectively. As the work to develop the curriculum in other subjects develops, staff are

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

reviewing ways to check that pupils are remembering the key knowledge taught. Leaders are aware that these approaches need to be manageable for staff.  Some subject leaders are relatively new to their roles. They need to further develop their leadership skills and experience in checking for improvements in their subjects. Leaders are drawing effectively on the trust’s and local authority’s networks to enhance subject leadership skills. This will support the school’s actions to develop the curriculum further.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately. 12–13 November 2019

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Greenland Community Primary School, to be good in November 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

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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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. 12–13 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110752 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.greenlandprimary.durham.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school became an academy 1 January 2017. It is part of Stanley Learning Partnership Academy Trust.  The headteacher is also the chief executive officer (CEO) for the trust.  The school has an acting headteacher as part of the leadership arrangements. She is a full-time leader in school. The acting headteacher assumes headteacher responsibilities two and a half days a week when the CEO is fulfilling his other role.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher, the acting headteacher, the deputy headteacher, and the subject leaders for English, mathematics and history.  I discussed the school’s work to improve attendance and behaviour with an assistant headteacher and attendance officer.  I considered a range of safeguarding information and documentation provided by the school and available on the school’s website. I met a range of staff to consider their understanding of the school’s safeguarding procedures. Pupils told me how the school helps them to stay safe. I met with the acting headteacher who is one of the school’s 12–13 November 2019

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designated safeguarding leads to review safeguarding records. I reviewed the single central record.  I observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, at playtime, lunchtime and in breakfast club. I reviewed responses to the pupil and staff surveys and Ofsted parent survey, Parent View.  I completed telephone conversations with the chair of the local governing body, one of the trustees and a representative from the local authority.  I considered three subjects in detail: reading, mathematics and history. These deep dives included discussions with the headteacher, the acting headteacher and subject leaders, lesson visits, review of pupils’ books, listening to pupils read, discussions with pupils and discussion with teachers where I completed lesson visits.

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Inspection team

Michael Reeves, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 12–13 November 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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