Bill Quay Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Bill Quay Primary School Davidson Road, Bill Quay, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE10 0UN

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Outcome

Bill Quay Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents describe this small primary school as being the ‘heart of the local community’. Visitors are greeted by the school’s core values, ‘rights, respect and resilience’, painted on a mural designed by pupils. However, these values are not just painted on the wall, they are evident in the relationships throughout the school. Pupils are kind to each other. Older pupils act as buddies to younger pupils and show them how to play well together. Pupils sing the ‘Bill Quay family’ song together in assembly and some pupils accompany this on guitars. Teachers are keen to celebrate talents and successes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of pupils and parents agree that bullying is not a problem. Some pupils report that if it happens, staff will solve it. Pupils trust staff and feel valued. Pupils were keen to tell the inspector what they love about their school. They describe their teachers as ‘caring’. Pupils enjoy the sports clubs on offer and the trips to the local farm.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for what pupils can achieve academically. Parents particularly praise the school’s response to remote learning and COVID-19 restrictions. Leaders made swift decisions to ensure that the school was ready to provide as much normality for pupils as possible. Parents appreciated the ‘friendly face’ that live lessons provided for pupils.

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

Leaders have been proactive in designing their curriculum to suit their school. Pupils learn about their Victorian school building and produce artwork inspired by the River Tyne. Pupils gain a secure understanding of their place in the world before learning about the world beyond. Leaders have carefully planned how to teach diversity in a small community. Pupils talk maturely about migration and discrimination from the curriculum the school has designed. Children in early years work together to solve problems. They enjoy building and adapting obstacle courses. Parents appreciate the breadth of the education the school offers. Parents of Year 6 pupils value that leaders do not ‘focus entirely on exam preparation’. 9 and 10 March 2022

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School leaders have made sure that their curriculum takes into account up-to-date research. They have thought carefully about how pupils learn and designed their curriculum to match. Leaders have planned what pupils will learn in ‘small steps’ and make sure that they are able to build on what they already know. Teachers use assessment regularly to check pupils’ understanding in early reading and mathematics. Leaders are in the process of designing assessments to match the new curriculum plans in other subjects.

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Leaders are ambitious for what all pupils can achieve. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to study the curriculum alongside their peers. Parents of pupils with SEND appreciate the support they receive.

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Leaders identified the teaching of early reading as a priority for the school. They invested in staff training and reading is now taught consistently well across the school. Pupils of all ages enjoy reading and talk about what type of stories they enjoy. Teachers identify quickly if pupils are struggling and provide effective support to ensure that all pupils keep up.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and are keen to learn. If there is disruption, teachers deal with it effectively. Strong relationships between staff and pupils are evident. Pupils know that teachers care about them. They all trust the adults in school to help them and keep them safe. Pupils with SEND, or those who struggle with aspects of school life, are supported to understand and manage their emotions. Some pupils work with trained well- being and mental health counsellors. Leaders are compassionate in meeting pupils’ individual needs.

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There is a respectful culture in the school. Pupils and staff treat each other with courtesy. Pupils understand responsibility and are ready to be active members of their community. They recount litter picking in the local woodland. They also learn clear messages about equality. Pupils explain that it is fine to be different and that everyone deserves to be treated the same.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders and all have a shared vision for the school. They share leaders’ ambition for what pupils can achieve. Staff confirm that leaders consider their workload and that they will listen to their opinions. Staff are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that messages about safety are clearly delivered to pupils. Older pupils can explain how to keep themselves safe online and younger pupils explain about road safety and trusted adults. Staff are clear about how to report any concerns and are vigilant in their attention to pupils’ welfare. Staff are well informed around the risks that their pupils might face. 9 and 10 March 2022

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Rigorous pre-employment checks ensure that all adults employed by the school are suitable to work with children. Leaders are proactive in seeking external support for pupils and families where it is needed. They are also meticulous when monitoring pupils who may be vulnerable.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not fully developed assessment approaches for all subjects. Where this is the case, it is difficult for teachers to precisely assess pupils’ learning. Leaders should continue with their actions to further develop assessment across all curriculum areas.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2011.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 9 and 10 March 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Bill Quay is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with school leaders, including the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, and representatives from the governing body, including the chair of the governing body and the vice-chairs. The inspector also met with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 9 and 10 March 2022

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 The inspector also looked at wider curriculum plans and visited a range of lessons.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school development plan, the school’s self-evaluation and minutes of governing body meetings.  The inspector met with the leader responsible for safeguarding arrangements. They checked logs of actions the school has taken to keep pupils safe. They also checked the bullying logs and the single central record.  The inspector considered the 57 free-text responses to Ofsted Parent View, the 11 staff survey responses and the 69 responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Katherine Spurr, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 9 and 10 March 2022

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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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