Lemington Riverside Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Lemington Riverside Primary School Rokeby Street, Lemington, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE15 8RR

p.1

Outcome

Lemington Riverside Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they are happy, feel safe and love learning. They know that adults expect them to work hard and they do. One pupil said, ‘School is like a big family.’ The school values are woven through the curriculum to encourage pupils to be collaborative, resilient and ambitious.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish their roles, such as Year 6 ambassadors, library monitors or head boy and head girl. They understand their responsibilities to be strong role models. All pupils enjoy attending educational outings or clubs. They speak eagerly about a residential visit where they enjoyed physical activities and searching for fossils. Pupils also developed their independence and team building skills.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of play equipment at breaktimes. They say that all pupils behave well due to the high expectations set by leaders. They state that leaders are fair and consistent with rewards and consequences. Pupils cannot remember a time when bullying occurred. They recognise what constitutes bullying and trust adults to deal with any potential incidents swiftly.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers hold the school in high regard. Many use the words ‘caring, inspiring, respectful and amazing’. They say this summarises the ethos of Lemington Riverside.

p.1

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

The senior leaders are determined to provide a high-quality education for all pupils regardless of their needs or abilities. They have designed a creative and ambitious curriculum based on educational research. It is well sequenced across all curriculum subjects. There are clear end points set for pupils to reach, across each year group and key stage. Teachers have strong subject knowledge which they use to explain facts and support pupils. This is because leaders invest in high-quality professional development for all staff. Teachers use assessment well in all subjects. They know what pupils can do well 27 and 28 April 2022

p.1

2

and what they need to do next. Teachers check at the beginning of every lesson how much pupils can remember from previous learning.

p.2

2

Leaders use educational visits to museums, Roman forts, local coasts and places of heritage, to bring learning in history to life. One pupil said, ‘We love to see it with our own eyes.’ Pupils learn historical knowledge, but also know how to work ‘like historians’. They talk about primary and secondary sources of information. This helps them to check the validity of evidence from the past.

p.2

2

This is an inclusive school. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is accessible to all pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers make sure that learning is adapted to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils can access specific resources or additional support from adults. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that all adults take responsibility for pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils achieve well.

p.2

2

Mathematics is a strength of the school. Pupils use the knowledge learned in previous years to help them to tackle new learning. For example, pupils in Year 6 used knowledge of measuring and reading different types of scales to solve capacity problems. They used their knowledge of fractions to calculate measures precisely. Pupils use a range of calculation methods competently. The mathematics leader works closely with the early years leader. Together they ensure children in early years get off to a strong start in mathematics. The learning environment is rich in number and opportunities to count, measure and recognise shapes.

p.2

2

Pupils are enthusiastic readers. They love to read for pleasure in the school’s fiction and non-fiction libraries. In Reception, children make a rapid start to learning to read. Pupils have opportunities to practise their reading skills every day. Adults match reading books to the sounds pupils know. This helps all pupils to read with confidence. Staff track how well pupils learn to read. Adults provide extra phonics or reading sessions to help pupils catch up if they fall behind.

p.2

2

Leaders promote mutual respect and rule of law. In religious education, pupils learn about different faiths. Other aspects of the fundamental British values are not as well established. The curriculum does not include ample opportunities to learn about individual liberty or democracy.

p.2

2

Governors know the school’s strengths well. They provide support and challenge to senior leaders and they know their legal duties. However, the joint development plan and evaluation document does not identify clear objectives linked to the quality of education. This does not give governors a clear steer on how to check on the curriculum development in detail. Staff say that leaders are considerate of their workload. Staff work well as a team and support one another.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 and 28 April 2022

p.2

3

A strong culture of safeguarding permeates the school. Leaders and staff know children well and act in their best interests. The welfare officer works closely with families to provide timely and effective help and support. Leaders have provided high-quality training in safeguarding. They check that all adults are aware of signs of risk or concern.

p.3

3

Pupils are aware of the risks they might face, including when they are online. Pupils learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships. They say that they feel safe.

p.3

3

Leaders are vigilant in providing support to pupils who are vulnerable. This means the children and the families get the right help at the right time.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ understanding of some aspects of the fundamental British values are not well established. The curriculum coverage of individual liberty and democracy needs further development. As a result, pupils cannot recall knowledge about these aspects. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum includes the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn about all aspects of the fundamental British values.  The joint school development plan and self-evaluation document does not focus precisely on the quality of education. This means it is not providing precise detail for governors to monitor, for example curriculum development. Leaders should sharpen this planning so that governors are clear on what they are checking, how often they need to check and how the success can be measured.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2011. 27 and 28 April 2022

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 27 and 28 April 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10200476 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.lemingtonriverside.newcastle.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 8 December 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the following senior leaders are new to the school: the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, early years leader and a research leader.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, SENCo and early years leader.  The lead inspector met with the chairperson and three members of the governing body. She also met with an officer from the local authority and two school achievement partners. 27 and 28 April 2022

p.5

6

 The lead inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading and phonics, mathematics and history. The lead inspector met with senior leaders and curriculum leaders, looked at curriculum planning, viewed pupils work in books, visited lessons with leaders, and talked to teachers and pupils about their learning in these subjects. She also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.  The arrangements for safeguarding were checked. This included checks on the single central register, staff training and safeguarding records. The lead inspector also met with the designated safeguarding leader and the welfare officer.  The lead inspector discussed the school’s records on attendance and behaviour with the headteacher.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at breaktimes. She also met formally with groups of pupils.  The school’s self-evaluation document and the school improvement plan were viewed.

p.6

6

 Pupils talked to the inspector informally in lessons and at breaktime. The inspector took into account the responses to Ofsted’s online pupils’ survey.  The inspector took into account the responses to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View, and the free-text responses.  The inspector met with several staff and took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

p.6

Inspection team

Alison Aitchison, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 27 and 28 April 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7