Kells Lane Primary School

Inspection of Kells Lane Primary School Kells Lane, Low Fell, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE9 5HX

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 15 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previ- ous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 28 and 29 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at Kells Lane Primary School. The headteacher and acting deputy headteacher have been appointed to their posts recently. They have high expectations for pupils to achieve academically and socially. There are caring relationships throughout the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Reading, including phonics, is taught extremely well. Leaders share clear planning and expectations with staff. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading. They recall many stories they have read or listened to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils apply to run their own clubs in school. Many pupils are successful. They take on their roles of responsibility enthusiastically. Pupils offer clubs such as origami and climate change. Leaders also ensure that adults provide a range of clubs for pupils including sports, music and languages clubs. Leaders encourage the most vulnerable pupils to attend, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those eligible for pupil premium funding. Many pupils benefit from the rich extra-curricular activities on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of pupils are extremely well behaved in lessons and throughout the school day. On the rare occasion that inappropriate incidents occur, they are dealt with swiftly. Pupils are courteous and polite. The new ‘Always Attitude’ award motivates pupils to do the right thing. The winners celebrate by enjoying juice and a snack with the headteacher.

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better?

Leaders have created detailed, ambitious curriculum planning. The plans identify the knowledge and skills staff intend pupils to learn. Most subject leaders are knowledgeable. They share their expertise with staff effectively. However, some leaders do not have a clear understanding of how their subject is planned and taught in the early years.

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better?

Pupils engage well with their learning. Teaching activities are often exciting and thought-provoking. Leaders ensure that the curriculum is enhanced with many educational visits and visitors. Most recently, the Year 3 pupils attended an Anglo- Saxon ‘moot’ where they served justice to criminals and learned about battle tactics. Pupils recall many aspects of their learning. They use their prior knowledge effectively and achieve well. During lessons, teachers identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge efficiently. However, the school’s end-of-unit assessments do not precisely judge the knowledge pupils have been taught.

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better?

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained, especially to support the most vulnerable pupils. The newly developed ‘Oak Room’ provides a calming space for pupils. It helps pupils to regulate their emotions. Leaders provide specialist support for pupils. 28 and 29 June 2022

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For example, the weekly counselling sessions are particularly beneficial for some pupils. Staff adjust the curriculum skilfully to include pupils with SEND. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that pupils’ needs are identified quickly. Leaders have an informal link with a local special school. Staff at Kells Lane benefit from the expertise of the special school’s staff. The SENCo works closely with pupils and their families to support them effectively. Pupils with SEND make steady progress towards their bespoke targets.

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Reading has a very high priority in school. Teachers and teaching assistants use the school’s phonics scheme consistently. Pupils are assessed regularly. Reading books and activities are carefully matched to the pupils’ ability. When pupils do need help to catch up, they are identified quickly and supported well. Pupils read accurately and confidently. Leaders promote a love of reading successfully through, for example, daily story time and the use of the reading app.

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In early years, leaders have identified the knowledge, skills and vocabulary they intend children to learn. Leaders have evaluated the provision incisively. They have identified what needs to improve. Teachers and teaching assistants communicate well with the children, extending their learning through insightful questioning. Staff teach children to use a high level of vocabulary accurately. For example, children in Nursery use the word ‘subitising’ during mathematics activities correctly. Staff ensure that children are engaged and challenged in the learning environment, both indoors and outdoors. Staff keep parents and carers updated about their child’s learning.

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Leaders ensure that pupils are taught effectively about keeping safe and healthy. Pupils know how to raise concerns. They have a deep understanding of equality. Although pupils are unaware of the phrase ‘British values’, they talk confidently about two of these values, democracy and the rule of law, in the context of school life. Many roles in school help pupils to develop their leadership skills well. Opportunities include membership of the school council or eco committee, librarians, team captains and head boy and head girl.

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The school is well led and managed. Governors are aware of their statutory duties. Staff feel valued and supported by leaders. The overwhelming majority of pupils and parents speak highly of the school. Parents value electronic communication between school and home. These electronic updates keep them informed about their child’s exciting experiences at school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ safety is of the utmost importance at this school. Leaders provide thorough training and regular updates for staff. Records show that concerns are logged swiftly. Staff identify pupils who need help quickly. Leaders take appropriate action to keep pupils safe. They liaise with external agencies well. Staff make the necessary checks to ensure that adults are suitable to work at the school. The 28 and 29 June 2022

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governor with responsibility for safeguarding provides effective support and challenge to leaders. He checks documentation and procedures regularly.

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Leaders adapt the curriculum skilfully to ensure that pupils are taught to keep themselves safe both on and offline. The safeguarding updates in the weekly newsletters keep parents well informed.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, end-of-unit assessments are not matched precisely enough to the curriculum. Teachers do not identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge consistently. Leaders need to refine their approach to assessment so that pupils’ learning in all curriculum areas is checked accurately.  Some subject leaders do not have a clear understanding of how their subject is planned and taught in the early years. As a result, they do not have an accurate overview of learning in their subject and do not know how pupils are prepared for Year 1. Leaders need to ensure that subject leaders have a thorough working knowledge of their subject and that planning from early years to Year 6 is well sequenced.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 28 and 29 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211861 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Michael Hetherington

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 October 2007

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in June 2022.  The deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2021 on a temporary basis.  The assistant headteacher has been appointed to start as the new early years leader in September 2022.  The school has an informal link with a local special school. Pupils and staff from the special school attend the Kells Lane Primary School site regularly.  Leaders relocated the Nursery provision in September 2021. At this time, the number of places increased to 52.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 28 and 29 June 2022

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 The lead inspector held several meetings with the headteacher during the inspection.  Inspectors met with the early years leader, the SENCo and leader responsible for pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors met with governors, including the chair of governors, and spoke with an adviser from the local authority.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, science and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Members of the team spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding documentation and records for behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day and reviewed

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the 122 responses received through the Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View, including 87 free-text responses. Inspectors considered 30 responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and 59 responses received through the Ofsted’s pupil survey.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school.

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Inspection team

Kate Williamson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Amy Keith Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 June 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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