Jarrow School

Inspection of Jarrow School Field Terrace, Jarrow, Tyne and Wear NE32 5PR

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 14 and 15 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development is an important priority for school leaders. Staff build high-quality relationships with pupils that support this development. Staff know individual pupils’ needs and work hard to support them. Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Pupils speak politely to one another, listen to staff and are welcoming to visitors to their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff foster pupils’ talents and future ambitions. Opportunities for pupils to find out about the world of work are plentiful. Pupils studying performing arts benefit from links with local theatre professionals and free music tuition is available to all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to contribute to the school community. They have roles on the student council, as ‘Reading Buddies’ for younger pupils and as ambassadors for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. These opportunities help pupils develop a sense of pride in their school. Pupils build strong relationships with their peers and staff. They feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is an inclusive environment. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. Inspectors noted pupils’ strong sense of social justice. Pupils told inspectors that everyone is accepted, whatever their differences.

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better?

The curriculum in many subjects has been carefully planned. Leaders have thought about the knowledge and skills pupils need to acquire. They have planned for pupils’ next steps in learning and the curriculum prepares them well to move on to further study. In subjects such as English, mathematics and design and technology, leaders have linked the curriculum to pupils’ possible future careers.

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better?

The curriculum is not as well developed in some subject areas as in others. In certain subjects, such as history, leaders have not carefully considered how pupils will increase their knowledge of the subject over time. This, in part, has led to some pupils having gaps in their understanding of important topics.

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better?

Staff ask clear questions to identify what pupils do not understand in lessons. They ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to participate in discussions. However, formal assessment across the school is less consistent. The processes staff use to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not as precise in some subjects as in others. Pupils do not consistently improve their work over time. As a result, some pupils’ understanding is less secure in a small number of subjects.

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better?

Pupils study a broad range of subjects across the curriculum. However, entry to the suite of courses that make up the English Baccalaureate is significantly below the national average. Leaders have taken action to increase the uptake of these subjects. For example, pupils can now study two languages in key stage 4. 14 and 15 June 2022

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Leaders are taking action to identify pupils who need support with their literacy. Staff have received specific training to ensure they plan opportunities for reading in lessons. A number of strategies are being used to develop literacy across the school, including ‘Everyone Reads in Class’. A range of carefully selected programmes are used to monitor and develop pupils’ reading.

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Pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who attend the ‘Post-11 Centre’, a specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), have access to a broad and ambitious curriculum. Staff are aware of how to meet the needs of these pupils. Learning tasks and activities provide strong support for pupils from their different starting points.

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The behaviour and attitudes of pupils at the school are a strength. Lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. These are supported by the ‘BRIGHT’ rewards programme. Pupils value the recognition the rewards provide. Rates of suspensions are low. Bullying and inappropriate language are not tolerated. However, some younger pupils had less confidence that issues of bullying would be dealt with quickly by staff.

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The curriculum for personal development permeates all areas of school life. Pupils have a clear understanding of British values and what it means to be responsible citizens. This is reflected in their attitudes to their education and the school community. A broad careers education meets the Baker Clause.

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Leaders have established clear targets for school improvement. They have planned opportunities for staff to develop and share best practice. Staff spoke highly of the personal and professional support leaders give them. Governors support and challenge school leaders well. Governors also monitor their own effectiveness and have a clear focus on how their work is improving outcomes for young people.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are aware of the wide range of needs within the school. They work closely with pupils, parents and external agencies to ensure pupils are safe and well supported. Staff are aware of the risks to pupils. They know who to speak to and have confidence their concerns will be acted upon.

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Safeguarding

Records show that support for vulnerable pupils is timely and appropriate. Additional staff have been employed to ensure all pupils receive the most appropriate support. Leaders ensure that staff receive ongoing training connected to safeguarding. In addition, there are termly bulletins and regular briefings to highlight safeguarding issues for staff. 14 and 15 June 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. For example, in history, leaders have not carefully considered the important knowledge they want pupils to learn over time. However, it is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing about improvements. Leaders need to complete the process of developing a thoughtfully planned curriculum in a timely fashion which meets the needs of all pupils. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.  Some staff are not using assessment information with sufficient precision. As a result, they are not addressing gaps in pupils’ knowledge as quickly as they should. Leaders must take steps to ensure effective and consistent use of assessment across the school. They must train staff to use assessment information precisely to inform the next steps in their teaching.

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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. 14 and 15 June 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.jarrowschool.com/ Date of previous inspection 23 March 2017 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with ASD.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, design and technology, history and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke 14 and 15 June 2022

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to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with governors, the headteacher and senior leaders. They spoke to teaching and support staff.  Inspectors spoke to leaders responsible for SEND provision and literacy across the school. They listened to a selection of pupils read and spoke to leaders about the assessment process across the school.  Inspectors spoke with those staff responsible for safeguarding, checked records and procedures for keeping young people safe, and spoke to staff and pupils. One inspector checked the single central record to ensure all adults on site were subject to appropriate safeguarding checks.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, the online questionnaire, including any free-text responses. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors visited the on-site specially resourced provision, the Post-11 Centre,

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where they spoke to staff and pupils about the academic and pastoral support pupils receive.

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Inspection team

John Linkins, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Morris Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 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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