Southridge First School

Inspection of Southridge First School Cranleigh Place, Beaumont Park Estate, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear NE25 9UD

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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 previous 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. 12 and 13 July 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind, considerate and well-mannered. They enjoy school and say that they feel safe and happy. Pupils like their teachers because they are helpful and look after them. They know who to speak to if they have a worry. They say adults listen and give good advice.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard and get on well with each other. In lessons, there is a buzz of excited learning. At breaktimes and lunchtime, the playing field becomes a hive of activity. Pupils of all ages play with each other and enjoy the range of activities on offer. Some join in sessions with the sports coach, while others may choose to sit on the reading blanket and choose a book.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. In lessons, pupils follow instructions and listen to adults. A small number of pupils can be talkative in class, however they do not disturb others. Pupils know what bullying is. They say it does not happen at school. Pupils say that they would always speak to a trusted adult in school if it did happen. They know that adults would do the right thing and help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults expect pupils to do their very best. Pupils know the school’s core values of respect, friendship, kindness, honesty and responsibility. They say adults teach them about these and they do their best to follow them.

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better?

Leaders provide a high-quality education for all pupils. They have changed the design of the curriculum. There is now a greater focus on subjects, moving away from a more ‘topic’ based approach. As a result, pupils develop detailed knowledge and can apply this knowledge to subjects as they move through the school. Leaders have designed a whole-school curriculum from Nursery to Year 4. However, some foundation subjects would benefit from a more precise use of assessment so that the next steps in the curriculum accurately match pupils’ needs.

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better?

Children in the early years enjoy the vibrant learning environment. They are encouraged to be creative and independent. When using the outdoor funfair, the children enthusiastically took part in face painting. Adults in the early years know the children well. They adapt the curriculum so that it engages and motivates children to learn. For example, when children were fascinated by treasure maps, adults provided the opportunities to design and make them. Adults ensure that the personal, social and emotional development curriculum prepares children for Year 1.

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better?

Teachers make regular checks on what pupils have learned. In some subjects such as English, mathematics and science, they use this information to plan what pupils need to learn next. However, this is inconsistent. In some subjects, such as history and design and technology, teachers do not have an accurate picture of what pupils 12 and 13 July 2022

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know and can do. Consequently, what is taught to pupils does not always meet their needs.

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The reading curriculum is well organised and supports pupils to develop a love for reading. For pupils just learning to read, there are daily phonics sessions where pupils learn the sounds that letters make. Through repetition and practise, pupils quickly become confident, fluent readers. Books are generally well matched to pupils’ knowledge. All staff teach reading well. This includes additional sessions run by teaching assistants for pupils who may need a little extra time and support.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the help they need. Teachers adapt the curriculum with strategies such as visual prompts, additional vocabulary mats, and teaching prior to the main lesson. This helps pupils with SEND to access the curriculum and be successful. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Leaders praise and reward pupils regularly. Pupils like the ‘lighthouse’ house points system, headteacher and core value awards. Pupils are proud when they get to display the ‘core value’ trophy on their table in class.

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Leaders are ambitious and aspirational for pupils. They want pupils to develop an understanding of local, national and global issues. The personal, social and health education curriculum includes topics such as healthy relationships, how to stay safe, diversity and personal well-being. Pupils take part in a broad range of trips and experiences. These range from a trip to the Hancock Museum to look at bones linked to a science topic, to regular updates from ‘Farmer Fred’s Field’ in Northumberland.

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Governors have a clear understanding of their role at school. They hold leaders to account with appropriate challenge but also provide constructive support. Governors are aware of their responsibility to safeguard pupils and staff. Governors make regular visits to school and meet with leaders. They gain valuable information by meeting with the safeguarding, special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders. This enables governors to have a clear understanding of the impact of leaders’ actions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have instilled in staff the attitude that ‘it could happen here.’ There are very few safeguarding concerns, but this does not mean that staff are complacent. All staff are appropriately trained and know exactly what to do should a concern arise.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead keeps detailed, accurate notes. This means that patterns of absence, or concerns from staff can be used to access external agency support if required. 12 and 13 July 2022

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Pupils are taught how to stay safe online. They know that they should not share information about themselves and what to do if they come across something that concerns them.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, such as history and design and technology, the curriculum is not sufficiently well organised and sequenced. Within these subjects, pupils do not develop a detailed bank of knowledge. Leaders should review the curriculum to ensure that curriculum content is precisely planned so that new learning carefully builds on what pupils already know.  Teachers do not use assessment information effectively to inform what pupils need to be taught next. As a result, curriculum choices by teachers do not always match what pupils need to learn. The checks that teachers make on pupils’ learning should be sharpened so teachers can use this information to plan next steps in the curriculum more precisely.

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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. 12 and 13 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10199388 Type of school First

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any 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. 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: early reading, mathematics, history, design and technology and science. Inspectors spoke to leaders about the curriculum and met with teachers from the lessons visited. Inspectors looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils.  Inspectors looked at a range of other curriculum documents.  Inspectors listened to a range of pupils read from different year groups.  Inspectors met members of the governing body and the school development partner from the local authority. 12 and 13 July 2022

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 Inspectors looked at the single central record and spoke to leaders, teachers, governors, and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered the responses made by parents to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire and responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

David Milligan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie McGrane Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 July 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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