Greenfields Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Greenfields Community Primary School Taylor Avenue, Wideopen, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE13 6NB

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Outcome

Greenfields Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Greenfields Primary School is a happy and caring community. Pupils know the school values of ‘Be amazed, be brave, be original, be bold’ and the difference the values make. One commented, ‘School has helped us change our attitudes – we want to try hard. We have a good reputation in the community now.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are passionate that all pupils have the best possible start in education. The early years garden is a special place for the ‘Muddy Bairns’ (children in the early years foundation stage) to share. There are many resources to play with and places for them to explore. Children enjoy the space and make up imaginative games in the mud kitchen and sandpit.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know all pupils well and adapt their teaching to meet pupils’ individual needs. They have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils respond well to the routines and directions set by the teachers. Pupils are eager to learn and there is a working hum in the classrooms. Pupils say that if bullying were to happen, their teachers would act swiftly to stop it. Pupils spoken with say that they feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love learning in the forest school. They look forward to being outside. Pupils learn practical and creative skills, such as building dens and using tools.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. Children in early years listen attentively to stories and join in with familiar nursery rhymes. Texts, including poetry and non-fiction, are allocated to different year groups to make sure that pupils read widely. Teachers often read to pupils. Leaders ensure that all staff follow the agreed phonics programme and that they are trained to teach it well. Children learn phonics from Reception class onwards. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they know. Staff regularly check for any gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge. Pupils who need to catch up receive the support they need to succeed in reading. However, teachers do not link the phonics knowledge pupils are 5 and 6 October 2022

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learning to spellings sufficiently well. As a result, some pupils are less confident in spelling and there are inaccuracies in their written work.

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Pupils have a very positive attitude towards mathematics. Leaders support staff to bring about consistency in teaching across the school. In lessons, teachers check pupils’ knowledge and adapt teaching to cover any misconceptions. Pupils use a range of practical apparatus. There is a daily session on mathematical skills in addition to mathematics lessons when pupils revise previous topics.

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Leaders map out the detailed knowledge pupils will learn in all subjects. In some subject areas other than reading and mathematics, the curriculum is being revised to make it even more ambitious. In art, teachers are finding out about gaps in learning and whether the revised curriculum meets pupils’ needs. Staff meet regularly to discuss further improvements and identify training needs. Senior leaders are mindful of staff workload and ensure that time is given for subject leadership. Leaders are keen to improve their own practice and keep up to date with professional research findings.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well in class. However, some of their targets are not broken down into the detailed steps they need to take. This means that it can take a long time to achieve the target.

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In early years, all staff interact well with children, modelling speaking and listening. The curriculum develops early literacy, numeracy and social skills. However, staff ensure that children can also follow their own interests. Subject leaders liaise with early years staff about curriculum planning. Some leaders are less confident in their knowledge of early years and how to check that standards are good enough. Training is being put in place to further their understanding.

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Pupils’ personal development is strong. They learn how to keep themselves healthy. Pupils take part in sports festivals and competitions with other schools. Pupils enjoy a broad range of after-school clubs. The Mini Magpies podcast club and Star Group, an astronomy club, really inspire pupils. Leaders bring a range of visitors into school and organise numerous visits out, including residential visits. The pantomime is the most memorable visit for many pupils. Leaders are building up links with the nearby church and care home. Themed weeks, such as careers week, enrich the curriculum. Pupils are proud to be ‘values ambassadors’, leading assemblies and rewarding other pupils for their positive behaviour.

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The governing body makes sure that it carries out all its responsibilities. Governors have effective systems to check and evaluate all aspects of the school and governors know the school well. This means that they have a wealth of information to help them in making long-term decisions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 and 6 October 2022

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Leaders ensure that all staff are trained to identify pupils who are at risk of harm. There is a clear process in place to report any concerns. Leaders work with partner agencies and other schools to provide pupils and families with the support that they need.

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Pupils learn how to recognise risks. Leaders thread online safety through the computing curriculum. Teachers teach pupils strategies to use if they are ever concerned when using the internet. Visitors to school, such as police officers and lifeboat crew, help pupils understand more about personal safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The spelling content in the English curriculum is not structured well enough and some pupils do not link their phonics knowledge to spellings. This means that some pupils spell common words incorrectly in their writing. Leaders should ensure that there is a consistent approach to spelling throughout school, with opportunities to learn and use spelling patterns.  The individual plans for some pupils with SEND are not specific enough. This means that pupils and their parents and carers do not understand when pupils are making progress. Leaders should ensure that the small steps to be taken for each pupil with SEND, and the teaching strategies to support them, are specific.

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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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2013.

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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. 5 and 6 October 2022

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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. 5 and 6 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240295 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been two different headteachers since the previous inspection and two deputy headteachers.  The number of pupils on roll has declined. The pupil admission number is being reduced as the school moves to become one-form entry.  The school uses one additional provider of education.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy and assistant headteachers, and the early years leader.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and art. To do this, she met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils 5 and 6 October 2022

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read and met with teachers and pupils. The inspector also looked at curriculum documentation for these and other subjects.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector scrutinised the single central record, and reviewed safeguarding paperwork and systems. The inspector spoke to leaders, teachers, support staff, governors and pupils. The inspector met representatives of the local governing body.  The inspector met with the education adviser who supports the school.  Responses to the pupil, parent and staff surveys were also taken into consideration.

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Inspection team

Mary Cook, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 5 and 6 October 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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