Blaydon West Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Blaydon West Primary School Blaydon Bank, Blaydon-on-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE21 4PY

p.1

Outcome

Blaydon West Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. Many say that they love coming to school. Staff are kind and welcoming, and this helps to make new pupils feel at home. Pupils feel safe because of security systems and knowing their teachers will look after them. Pupils are taught how to be safe outside of the school, for example how to use the pelican crossings.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils try to resolve any disputes themselves before any teacher involvement. Behaviour is good. Pupils understand the behaviour policy and the importance of following the rules. There are virtually no reported incidents of bullying. Relationships are strong across the school. Pupils show high levels of respect for adults and each other. Courtesy and good manners are the norm.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers make the school environment appealing for pupils. Pupils learn how to celebrate differences and have respect for all, including people of different races and religions. Pupils aspire to be the ‘champion writer’ of the week with their work displayed in the special gold frame outside the headteacher’s office.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils aim high. They work hard and try their best because teachers expect them to. Pupils have ambitious career choices ranging from being an astronaut to a vet. The school is integral to its community. Pupils support charities such as for cancer support. They collect food for local foodbanks. The choir sings in all local care homes at Christmas.

p.1

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

School leaders have designed a curriculum that is well planned and builds knowledge progressively. Teachers and leaders have addressed any gaps that emerged in pupils’ writing skills or fluency in mathematics when schools were only open to some pupils due to COVID-19.

p.1

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

Leaders have made sure important ideas that connect knowledge are woven through each curriculum subject. In most subjects, pupils understand and know these ideas. This helps 1 and 2 December 2022

p.1

2

them link new knowledge to what they already know. Teachers deliver learning in small steps. The essential learning pupils need to remember at the end of a unit of work is clear. However, for a very few curriculum subjects, this is not yet the case.

p.2

2

Teachers make checks on pupils’ learning at the start of most lessons. These ‘recaps’ are part of the way that knowledge becomes embedded in pupils’ memory. Teachers address any gaps in learning or misconceptions because teachers know the subject content and structure well. The checks that teachers make on pupils’ grasp of new learning also help them to plan future lessons.

p.2

2

Leaders show determination to prioritise improving pupils’ early reading skills. Pupils follow the same routines in their daily phonics lessons. Children in Reception learn the sounds that letters make and how to write them. There is a clear link between phonics, spelling and writing. Pupils develop a love of reading. Leaders carefully select texts for class reading areas and story time. Older pupils ‘buddy up’ with younger children to share books. Pupils at the early stage of reading practise their reading skills with books that they can read with confidence. Pupils are quickly becoming fluent, independent readers.

p.2

2

Pupils work hard in lessons. During the inspection, children in Nursery were focused and trying hard to build repeating patterns in a number session. Throughout school, pupils show a determination to succeed and excel. Off-task behaviour is exceptionally rare. Pupils are engaged in learning. Teachers match learning tasks well to pupils’ ability.

p.2

2

Teachers make sure that all pupils can access the set work. They make subtle changes to activities, like how work is recorded. All pupils learn the same curriculum. All of this supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to achieve well in lessons and over time. Parents and carers are highly involved with the construction of support plans for pupils with SEND. This helps these pupils to regularly achieve their targets.

p.2

2

Leaders provide many opportunities to support pupils’ wider development. Pupils have exposure to a broad range of artistic, sporting and cultural activities. Leaders have organised for pupils to travel around the region to see, and be proud of, local places of interest, beauty or significance. The school council has chosen new playground equipment and played a part in helping governors with the recruitment of the deputy headteacher. The ‘Eco Council’ works on the school becoming environmentally friendly. Pupils sing in regional events and attend dance festivals. They feel like they have a real voice in the school and enjoy the activities on offer.

p.2

2

Staff morale is high. They report that leaders listen to them and have trust in them. Staff know that leaders value them and so have no fear of criticism. Good levels of communication and being treated fairly are central to fostering a positive team spirit.

p.2

2

Governors share leaders’ ambition to provide the best possible outcomes for all pupils. Governors are well informed. They provide good support for school leaders but also hold them to account for the quality of education in school. Governors see the school at work because they regularly meet with their linked curriculum subject leaders. 1 and 2 December 2022

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Its priority is reflected in regular staff training, ‘bitesize’ safeguarding updates in staff meetings and external audits of safeguarding systems. Staff know how to spot the smallest issue which might indicate something is not quite right. Help is provided if needed. This includes support for pupils’ mental health and well-being.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have identified the immediate safeguarding risks near school. Road safety is high on the list. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe near busy roads and when riding a bike. They also learn how to stay safe online.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects the essential knowledge pupils must learn at the end of a unit of work is not sharply defined. Pupils are unaware of the central ideas that thread through learning in these subjects. Leaders need to make sure that the curriculum is further refined and embedded so pupils develop a broad, memorable and detailed body of knowledge and skills across all areas of learning.

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 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.

p.3

Background

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

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.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 1 and 2 December 2022

p.3

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. 1 and 2 December 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10211215 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 18 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The deputy headteacher took up her post in September 2022.  No registered alternative providers are used by the school.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the senior leader, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders and teachers. The inspector met three members of the local governing body, including the chair. The inspector also met the school improvement partner from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons where available, spoke to teachers and teaching assistants, spoke to pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 1 and 2 December 2022

p.5

6

 The inspector listened to a range of pupils read from different year groups.  The inspector looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about other curriculum subjects.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lesson visits, at break time and at lunchtime. He spoke to pupils about their views of behaviour. A group of pupils gave the inspector a tour of the school.  The inspector looked at the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. The inspector spoke to leaders, teachers, governors and pupils about safeguarding.  The views of parents who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, were considered.  The inspector met with staff to discuss their well-being and workload. The inspector considered the responses and comments from Ofsted’s staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Phil Scott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 December 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