Linthorpe Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Linthorpe Community Primary School Roman Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough TS5 6EA

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Outcome

Linthorpe Community Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this highly ambitious and inclusive community school. The nurturing relationships between staff and pupils sit at the heart of the school’s success. Leaders and staff have high expectations. They are determined for pupils to succeed both academically and socially. Leaders have designed a rich curriculum. Staff value and celebrate pupils’ academic, musical and sporting talents. Pupils enjoy their learning. They are proud of their achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and around school. They demonstrate respect and care for one another. Pupils enjoy the Super Happy and Calm Kids (SHACK) lunchtime sessions. Pupils are happy and feel safe. They are confident that, should bullying occur, adults will deal with it swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders give pupils wide-ranging and exciting opportunities to learn and develop. Alongside a well-planned curriculum, pupils enjoy participating in an extensive range of clubs, trips and experiences. Leaders encourage pupils to lead clubs and organise events. Leaders emphasise the development of pupils’ self-belief and confidence. Pupils are delighted to take on positions of responsibility, such as sports leaders, road safety officers and being part of the pupil leadership team. All pupils, particularly the most disadvantaged, benefit from this excellent provision.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school and say that ‘Linthorpe School is a brilliant school.’

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

Leaders and staff know the pupils and the community exceptionally well. They are determined to provide the very best education for all pupils. Leaders have created an 7 and 8 December 2022

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ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum. Subject leaders have clearly identified the important knowledge that they want all pupils, including children in the early years, to know and remember.

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Teachers implement the curriculum exceedingly well. They choose appropriate activities to enable pupils to learn well. Teachers help pupils to make connections between their knowledge in different topics and subjects. This helps pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding. Pupils enjoy their learning. They listen attentively to their teachers and are highly focused on their learning.

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Staff make excellent use of assessment. They consistently check that pupils understand the new learning and can link this to what they have learned before. Pupils remember the important skills and knowledge that they have previously learned. Pupils are proud of their high-quality work.

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Children in early years demonstrate a love of learning. They learn and explore through the well-planned and carefully considered activities. Early years staff exploit every opportunity to develop children’s language and vocabulary.

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Leaders place a great emphasis on reading. Staff are expertly trained in delivering the planned phonics programme. Children take home books that are precisely matched to the sounds that they have learned in class. When necessary, teachers provide extra support to help pupils catch up quickly. As a result, pupils rapidly become confident and fluent readers.

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Pupils demonstrate a love of reading. Children are keen to listen to stories and poems. Older pupils enjoy reading the diverse range of texts available in the well-stocked, attractive book areas. Pupils speak knowledgeably about the fiction and non-fiction books they have read.

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Teachers support pupils in developing their mathematical knowledge in a logical way. Pupils are confident in selecting ways of working out calculations. They give clear explanations and reasons for their work. Teachers provide pupils with problems and challenges. Pupils use these activities to show what they understand, can do and can apply to different situations.

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Adults identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly and effectively. Pupils’ individual support plans contain clear information about their learning needs. Adults use this information to ensure that pupils successfully access the curriculum alongside their friends. Pupils benefit from a range of carefully planned interventions which are skilfully delivered by well-trained staff. Teachers and teaching assistants provide excellent support for pupils with SEND. Adults help all pupils, including children in the early years, to become successful and independent learners.

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Leaders promote pupils’ personal development exceptionally well. The curriculum programme aligns with the school vision: ‘everyone is equal, everyone is different, everyone is welcome, and everyone achieves their best’. Staff have skilfully woven spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities into the curriculum. Pupils learn about 7 and 8 December 2022

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different lifestyles, cultures and beliefs. They have a good understanding of rights and responsibilities. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The staff team is highly skilled and motivated. Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the positive steps that leaders have taken to lessen their workload. Trustees and governors are highly knowledgeable. They hold leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. They too are very proud to represent the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ well-being and safety are priorities for everyone. Staff are very well trained. They know their pupils and families extremely well and swiftly identify anyone who may be at risk. Staff know what to do if they have any concerns. Leaders are resolute and take swift action when concerns are reported. The care team provides valuable support to families and pupils. They liaise effectively with external agencies. Leaders carry out thorough checks on adults who work in the school.

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Safeguarding

The school’s curriculum raises pupils’ awareness of how to protect themselves from potential harm. Pupils confidently explain how to keep themselves safe online and in the local community.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Linthorpe Community Primary School, to be good in November 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. 7 and 8 December 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. 7 and 8 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241348 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Linthorpe Community Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2018. When its predecessor school, Linthorpe Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Legacy Learning Trust.  There is an on-site breakfast club and after-school club managed by the school.  The school uses two alternative providers.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and physical education. 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. Inspectors observed pupils read to a familiar adult. 7 and 8 December 2022

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 Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, trustees, local council members, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, teachers and support staff.

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 Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leaders to discuss the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures. Inspectors scrutinised documentation to assess how the school identifies and supports pupils at risk of harm. Inspectors spoke with a range of pupils and staff to evaluate the school’s safeguarding culture.

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 Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation. This included attendance figures, curriculum plans, school policies, SEND support plans, behaviour records, the school self-evaluation document and the school development plan.

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 Pupils’ behaviour and safety were evaluated on arrival at school, during lesson visits, in the dining room and at breaktimes. Inspectors also met with groups of pupils to hear their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Alison Stephenson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Zoe Westley Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 December 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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