Ivy Road Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Ivy Road Primary School Ivy Road, Forest Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE12 9AP

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2022

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils appreciate the school’s values, ‘community’, ‘aspirational’ and ‘nurturing’ (CAN). Pupils show respect for one another. They listen carefully to the opinions of their classmates. Pupils like the way staff help them build their resilience. They say that when they are unwell, staff help them to ‘power through the day’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know to talk to a trusted adult if they are ever worried. Staff make sure pupils learn to be safe through stories and interesting activities. Many older pupils say, ‘The good thing about this school is that none of the teachers would say ‘‘that is your problem, you sort it’’.’ This helps pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally behave well in lessons and around school. They want to achieve well so they earn ‘CAN’ points for demonstrating the school’s values. Disruption to pupils’ learning is rare. Bullying is infrequent. Teachers are swift to sort out incidents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about the range of clubs on offer, such as board game club, drama and art. Boys appreciate netball and football. They know it is important that girls and boys are treated equally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some younger pupils struggle with their reading because they have gaps in their phonic knowledge. In some subjects other than English, mathematics and science, pupils do not build a deep knowledge of important concepts and ideas over time.

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

Leaders have worked hard to develop a new school vision. They want all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well. Leaders have made changes to the curriculum since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In some 13 and 14 December 2022

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subjects, such as mathematics and science, the changes are enabling pupils to build their subject knowledge over time and achieve well. In these subjects, the curriculum is planned so that new content builds on what pupils already know. This is helping most pupils to remember what they have learned. However, in a number of subjects, pupils do not learn the important knowledge that they need to achieve well. This is because leaders have not clearly defined the specific knowledge that they want pupils to master, and they have not considered the order in which teachers should introduce this knowledge. For instance, in geography, older pupils do not build knowledge over time to enable them to use maps to describe features and locate countries.

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Leaders prioritise reading. Older pupils say that they enjoy reading the selection of books on offer. Incentives such as the reading ‘advent calendar’ encourage pupils to read new books. Leaders have selected books to connect with the school’s values. The books that teachers read to pupils enable them to learn about stylistic features as well as explore challenging topics such as equality and human rights.

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Leaders recently implemented a new phonics programme to teach pupils to read. However, some pupils are not taught the precise sounds they must know to be able to read words. In a few phonics lessons, some pupils do not use the correct sounds for letters, and staff do not correct pupils’ mispronunciation. Some pupils who need extra help with reading are not provided with books that closely match the sounds they know. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge of phonics and cannot read fluently.

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There are effective systems to identify pupils with SEND. Teachers provide pupils with SEND with the support they need to develop the skills to become more confident and independent learners. For example, staff break down knowledge into small steps. They ensure all pupils are given the opportunity to answer questions in lessons. Leaders work well with parents, carers and external professionals to ensure support for pupils is in place before they start school.

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In the early years, the provision for two-year-olds is carefully planned to make sure that children learn the language they need to succeed. Staff introduce and model new words, pronouncing them carefully and checking that children understand them. They do this through exciting activities such as following instructions to mix ingredients. The learning environment has been developed to ensure children engage in activities that link to the planned curriculum. Children are gleeful as they correctly order baubles from nought to 20 on a cardboard Christmas tree. One child said she could do this because ‘everyone in early years is good at maths’.

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There are many opportunities on offer for pupils to develop their talents and interests. Leaders have planned careers education throughout the curriculum. In science, pupils learn about careers in science. Links with Northumbria University science, technology, engineering and mathematics (NUSTEM) and science club are helping to raise the aspirations of pupils from early years to Year 6. Educational visits to Gibside Hall, Northumbria University and Warkworth Castle link well to the curriculum. The curriculum for pupils’ personal development is helping pupils to have a strong understanding of life skills, such as saving and spending money wisely. 13 and 14 December 2022

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Most staff value the support that leaders give them. They say that their workload and well-being are considered by leaders. Leaders make sure staff are given the time to fulfil their responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils are taught how to stay safe. Leaders know children and their families well. Staff receive regular training about local and national safeguarding issues. They know and use the systems that leaders have put in place to safeguard pupils. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to ensure pupils receive the right support when they need it. Leaders keep records of safeguarding matters. However, some safeguarding records do not make clear the actions that leaders have taken or the impact of their actions.

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Safeguarding

Leaders carry out thorough checks on the suitability of all adults who work at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have recently implemented a new phonics programme. However, it is not sufficiently embedded. The quality of phonics teaching is inconsistent. Some pupils are not learning to pronounce letter sounds correctly. This is making it difficult for them to read words. Some pupils read books that are too difficult for them. Leaders need to ensure that all staff are trained to teach the phonics programme effectively. They need to check that all staff are teaching phonics correctly and that pupils read from books that are well matched to their phonic knowledge.  The curriculum in some subjects, such as geography, does not identify what pupils need to know, step by step across the year. Teachers are not as well supported to deliver the foundation curriculum. This means that in these subjects, pupils do not remember the important knowledge they need in order to achieve well. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects clearly defines what leaders want

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils to learn and remember. Leaders need to ensure that teachers have the subject expertise they need to implement the curriculum well.  There are some minor issues with some safeguarding records. A small number of records are not clear enough about the actions that leaders have taken to keep children safe. This makes it harder for leaders to check that the right course of action has been followed or identify patterns or trends with safeguarding issues. Leaders must ensure that all safeguarding records contain details that enable safeguarding personnel to gain a clear overview of actions taken. 13 and 14 December 2022

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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 school to be good in September 2017.

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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.

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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. 13 and 14 December 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 and 21 September 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed since the previous inspection. A new chair of the governing body has also been appointed since the last inspection.  The school has provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.

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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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the early years leader, the local authority school development partner and four members of the governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 13 and 14 December 2022

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector observed pupils read to familiar adults.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector spoke to staff and pupils. The inspector met with two designated safeguarding leads to review their knowledge, records and actions. The inspector also looked at the school’s single central record.  The inspector considered the views of pupils through discussions with pupils.  The views of staff and parents were considered through meetings, conversations and responses to staff surveys and Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Kathryn McDonald, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 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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