Springwell Village Primary School

Inspection of Springwell Village Primary School Westfield Crescent, Springwell, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE9 7RX

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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 Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 7 and 8 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s motto, ‘Learning today for a brighter future’, spreads through all aspects of school life. Pupils are enthusiastic. They love to debate, challenge and discuss ideas when in class. Classrooms are calm and purposeful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy and enjoy coming to school. They develop good friendships and are supportive of one another. They demonstrate tolerance and respect and display positive attitudes to learning. They know that they will have a ‘brighter future’ because of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have strong relationships with their teachers. They consistently behave well and strive to meet the high expectations set. Pupils know that if they have a worry or concern, there is always an adult whom they can talk to. Children in early years receive care and nurture, but the curriculum is not as strong as it could be. Leaders have not prioritised the curriculum in early years to ensure that children get off to the flying start they need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils recognise that there are different types of bullying. They are confident that any bullying would be dealt with. Pupils know that the staff want the best for them and articulate this with confidence. One pupil explained, ‘Teachers allow us to have choices but also guide us along the right path at the same time.’

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better?

Recently, leaders have further developed subjects such as history, art and computing by focusing on the order in which content is taught. The curriculum is now ambitious and well designed to meet the needs of the pupils. Leaders ensure that vital knowledge is organised for each year group, so that pupils can build on what they already know as they move through the school. In lessons, teachers revisit previous content to help pupils remember what they have learned and check their understanding. However, leaders are aware that with new staff and a high number of less experienced teachers, there is still work to do so that staff know exactly what to teach and when. Leaders are monitoring curriculum modifications, but currently, quality assurance is not robust enough to evidence the impact of these changes.

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better?

Leaders have recently introduced a new early reading programme. All staff have been trained and teach phonics effectively. As a result, pupils can confidently apply the phonic knowledge they have learned. Leaders ensure that those who are at the early stages of learning to read or who have fallen behind quickly access extra support to help them become fluent readers.

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better?

Pupils’ behaviour is a particular strength. There is a calm and orderly environment around the school. Pupils are respectful when speaking to adults. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. This helps them to achieve well. 7 and 8 February 2023

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Leaders have designed and implemented the personal, social and health education curriculum effectively. Pupils learn about inclusion, diversity and healthy relationships at an age-appropriate stage. Assemblies are used to embed this knowledge and to teach pupils about the school’s values such as resilience and trust. As a result, pupils are articulate and confident. They demonstrate tolerance and respect for each other.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Staff adapt teaching methods and resources to match pupils’ individual support plans. Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and receive precise, focused support from teachers and teaching assistants.

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Leaders have not prioritised the curriculum in early years. As a result, children are not receiving enough opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. Staff are not getting the best out of the children. Leaders are aware that staff do not prioritise vocabulary to develop children’s speech. Staff are caring and nurturing, but they miss opportunities to guide children’s learning.

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Trustees and governors have a secure understanding of the school and its priorities. They carry out their roles effectively by setting the strategic vision and holding leaders to account. The multi-academy trust supports the school with curriculum design. Staff feel well supported by leaders to carry out their roles in school. Staff believe that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have received up-to-date training so they are aware of all the procedures in place to keep pupils safe. They receive regular safeguarding updates in the form of weekly briefings. Any concerns raised are addressed in a timely manner by the designated safeguarding lead. Leaders work effectively with external agency support if necessary. Relevant staff checks have been completed. Leaders ensure that pupils are taught about how to keep safe through lessons and safety awareness assemblies. There is a clear priority around safeguarding.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ actions to implement changes to the curriculum have been negatively impacted by high staff turnover. As a result, some subjects and early years provision have not improved as quickly as they should have. Leaders should ensure that they regularly check the impact of the new curriculum and how effectively it is being implemented from Nursery to Year 6.  The early years curriculum is not effectively designed to meet the needs of children. As a result, teachers are unsure about what content to deliver and how 7 and 8 February 2023

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to deliver it. Leaders should review the curriculum, so that staff are clear about the important knowledge that they need to teach. They should also ensure that staff are adequately supported to deliver the curriculum effectively.

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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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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 February 2023

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School details

Website www.springwellvillageprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Springwell Village Primary School converted to become an academy school in Oak Learning Trust in November 2021.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 had 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.  Inspectors did deep dives in early reading, mathematics, art and history. Inspectors spoke to leaders about the curriculum and met with teachers from the lessons visited. Inspectors looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about the curriculum, behaviour and what it is like to attend this school.  Inspectors looked at curriculum documents from a range of subjects. 7 and 8 February 2023

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 Inspectors listened to a range of pupils from different year groups reading.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, members of the governing body, the chief executive officer and trustees.  Inspectors looked at the single central record and spoke to leaders, teachers, governors and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors spoke to early career teachers and their mentors.  Inspectors spoke to parents and carers and observed pupils at breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors considered the responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Lynn Chambers, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Milligan His Majesty’s Inspector 7 and 8 February 2023

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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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