Esh Winning Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Esh Winning Primary School The Wynds, Esh Winning, Durham DH7 9BE

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Outcome

Esh Winning Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of respect, resilience and honesty are well understood by everyone at Esh Winning Primary School. Pupils know how important it is to treat everyone equally. ‘Mini Police’ encourage and support others at social times. They help to remind pupils how important their school environment is. The ‘Tranquil Garden’ provides a quiet space for pupils to socialise and engage with nature.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff encourage pupils to be resilient. They have high expectations for what pupils can and will achieve. Staff are excellent role models for children when they first join the school. Pupils appreciate the regular rewards they receive. ‘Values Monitors’ collect weekly nominations for pupils who have demonstrated the school’s values. Leaders ensure that everyone understands how important it is to try their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are honest and caring. Bullying happens rarely. Pupils are confident to report any issues they might have to an adult. They know that staff will offer support and keep them safe. Leaders have addressed and improved the poor behaviour of a very small number of pupils effectively. They ensure that negative behaviour is never a barrier to learning. Pupils understand that talking about their feelings is important. A ‘reading shed’ is provided to give pupils a quiet space for reading at social times.

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

Leaders have identified the most important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn within the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have been considered during this planning. Pupils have regular opportunities to learn more about their local area and the wider world. The curriculum builds on what pupils have previously learned as they progress through school. Leaders in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) understand what children need to know and be able to do on joining key stage 1. This includes a specific focus on children’s communication skills and literacy, following gaps left by the COVID-19 pandemic. 4 and 5 May 2023

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Many staff teach the curriculum with enthusiasm and confidence. They ask challenging questions to check what pupils have understood. Pupils respond well and are keen to share their ideas. However, in some lessons, the tasks that teachers give to pupils lack ambition. Opportunities for pupils to make complex links in their learning are missed.

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Pupils start learning phonics as soon as they join Reception. Leaders understand that becoming a fluent reader is an important first step in every pupil’s education. Staff know and assess the sounds that pupils know at each stage of the phonics programme. Pupils who need additional support, including pupils with SEND, are quickly identified. This ensures pupils catch up and keep up with the programme.

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Leaders have developed assessments that help to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. These highlight topics where re-teaching of the curriculum may be necessary. In some foundation subjects, such as history, assessments lack precision. Leaders have focused on assessing generic skills rather than the specific knowledge that pupils have learned. This means that staff cannot consistently identify pupils’ misconceptions. Leaders know this is the case and are acting swiftly to strengthen assessments in several foundation subjects.

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Children in the EYFS are supported by staff who understand their individual needs. Children play well together and communicate with increasing confidence. Leaders have designed a curriculum that focuses sharply on children’s early development. Staff understand how the activities children undertake will support their learning. The indoor learning areas are of a high quality and promote children’s language development, communication and numeracy skills effectively. The outdoor provision does not support children’s learning as strongly. This means there are some missed opportunities for children to learn the intended curriculum as well as they might.

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Leaders have prioritised pupils’ wider development following the pandemic. An increasing number of extra-curricular activities, including a film club and multi-sports, are on offer each week. The curriculum for personal, social and health education helps pupils to understand more about themselves and others. It includes important messages about staying safe online, healthy relationships and other cultures. Pupils are proud of their school community and relish the opportunity to represent it, for example, by being a school councillor or part of the ‘Pride Youth Network’.

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Staff are universally proud to be part of the school community. They feel well supported by leaders, who actively consider their welfare and workload. Leaders at the school are well regarded in the community for their dedication to pupils’ education and well-being. Leaders’ work extends beyond the school gates, helping families with food parcels and spare uniform items. Governors use their skills and knowledge well to hold leaders to account. The work of leaders at all levels continues to improve the school and the experience of its pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 and 5 May 2023

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Staff understand the important messages they receive about keeping pupils safe. They are confident to report any concerns they might have to leaders. These reports ensure that leaders can provide timely support for young people and their families. Leaders work successfully with external agencies to get the additional support pupils might need.

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Pupils learn about how to stay safe. They understand important messages about risks they might encounter online or in person. Staff undertake regular training that helps them identify when a young person may be at risk of harm. Governors also understand these risks. The school community works well together to keep young people safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, teachers do not adapt teaching activities well to meet the needs of all pupils. At times, the tasks that staff give to pupils lack ambition. As a result, pupils do not develop a more complex understanding of the topics they learn. Leaders should ensure that staff understand how to select the most appropriate teaching activities so that pupils develop a detailed knowledge of the curriculum they are taught.  The learning environment for children in the early years is not of a consistently high quality. Specifically, provision to support and improve children’s language, communication and numeracy is not as well developed outdoors as it is inside the classroom. This means that there are missed opportunities for children to develop their knowledge and understanding in some key areas of learning. Leaders should review the continuous provision available in the EYFS to ensure it supports children’s learning

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

and development as effectively as possible.

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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 March 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 4 and 5 May 2023

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when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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. 4 and 5 May 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school provides a breakfast club for pupils.  The school does not currently use any alternative education providers.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, senior leaders and a representative of the local authority. The inspector spoke to teaching and non-teaching staff, in addition to representatives of the governing body.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. The inspector spoke with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at books and spoke to pupils and staff.  The inspector reviewed individual plans for pupils with SEND. 4 and 5 May 2023

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 The inspector examined a range of school documents, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans and documentation relating to attendance and behaviour.  The inspector observed pupil’s behaviour throughout the inspection and spoke to pupils about their experience of attending the school. The inspector also met with leaders to discuss the personal development curriculum.  The inspector checked the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures, including checks made on all adults who come onto the school site. The inspector spoke with pupils and staff to ensure their understanding of safeguarding procedures. The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to check on their work to keep pupils safe in school.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff surveys, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

John Linkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 4 and 5 May 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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