Belmont Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Belmont Primary School Lauderdale Drive, Guisborough, Cleveland TS14 7BS

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Outcome

Belmont Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Belmont Primary School is a happy community. Pupils and staff treat each other with respect. Pupils feel safe. They trust staff to resolve any difficulties or problems that may arise. Staff know pupils very well. They want to do the very best for each pupil in their care.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are courteous and polite. They respond to staff expectations and move around school safely. In the playground, pupils play well together. There are few disputes, but when they arise, staff sort them out quickly. Bullying is rare. Even so, pupils know they can turn to a trusted adult or one of the anti-bullying ambassadors for help if it did occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond to the high expectations that staff have of them. The youngest children listen carefully to adults and do as they are asked. They learn the school’s ‘golden guidelines’, which everyone in school follows. In lessons, pupils work diligently and do their best. They are enthusiastic about learning. They are eager to answer questions and to contribute.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff believe that every child can excel at something. A rich range of opportunities support pupils’ learning and enjoyment. The local area is used well to support learning in subjects such as geography. Pupils benefit from a wide range of very well attended after-school clubs. Pupils help to decide the clubs that are on offer. For example, a chess club began in response to a request by the school council. Pupils’ social and emotional well-being is well supported.

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

Leaders ensure that pupils’ learning in the curriculum builds as they progress through the school. This is the case in every subject. Leaders review the curriculum and reshape the content to ensure pupils learn well. 25 and 26 April 2023 Leaders have introduced a carefully considered phonics programme to help the youngest children read. Leaders have made sure that pupils now learn to read well. The vast majority of pupils quickly learn to read with fluency and expression. Leaders are improving assessment practices and can pinpoint when pupils struggle to retain phonics knowledge. Pupils receive effective support to help them catch up.

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

Pupils enjoy reading. When they can read fluently, they like to choose different texts from the library. They listen to a good range of stories. For example, younger pupils were captivated by an enthusiastic retelling of a Roald Dahl story.

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

The mathematics curriculum extends pupils’ knowledge effectively. Staff have good mathematical knowledge. They use a range of approaches to help pupils to understand complex mathematical ideas. On occasions, staff do not break down learning into small steps. When this happens, pupils find it more difficult to progress to more complex tasks.

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

In subjects such as history, geography and science, pupils build their knowledge well. Subject leaders adapt the content of the curriculum and make sure it is relevant and interesting. Pupils’ enjoyment is enhanced through well-chosen visits, such as to Eden Camp, where they explore aspects of wartime Britain. In some areas, pupils’ subject- specific skills, such as how to explore source materials in history, are less developed. Staff understanding of how well pupils are learning the wider curriculum is less secure.

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

Staff help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to overcome any barriers that they have to learning. Staff use a range of strategies to help pupils succeed. For example, staff provide special resources or extra help when necessary. Leaders use guidance from external agencies very well to support pupils with SEND.

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

The curriculum in early years is effective. Children settle quickly in the warm and caring environment. They listen to adults and follow instructions. Children displayed with pride the model of ambulances they had made. They enjoy learning new letters and numbers, guided by skilled staff. From the minute they arrive, pupils learn the golden guidelines. They behave well both in lessons and at playtimes. Occasionally, pupils need extra help to manage their behaviour. Staff ensure pupils get the right help to do this. This maintains the school’s calm atmosphere.

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

Pupils’ wider development is very successfully supported. For example, pupils learn about a wide range of careers, such as being a biochemist or a paramedic. Links with the local church enhance pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils make a strong contribution towards shaping how the wider curriculum develops. Members of the school council meet the headteacher monthly. This keeps staff up to date with pupils’ views. Since the pandemic, leaders have recognised that more pupils need help to maintain their well-being. Leaders have responded by increasing the range of support for pupils’ well-being.

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

Leaders have a shared vision for the school. They strive for pupils to become well- rounded, confident individuals who achieve well. Staff fully support this vision. Governors ensure that they offer the right levels of challenge and support. This keeps the school on course to continue to achieve their aims. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise safeguarding. They work with external agencies and families to support pupils’ welfare. Leaders take prompt action when needed to support pupils.

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Safeguarding

Systems to ensure pupils are safe are very well maintained and updated on time. Some staff have received additional safeguarding training to ensure that safeguarding is secure. Staff are confident about what to do when they are concerned about a child. They receive regular training to keep them well informed.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. In the early years, they learn how to manage possible risks when they are on climbing equipment. Older pupils learn how to cross the road safely. They know the dangers of using the internet and use a range of strategies to keep themselves safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasions, teachers do not break down the mathematics curriculum into sufficiently small steps. Pupils find it hard to complete more complex tasks when they lack the core mathematical knowledge. Staff should help pupils to develop secure mathematical understanding before moving them on to more complex learning.  Pupils’ understanding of some subject-specific skills, or disciplinary knowledge, in subjects such as history, geography and science is less developed than their understanding of core content. Leaders should do more to enhance pupils’ understanding of these aspects of their subjects.  Leaders do not have a sufficiently clear picture of how well pupils learn the intended curriculum in foundation subjects. They should work with staff to check how pupils are learning important knowledge in these subjects.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023 This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255829 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the school has grown from a one and a half form entry to a two form entry.  A breakfast club operates each morning.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher throughout the inspection.  The inspector met with staff, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders and the curriculum leader, 25 and 26 April 2023 looked at curriculum plans, visited classrooms, spoke to staff and scrutinised records of children’s learning.  The inspector also discussed curriculum plans in art, design technology and computing as well as science and geography.  The inspector reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record. They

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Information about this inspection

talked to staff about their views of safeguarding.  The inspector observed children’s behaviour indoors and outdoors and at lunchtime.  The inspector examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including leaders’ self-evaluation and school development plans and policies.  The inspector considered the free-text comments on Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. She also considered responses from the online staff survey. There were no responses from the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Susan Waugh, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 April 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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