Simonside Primary School

Inspection of Simonside Primary School Glasgow Road, Jarrow, Tyne and Wear NE32 4AU

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2023

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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 Good Previous inspection grade Good 15 and 16 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Simonside Primary. They arrive at school with smiles on their faces to be greeted warmly by staff. There is an infectious sense of happiness and community. Pupils behave well in lessons and when they are moving around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are warm, kind and nurturing to the pupils. In return, pupils show good manners and consideration to both adults and their peers. Leaders and pupils have worked together to create clear rules for behaviour in school. This supports pupils in making positive choices and behaving well. As a result, pupils enjoy school and attend regularly. Parents speak highly of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to take on responsibility. Pupils are proud to hold roles on the School Council or the Eco- committee. Every pupil, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is encouraged to develop their interests and talents in sport, music and the arts.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ learning. This year there have been noticeable improvements to outcomes at the end of Reception and key stage 1. While there have been some improvements this year to results at the end of key stage 2, more work is needed to ensure that all pupils are ready for the transition to secondary school.

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better?

The 2023 Year 6 national assessment outcomes do not reflect the quality of the curriculum offer at Simonside Primary. Turbulence in staffing and disruption to learning during the pandemic have had a negative impact on pupil outcomes. The school has not monitored the implementation of the curriculum consistently well in all subjects. It has not identified gaps in staff knowledge and training effectively enough. As a result, some pupils in key stage 2 were not ready for the transition to learning in key stage 3.

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better?

The school has made improvements to the curriculum, pupil behaviour management and support for students with SEND. The school’s vision, underpinned by mutual respect, is clearly understood by all. Leaders have raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils have confidence in their own abilities and have high aspirations for future careers.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is logical and ordered coherently. It sets out what pupils must remember and when. As part of the work to develop the curriculum, the school has thought carefully about what pupils need to learn about their community and heritage. The curriculum is equally ambitious for all pupils. 15 and 16 November 2023

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The positive atmosphere felt throughout the school begins in Reception. Early years staff are calm and gentle as they introduce children to new rules and routines. The environment is bright and inviting. Staff choose resources carefully so that children can be as independent as possible in their learning. Staff engage in purposeful conversations with children to promote vocabulary development and early mathematical knowledge.

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Starting in the early years, the curriculum builds around vocabulary and knowledge in a structured way. This helps pupils develop and connect their learning in and across the different subjects. Staff develop lessons across the curriculum that match pupils’ needs and abilities. They use assessments effectively to identify strengths and areas that need further work.

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The teaching of phonics is effective. Leaders ensure that pupils receive the support they need to help them become confident and able readers. Some staff have recently undertaken refresher training for the phonics programme. This has improved the consistency of phonics teaching between groups of children. The school has planned further training soon so that all staff become experts in the teaching of reading.

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Pupils enjoy weekly visits to the school library where they can access a wide range of well-chosen books to match their interests. Pupils like discussing the books that they read and especially enjoy the daily class reading time.

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The school has embedded the personal development programme with care across the whole curriculum. Teachers support pupils to develop their understanding of mental health and well-being. This helps pupils to make sensible choices and manage their feelings and emotions well. Teachers teach pupils about the risks that they may face and help them to develop strategies for different situations. Pupils can confidently discuss staying safe online and the advantages of being physically fit and healthy. All pupils access a range of educational visits each year that are linked to their curriculum.

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Leaders consider the well-being of staff carefully and are mindful of the pressures of workload. Governors have a good understanding of their statutory duties and responsibilities. They understand the school well and undertake their role effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

■ Due to turbulence in staffing, the school has not monitored the implementation of the curriculum in some subjects consistently well over time. The school has not 15 and 16 November 2023

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addressed the gaps in staff understanding and training quickly enough in these subjects. This has had a negative impact on pupil outcomes at the end of Year 6. Leaders must ensure that all staff have the training and support they need to deliver the curriculum consistently well in all subjects so that pupils are fully prepared for the rigour of the key stage 3 curriculum.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 15 and 16 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Samantha Harrison

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 June 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

■ The headteacher is new since the last inspection. ■ The school has both a breakfast and after-school club. ■ The school currently has some pupils placed in two registered alternative provisions.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. ■ This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 15 and 16 November 2023

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■ Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing, mathematics, physical education and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. ■ An inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 read to a familiar adult. ■ An inspector visited both the breakfast and after-school club. ■ Inspectors met with groups of staff and pupils. ■ To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. ■ Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in class, around the school and during social times. They held discussions with leaders about behaviour and attendance.

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■ Inspectors met with senior leaders, the local authority adviser and members of the governing body. ■ Inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to parents during the inspection. They also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Jane Wilson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Vic Good-Bruce Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 November 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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