Caedmon Primary School

Inspection of Caedmon Primary School Attlee Road, Grangetown, Middlesbrough TS6 7NA

p.1

Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Sarah Hill. This school is part of Steel River Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by chief executive officers, Patsy Petrie and Jason Murgatroyd and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jane Powell. 23 and 24 January 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming school where pupils thrive. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Caring staff help to build respectful relationships. This ensures that pupils enjoy coming to school. Children in early years squeal with excitement as they enter school in the morning. They quickly join in the well-designed activities. Older pupils are prepared for future learning due to the support and opportunities they are offered.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development is exceptional. The school offers pupils a rich set of experiences. They include visits to the theatre, participating in sports competitions and playing musical instruments with Royal Northern Sinfonia. There are a wide range of clubs to help develop pupils’ talents. For example, stained glass art and a team ball game inspired by fantasy fiction. Pupils enjoy being leaders, such as head boy or girl.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and at break times. This is because staff are fair. They support pupils with their behaviour. Staff have expert knowledge of behaviour strategies and calming techniques. They help pupils to learn about strong emotions and how to deal with them. Pupils are resilient. They remember the consequences for not behaving as expected. This helps pupils to behave well most of the time.

p.2

better?

The school has made significant changes to the curriculum in the last two years. The changes are well considered. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to build pupils’ knowledge over time. Leaders have considered the specific needs of the pupils in the school. There is an emphasis on pupils developing their spoken language and listening skills. This is helping older pupils to discuss and debate important issues.

p.2

better?

Staff use their expert knowledge to plan lessons that interest pupils. In physical education (PE), pupils enjoy activities such as climbing up ropes. This helps pupils to build core muscle strength. Pupils know that this will help them in other areas of the curriculum such as writing. In history, teachers clearly model and revisit important vocabulary. This helps pupils to discuss important topics. For example, pupils in Year 4 debate why a warrior would want to live in Sparta. Despite the school’s focus on supporting pupils to learn important vocabulary, some pupils struggle to remember mathematical vocabulary.

p.2

better?

Pupils develop a love of reading as they progress through the school. They enjoy the author visits and choice of books on offer. Pupils listen and join in during daily story time. Teachers model reading extremely well. This increases pupils’ familiarity with a wide range of books such as ‘The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark’ by Jill Tomlinson. In Nursery, children enjoy learning rhymes and singing songs. This helps to prepare them for phonics lessons in Reception. Staff with expert knowledge of the school’s phonics scheme help pupils to learn the letter sounds. The school makes sure that 23 and 24 January 2024

p.2

3

pupils practise reading often. Effective checking procedures identify pupils who have gaps in their phonics knowledge. These pupils receive additional support to help them to catch up. This helps pupils to read accurately.

p.3

3

The school supports pupils with SEND effectively. Pupils achieve well. Their needs are identified and assessed accurately. Parents are involved in this process. Pupils’ individual support plans provide helpful information. Staff use this information to make careful adaptations to enable pupils to access the full curriculum. Pupils with SEND learn well alongside their peers in class. As a result, they are successfully prepared for the next stage of their learning.

p.3

3

Children make a strong start in the early years. Staff help children to understand routines and expectations. This helps children to adapt quickly to daily routines. In mathematics, children sing ‘Five Little Speckled Frogs.’ Staff help children to concentrate as they take the frogs off the logs and count the rest. This helps children to identify one less to prepare them for Year 1.

p.3

3

Pupils benefit from highly effective pastoral support. Pupils trust staff to help them with their problems. This helps pupils to concentrate well in lessons. Pupils’ character development is exemplary. For instance, pupils visit a range of different places of worship to help them to understand and respect difference. Pupils are valued members of the local community. They enjoy singing to residents in a local care home. This helps pupils understand their local community better.

p.3

3

Leaders work closely with parents and professional services to improve attendance. This work is paying off. Attendance is improving. Despite this, some pupils still miss too much school.

p.3

3

Leaders at all levels know the school’s strengths and areas to improve. They understand the needs of the community that the school serves. Their leadership is impacting positively on the education that pupils receive. Most staff are proud to work in the school. They appreciate the actions that leaders take to manage their workload.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In mathematics, some pupils do not remember the vocabulary that they have been taught. This makes it difficult to explain more complex concepts. The school should ensure that all pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of vocabulary and to check that pupils remember vocabulary well. 23 and 24 January 2024

p.3

4

 Despite the school’s best efforts so far, some pupils do not attend school often enough. These pupils miss out on important learning. The school should continue to work with pupils and their families to improve pupils’ attendance so that they can benefit from the good quality education that is provided.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 so- cial 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). 23 and 24 January 2024

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since conversion to academy status.  The school runs before- and after-school clubs for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

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.  Inspectors met with leaders, including the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, members of the board of trustees and local governing body, including the chair of the trust and chair of local governing body. The lead inspector also had a telephone conversation with a representative from 23 and 24 January 2024

p.5

6

the local authority and met with one of the two chief executive officers of the multi-academy trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and PE. 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. The lead inspector observed some pupils read to a familiar adult.  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 evaluated a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plans.

p.6

6

 Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Kathryn McDonald, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Annalei Bartlett Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 January 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7