King Street Primary School

Inspection of King Street Primary School High Grange Road, Spennymoor, County Durham DL16 6RA

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Inspection dates: 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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 Requires improvement 31 January and 1 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff are proud of their school. They listen to and respect one another. Right from the beginning, pupils learn the importance of being kind, responsible and resilient. The ‘Student of the Week’ award celebrates pupils who have shown these qualities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a strong focus on the well-being of each individual. Pupils know who to talk to if they are worried or upset. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that staff will be there if they need help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school inspires pupils to achieve well. Teachers make learning enjoyable. They expect everyone to do their best. Pupils try hard in lessons. Adults teach them how to focus, cooperate and collaborate to support their learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They particularly value the way every child is treated as an individual. Many parents comment on how the school goes above and beyond to support families.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is well designed. Pupils make effective links between new knowledge and what they have already learned. Right from the early years, new learning is carefully sequenced within and across subjects. For example, pupils apply what they learn in mathematics to their design and technology work. In history, teachers encourage pupils to compare what life was like for women during World War Two and in the Victorian era.

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better?

Pupils at an early stage of learning to read are well supported by the school’s chosen phonics programme. Leaders ensure that staff who teach phonics are well trained. Staff listen to all pupils reading individually. Pupils who need extra support to learn to read are quickly identified. These pupils get the help they need to catch up. Pupils become fluent and confident readers. The school promotes positive attitudes to reading. Pupils are enthusiastic about the high-quality books they read and discuss together. Pupils know that reading is important for their learning across the whole curriculum. As one pupil said, ‘Reading helps to expand your vocabulary.’

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better?

Teachers adapt lessons and resources effectively to support pupils with SEND. The school provides additional adult support to pupils who need it. There are many opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively during lessons. The school gives all pupils opportunities to go on trips and listen to visiting speakers. Pupils enjoy and remember these experiences but do not always make links to their learning.

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better?

Subject plans identify the most important knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to remember. The school ensures that pupils can recall what they have already learned 31 January and 1 February 2024

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before moving on to new learning. However, many pupils find it difficult to remember the specific vocabulary they need to talk about their learning, particularly in subjects such as history and computing.

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Beginning in the early years, pupils learn the routines and expectations that support everyone to be safe and happy in school. Most pupils behave well. A small number of pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Leaders are taking appropriate action to support families to improve attendance.

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The school’s support for pupils’ personal development underpins the whole curriculum. Pupils benefit from an ambitious outdoor education programme. Pupils regularly take part in sports festivals, after-school clubs and community events. As they move through school, pupils develop their knowledge of issues such as consent, mental health and well-being. Pupils learn about money and the world of work. The school recognises the importance of preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. The school is aware that pupils would benefit from more work on online safety and future careers. This work is already underway.

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The school has a culture of continuous improvement. Leaders, including governors, regularly ask staff and pupils what is working well and what could be better. The school ensures that staff receive appropriate training. Staff at the school feel well supported. They know that their workload is well managed and that their well-being is a priority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Many pupils struggle to recall the specific vocabulary they need to know to support their learning. This means that they find it difficult to explain their thinking and understanding. The school should further develop strategies for checking that pupils have retained key vocabulary and provide further opportunities for them to use vocabulary accurately in context.

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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. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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' 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). 31 January and 1 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christine Parkinson

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 October 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school offers wraparound provision, with a breakfast club and after-school club.  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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, middle leaders and a range of teachers and other staff. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  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 met with some parents and carers at school. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey, including free-text responses.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lesson visits, breaktime and lunchtime. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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 Inspectors met with staff to discuss their well-being and workload. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Gill McCleave, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Hall Ofsted Inspector 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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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