South Street Community Primary School

Inspection of South Street Community Primary School Cramer Street, Deckham, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 4BB

p.1

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 5 and 6 March 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and their families are proud of their school. Pupils embrace the importance of friendship. They appreciate the diverse community. Pupils are safe in the school. Adults support them in a range of different ways. Bullying and unkind behaviour are rare. Pupils are polite and considerate of others. They thrive socially in the nurturing environment the school provides.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils increasingly benefit from a high-quality education. The school has raised standards since the last inspection. Pupils enjoy their lessons. They achieve well and develop a depth of knowledge over time. They enjoy the way staff bring learning to life. This includes making links to the local area and using imaginative resources. Children in the early years get off to a positive start. They experience meaningful learning in a highly engaging environment.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy enriched learning beyond the academic curriculum. They take part in a range of clubs that develop their art, sport and cookery skills. Pupils also learn from external speakers and visitors, such as the recent and inspiring Anne Frank workshops. They learn important lessons about equality and discrimination.

p.2

better?

The quality of education has improved since the last inspection. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed. The school is ambitious for what pupils can achieve. In mathematics, pupils’ progress is significantly above the average progress nationally. They benefit from a curriculum that meets their needs. Children in the early years enjoy an immersive learning environment. In nursery, children concentrate on tasks well. They share and welcome others into their games. For example, they pour tea for one another during role play and take turns to talk. Work has begun to link the early years curriculum with the full range of subjects taught in Year 1. For older pupils, aspects of the curriculum are also new. The impact of the school’s work on the curriculum is not fully realised or embedded.

p.2

better?

The school focuses strongly on staff development. Teachers and teaching assistants have thorough subject knowledge. They explain learning to children well. Relationships are a strength in the classroom and beyond. However, the school’s ambitious curriculum is not implemented consistently well. Some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not achieve as well as they should. The curriculum is not adapted sufficiently well in some subjects to help these pupils to make effective progress.

p.2

better?

Reading is a high priority in the school. The teaching of phonics begins in Reception through daily lessons. Staff revisit this learning throughout the day. They are well trained to deliver phonics. They use targeted interventions to support pupils who fall behind. Although improving over time, phonics outcomes are not as strong as the school would like. Support for reading continues throughout the school. All pupils read to an adult regularly. Pupils have developed a love of reading. They enjoy a 5 and 6 March 2024

p.2

3

range of well-chosen and diverse texts. The school promotes reading well. Pupils are enthusiastic about hearing their teacher read. They relish daily ‘stop, drop and read’ sessions. They also benefit from visits to the local library.

p.3

3

The school is a welcoming place that pupils enjoy. It is a calm and orderly environment for learning. Pupils behave well. They understand the behaviour system. Staff apply behaviour rules fairly and consistently. Pupils’ attendance has rapidly improved. The school develops close relationships with pupils’ families. It liaises well with the wider community to reduce the barriers to pupils’ regular attendance. The school ensures pupils benefit from the improving quality of education it provides.

p.3

3

Pupils experience varied learning beyond the academic curriculum. They have a mature understanding about how to stay safe on- and offline. Pupils are passionate about equality of opportunity. They benefit from weekly assemblies that focus on respecting the rights of others. Pupils learn to be effective citizens. They take on leadership responsibilities willingly. For example, some pupils in Years 3 to 5 are proud to be young interpreters. These pupils receive training to support pupils who speak English as an additional language. They also provide tours of the school when new families move into the area.

p.3

3

The school is now providing an effective education for its pupils. Pupils experience an increasingly high-quality curriculum. They enjoy opportunities that help them to develop their interests. Strong and empathetic leadership has resulted in positive relationships with the community. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly proud of the inclusive nature of their school. Governors are committed to ensuring high standards for the pupils. They know the school well and check the work of senior leaders. Staff are happy to work at the school. They are supported well to do their jobs. Leaders motivate them to keep improving their practice.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not implemented consistently well. Some pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should. The school should continue its programme of staff development to improve the implementation of the curriculum further.  The school has undergone significant change over recent years. Many aspects of the curriculum are new and are not fully embedded. There is some variability in the quality of education pupils receive. The school should continue to improve the monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum from early years to Year 6 so that the 5 and 6 March 2024

p.3

4

impact for pupils is fully understood and improvements are made where necessary.

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 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). 5 and 6 March 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 17 May 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not use providers of alternative provision for its pupils.  A local authority special school uses two classrooms on the school’s site to provide education 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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 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 and the deputy headteacher over the course of the inspection. The lead inspector also met a representative from the local authority. 5 and 6 March 2024

p.5

6

 The lead inspector held a meeting with the chair of the governing body and three governing body members. They reviewed documentation relating to governance, including minutes from governing body meetings.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, and design and technology. 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 visited the school’s provision to support pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs.  An inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator and considered the support given to pupils with SEND during lesson visits.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

p.6

6

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with the leader responsible for personal development.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils and students formally throughout the inspection and spoke with them informally at social times and in lessons.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents including the school’s self- evaluation and the school’s improvement plans.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils, parents and staff gathered through Ofsted’s questionnaires, including Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also spoke to parents during pupils’ arrival to and departure from school.

p.6

Inspection team

Hannah Millett, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Chris Baines Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 March 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