Linthorpe Community Primary School

Inspection of Linthorpe Community Primary School Roman Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough TS5 6EA

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Grace Mitchell. This school is part of the Legacy Learning Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sarah Lymer, and is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Haroon Rashid. 12 and 13 March 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Linthorpe Community Primary School is an inspirational and thriving school. Pupils feel safe here. They have high ambitions for themselves. Staff are aspirational for pupils’ achievement. They nurture pupils from the moment they arrive at the school. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have excellent attitudes to learning. They succeed in all areas of the well-designed curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. The school’s ‘magical habits’ encapsulate the school's values. Staff teach pupils to develop life skills such as ambition, independence and leadership. These skills are demonstrated in everything the pupils do. Pupils conduct themselves in an exemplary manner. They respect and value their time together. Behaviour in lessons is strong without exception. This is because staff are experts in modelling the desired behaviours.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to school. They attend exceptionally well. Pupils describe Linthorpe Primary School as a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity. Pupils express their opinions through school council meetings, suggest whole school events and make weekly book recommendations to their peers.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides all pupils, including children in the early years, with a remarkable range of clubs and enrichment activities. These include mindful meditation club, poetry club and gardening club. Staff create wonderful opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. The school constantly refines the many opportunities available. This ensures experiences are well matched to pupils’ personal development needs.

p.2

better?

The school places a high priority on the development of pupils’ language and communication needs. Vocabulary development is at the heart of the highly ambitious and precisely defined curriculum. Pupils explain their thinking clearly and demonstrate a depth of subject knowledge. The school enhances the curriculum with trips to museums, residentials, experiences and visits to art galleries. These help pupils to make connections with their learning, for example when discussing different artists such as Da Vinci, Matisse or Picasso.

p.2

better?

Pupils develop their understanding of subjects over time. There is no limit to what they can learn in any subject. Pupils start with a ‘big idea’. They revisit previous knowledge and follow a learning ‘roadmap’. Pupils immerse themselves in opportunities to explore, for example in geography, they carry out fieldwork in the local area using skills such as measuring and observing. They work like geographers. Pupils enjoy doing quizzes about what they have learned. Teachers work with them in small groups or individually if they need more help. No pupil is left behind. As a result, all pupils are ready for the next stage of learning. 12 and 13 March 2024

p.2

3

Staff successfully meet the needs of pupils with SEND and those who have English as an additional language. They demonstrate excellent subject knowledge and enable pupils to achieve well.

p.3

3

The school promotes the importance of reading across the school. Staff ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, learn how to read quickly. Pupils who are at the earliest stages of learning to read receive effective support to learn phonics. They become confident, fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading an extensive range of styles and authors. Staff provide ‘mirrors and windows’ books that help pupils to understand issues in the wider world. Leaders ensure that there is always someone or something in a book that pupils can identify with. Pupils love to read. They talk confidently and enthusiastically about the books they have read. They can discuss their favourite authors and say why they feel reading is so important. Pupils in every class enjoy a weekly book club. The school’s pupil librarians take pride in looking after the library and help organise whole school reading events.

p.3

3

Children in the early years enjoy an excellent start to their education. The curriculum meets their needs very well. Children are highly motivated and eager to learn. They share and cooperate well. Children demonstrate high levels of self-control and respect for others. High expectations and strong routines help children to develop resilience. They consistently keep on trying hard, particularly if they encounter difficulties.

p.3

3

The promotion of pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. It is a golden thread through the school’s curriculum and enrichment programme. Pupils learn about healthy relationships, positive mental health and the wider world. Pupils’ physical development is a high priority. Staff work hard to overcome barriers for pupils, particularly those who do not have safe outdoor play spaces at home. For example, the school has purchased bikes for pupils. They teach pupils to learn how to cycle safely. The school provides a range of opportunities for pupils to develop their character. For example, pupils receive training to support other pupils’ mental health and well-being. They support them at breaktimes and lunchtimes in a calm space where they can talk. The school council, in partnership with teachers, has created ‘50 fantastic things to do at Linthorpe’. These include planned visits and experiences for each year group such as playing a musical instrument or becoming a

p.3

3

Leaders value their staff. They prioritise staff training and well-being. Staff are proud to work at the school. Trustees and governors have a wealth of expertise. They know the school incredibly well and provide excellent challenge and support. Leaders at all levels are united in the vision that ‘everyone is equal, everyone is different, everyone is welcome, and everyone achieves their best’.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12 and 13 March 2024

p.3

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). 12 and 13 March 2024

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 December 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Linthorpe Community Primary School is a larger-than-average-size primary school.  There is an on-site breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school uses two registered alternative provisions.

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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, geography and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the 12 and 13 March 2024

p.5

6

curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors observed pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, trustees, local council members, the school improvement partner, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, teachers and support staff. They also spoke to leaders at the alternative provision.  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 scrutinised a range of documentation. This included attendance figures, curriculum plans, school policies, SEND support plans, behaviour records,

p.6

6

the school self-evaluation document and the school development plan.  Pupils’ behaviour and safety were evaluated upon arrival at school, during lesson visits, in the dining room and at breaktimes. Inspectors also met with groups of pupils to hear their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff questionnaires.

p.6

Inspection team

Lisa Ponter, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Dawn Foster Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 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