Hawthorn Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hawthorn Primary School Park Close, Westgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE4 6SB

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Outcome

Hawthorn Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Hawthorn Primary School are encouraged to become ‘the best version of themselves’. Leaders have prioritised effective communication and reflective thinking to help pupils to explore the world around them. The school provides a wide range of experiences for pupils that enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils take part in library visits, learn a musical instrument and grow food. These opportunities inspire pupils to be aspirational for their futures. Pupils are happy at this very inclusive school where everyone is made to feel welcome.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has established a curriculum that helps pupils to secure an increasingly deep knowledge of the subjects that they encounter. For example, all pupils perform in music ensembles and orchestras. The depth of knowledge and skill in music that pupils acquire is impressive. The joy that this brings to pupils is clear to see.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. Adults apply behaviour routines and expectations consistently well. Pupils conduct themselves calmly and maturely whether adults are present or not. Lessons are calm and focused. Pupils understand that what they learn now will support their ambitions for the future. This inspires pupils to attend well. Pupils and their families value the education that they receive at Hawthorn Primary School.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has established an ambitious curriculum. Staff have identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn. Adults make sure that pupils learn this knowledge in an order that builds their understanding. In physical education (PE) for example, pupils learn about core strength, balance and coordination. This prepares them for more complex activities, such as paired work in gym and invasion games in sport. Some aspects of the curriculum are at an earlier stage of development than others. Where this is the case, pupils lack some of the knowledge that they need to make sense of new learning. 1 and 2 May 2024

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Children use their secure knowledge of phonics to become confident readers. Staff are experts in teaching children to read. In early years, children encounter carefully chosen texts that encourage them to explore books independently. Throughout the school, leaders invest in a diverse range of literature. Every term, all pupils are given a copy of one of the books that they have encountered in school. This helps them to develop a library of books at home and inspires them to read. They do so with confidence and joy. If pupils struggle to read, they receive the precise support that they need to help them to catch-up.

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Adults help children in the early years to use accurate mathematical language. Children confidently use mathematical language to explain the number of objects in different groups. Adults help older pupils to build their mathematic knowledge step by step. For example, pupils review their knowledge of number bonds before learning about decimal numbers. Staff make sure that pupils have many opportunities to revisit their learning. This is helping them to become fluent mathematicians.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. If pupils have different starting points, the school makes sure that they learn a curriculum that is just right for them. Some pupils receive extra support with language and communication skills. This is helping them to become independent learners. Leaders place no limits on what pupils with SEND can do and achieve.

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The school’s curriculum helps pupils to understand how to stay safe online. Pupils know when personal information should not be shared. Pupils talk about issues like healthy relationships and respecting difference with considerable maturity. Staff make sure that pupils have many opportunities to take part in after-school clubs. These include table tennis, ‘edible playground’, eco club and debating club. Oracy and debate are golden threads that spread through all aspects of pupils’ learning. Pupils learn how to hold differing views and offer contrary opinions. This informs the deep respect with which pupils treat everyone around them.

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Governors understand their statutory responsibilities. They share leaders’ ambition for all pupils. Staff workload and well-being are a priority for leaders and governors. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working at this very inclusive school. One member of staff summed up the views of others saying, ‘I’ve never walked into a school and felt so welcome’. This sentiment extends to the school’s work with families and the community. Leaders have established a ‘warm hub club’, where families come together each week to share a warm meal with each other. This reflects leader’s determination to make sure that the school is at the centre of the community that it serves.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 1 and 2 May 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. Where this is the case, pupils’ learning is not as deep as it is in others. The school should take further action to implement the curriculum consistently well across all subjects.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in 5–6 February 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 1 and 2 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 5 – 6 February 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a below average-sized primary school.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils.  The school runs a forest school provision for pupils.  The school does make use of alternative provision.  The school works in partnership with eight other schools in the West End Schools’ Trust.

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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. The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 1 and 2 May 2024

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 The inspector met with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers. The inspector held an additional meeting with the school improvement partner.  The inspector held a meeting with representatives of the governors, including the chair of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the 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. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult. In addition, the inspector visited a range of music provision in key stage 1 and key stage 2.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector scrutinised a range of other documentation, including governor meeting minutes and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  The inspector also spoke informally to pupils to gather their views on school life.  To gather parents’ views, the inspector took account of the views of parents from the Ofsted Parent View survey, including any free-text comments.  To gather the views of staff, the inspector took account of the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jen Sloan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 May 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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