Neville's Cross Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of Neville’s Cross Primary School and Nursery Relly Path, Neville’s Cross, Durham DH1 4JG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 5 and 6 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school’s extremely high expectations for pupils’ academic achievement and wider personal development are well met. Pupils are courteous, respectful and curious. Their behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes is exemplary. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are significantly above the national average.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy life at this school. They are safe and happy. Pupils attend regularly and arrive on time. They benefit from the extensive range of extra-curricular activities the school provides, including musical theatre and drama, boxercise and cheerleading. The school’s reputation for sporting excellence is well deserved.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prepares pupils for life in modern Britain very well. The curriculum is enhanced by events such as Black History Month and International Women’s Day. Pupils’ knowledge of the world of work is enhanced through age-appropriate careers education. They carry out roles of responsibility, such as ‘belonging buddies’, with dedication and enthusiasm.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are prepared thoroughly for the demands of secondary schooling by the time they leave Neville’s Cross. They are well-rounded individuals, who leave with a host of wonderful memories to cherish.

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better?

The school liaises well with parents, carers and childcare providers before children start school in the early years. Children settle into the school’s routines quickly. They are nurtured well. Parents, through the school’s ‘Busy Bee’ questionnaires, contribute to the school’s knowledge of their children regularly. The early years curriculum prepares children well for the demands of Year 1 and beyond.

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better?

The school’s curriculum has been redeveloped over the last two years. Leaders review individual subject curriculums regularly. The curriculums, including subject- specific vocabulary, are sequenced appropriately. Currently, leaders are making sure that the curriculums meet the needs of pupils in single- and mixed-age classes equally well. Teachers provide pupils with tasks that help them to recall what they have learned. Pupils remember important knowledge and connect it to their new learning well.

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better?

The provision for reading has been enhanced through the introduction of a new phonics programme. This programme is well resourced. It is delivered by highly trained staff. Despite this, the books that some pupils are given to read are not matched closely enough to the sounds that they know. These pupils do not become confident and fluent readers quickly. The school provides additional support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). On occasion, this support is not tailored to pupils’ individual needs closely enough. 5 and 6 June 2024

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. They have a thirst for knowledge. They contribute to lessons with great enthusiasm. The school’s record-keeping is thorough. It enables leaders to identify any behavioural trends. This identification leads to, for example, the provision of therapeutic support for pupils who need extra help. The school engages cooperatively with external agencies, such as Durham County Council’s emotional well-being and effective learning team, to meet the needs of pupils and their families.

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The school provides a vast range of opportunities and activities that extend the curriculum while developing pupils’ character. In addition to extra-curricular clubs, these opportunities include a wide range of educational visits, in-school sporting events and cross-school sporting competitions. Pupils have a deep knowledge and understanding of the school’s values and of fundamental British values. They experience democracy in action when electing their school councillors. Pupils use vocabulary such as hustings, debates and votes confidently. They cast their votes in ‘real’ voting booths. Relationships education is delivered sensitively and knowledgeably. Pupils told the inspectors that it is ‘okay to be yourself’. They are tolerant and respectful of each other’s individual differences. Pupils understand the concept of consent, at an age-appropriate level.

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Recently, the highly skilled and well-trained governing body has overseen major changes at the school. These changes include a new senior management team, a new curriculum and a new management information system. Some parents feel that these changes have not been communicated well enough. Two-way cooperative communication between the school and some parents is not developed as well as it could be.

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The school considers staff well-being carefully. For example, leaders trial new initiatives before they are implemented to gauge their effect on staff workload. Staff appreciate this care and support. They, alongside their pupils, are happy at Neville’s Cross Primary School and Nursery.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The provision for some pupils with SEND is not matched to their needs closely enough. These pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable. The school must ensure pupils’ individual needs are identified accurately and provided for fully.  Some aspects of communication between school and home are inconsistent. The school should further enhance its home-school communication strategy to get the most from this aspect of its work. 5 and 6 June 2024

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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.

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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). 5 and 6 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in April 2021. The deputy headteacher joined the staff in September 2021.  The school does not use any alternative providers of education.  The school is bigger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible to receive pupil premium funding is below average.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  Breakfast and teatime clubs are offered by the school. 5 and 6 June 2024

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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.  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.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders.  The lead inspector spoke with a group of governors, including the chair and the vice-chair of governors, and the school’s development partner from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and computing. Inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. The lead inspector

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Information about this inspection

listened to a sample of pupils reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  The team evaluated 139 parental responses to Ofsted Parent View, 28 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and 184 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Belita Scott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Hall Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 June 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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