Harewood Primary School

Inspection of Harewood Primary School Eric Avenue, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees TS17 7JJ

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 12 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 26 and 27 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well at Harewood Primary School. Sitting at the very heart of the community it serves, the school is warm and welcoming. Pupils build strong, trusting relationships with staff, who provide support and encouragement in equal measure. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the range of clubs on offer to nurture and develop their talents. These include choir, fun club, arts and crafts, gardening and family tennis. The school makes a pledge to pupils that by the time they leave, they will have had the opportunity to go on a set of core visits. This includes trips to a farm, a woodland, the seaside, a city, a museum and an art gallery. Year 6 pupils are currently excited about preparations for the talent show. Pupils say that the school’s offer helps them to build the confidence and self-belief they need in order to succeed. This ‘can-do’ approach runs through the culture of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. For the most part, these expectations are met. Pupils are unfailingly courteous and polite to adults. Classrooms are calm, and low-level disruption is rare. However, pupils explained that some pupils frequently use inappropriate and derogatory language. Pupils felt that this was ‘mostly okay because people were only doing it as a joke’. While confident that it would be dealt with if reported, pupils did not understand the unacceptable nature of such conduct, regardless of circumstance.

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better?

Staff in the early years build positive relationships with parents even before children start in Nursery. The curriculum is carefully planned to make sure that it matches children’s interests. This helps them get off to a flying start in the setting. Early communication and language development is a priority. Staff think of creative ways in which to try to stimulate children’s desire for writing. The recent introduction of the ‘writing fairy’ has caused much excitement. Children cannot wait to post their carefully crafted sentences to her each week.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for every pupil. They are determined to remove barriers to learning. As a result, inclusion is at the heart of this school. The learning needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately assessed, and structured plans with meaningful targets help teachers to meet the needs of individual pupils. Support in lessons and around school is effective. This means that pupils with SEND learn well and play an active part in all aspects of school life.

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better?

The curriculum is broad and aspirational for all pupils. It sets out what pupils will learn in a logical order. Learning is sequenced to build pupils’ knowledge as they move through the school. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum connects pupils to the wider world and life beyond the confines of the classroom. This includes a 26 and 27 June 2024

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well-thought-out careers programme, where pupils have opportunities to learn about different jobs and the skills they may need for future employment.

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In core subjects, lessons follow a consistent approach, which helps pupils to build their knowledge and understanding effectively over time. Pupils can articulate what they learn with confidence. In some foundation subjects, however, this is not as secure. As a result, some pupils do not develop a secure understanding in all subjects, and they sometimes forget the important facts that they have been taught.

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Pupils benefit from a clear and structured personal, social, relationships and health education programme. They know what healthy relationships are, and understand how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils learn to be responsible citizens through leadership roles, such as sports leaders, maths ambassadors and ‘Harewood Voice’. Pupils have a developing awareness and understanding of concepts such as democracy and individual liberty. Their knowledge and understanding of other faiths and cultures are not yet secure. As a result, pupils find it difficult to discuss the key features of other faiths.

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Pupils, including children in early years, practise reading every day. Staff regularly check the sounds pupils know; books are well matched to pupils’ needs and interests. Assessments are robust and readers in need of additional support are quickly identified so that they receive the help they need.

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Leaders have worked hard to ensure that staff’s workload is manageable and that their well-being is fully considered. Staff benefit from high-quality training and support. Governors know the school well and are supportive of leaders. When appropriate, information is reported to governors; their challenge and oversight is effective.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, there is an inconsistent approach to making sure that pupils are supported effectively to remember what they have been taught. This means that pupils cannot confidently articulate their learning in some subjects. The school should support teachers to improve their pedagogical decisions.  Some pupils say that they hear other pupils using derogatory language. Pupils spoken with considered this to be acceptable banter. The school should ensure that pupils develop a shared understanding of acceptable language so that use of derogatory language is eradicated. 26 and 27 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). 26 and 27 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 May 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a breakfast club.  The school does not make use of 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.  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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, geography and computing. 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. 26 and 27 June 2024

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 The lead inspector reviewed pupils’ books and discussed work in other subjects.  An inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 read to a familiar adult.  An inspector visited the breakfast club.  Inspectors met with groups of staff and pupils.  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 observed pupils’ behaviour in class, around the school and during social times. They held discussions with leaders about behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, the local authority’s senior adviser and members of the governing body.  Inspectors took account of staff’s views during meetings with them.  Inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering responses to Ofsted’s online

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survey, Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jane Wilson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Philippa Kermotschuk His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Vic Good-Bruce Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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