Preston Grange Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Preston Grange Primary School Chiltern Road, Preston Grange, North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE29 9QL

p.1

Outcome

Preston Grange Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and welcoming school where every pupil is valued. It is a kind and caring school to attend. High standards for behaviour are set and pupils understand these. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. The school deals with rare instances of poor behaviour quickly and effectively. Pupils know the school’s values well. In assemblies, pupils who demonstrate these values are celebrated. This creates pride in pupils. The school’s song is sung with enthusiasm and joy.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils very well. This helps pupils feel safe and happy. The school sets high expectations for what it wants pupils to accomplish. Many pupils achieve well at the end of Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported to access the curriculum and are included in all aspects of school life.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils play an active part in their school. They enjoy opportunities to engage with their local community. A particular highlight is singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to local care home residents from the school field! Pupils’ opinions are sought and valued. For example, pupils ask for particular after-school clubs and the school provides them. Pupils are keen and proud to take on leadership roles, such as being members of the school council, reading ambassadors and sports leaders. These roles develop their ability to take responsibility and support other pupils.

p.1

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

The school has coherently sequenced what pupils will learn and when. Subject curriculums have been developed of late and these are suitably ambitious. For example, in history, pupils study different periods of time and develop their understanding of concepts such as monarchy and empire. Pupils gain from opportunities to revisit previous learning. This is helping pupils to remember what they have learned. However, this recall and retrieval work is used more consistently in some subjects than others. In mathematics and English pupils benefit from regular ‘SHINE’ tasks which ensure that pupils embed their previous learning. These tasks are not consistently applied across the foundation 27 and 28 June 2024

p.1

2

curriculum. As a result, pupils do not remember as much of their learning in these subjects.

p.2

2

The school prioritises reading. The reading curriculum is carefully sequenced to build pupils’ reading knowledge. Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in the early years. Books are well matched to sounds that pupils are learning. Staff accurately assess pupils and are aware of any gaps in their early reading knowledge. This means that phonics sessions are tailored to plug these gaps. Additional support is provided for pupils who need it and this helps them to become confident readers. The school library and classroom libraries are well used by pupils. They enjoy reading from the wide range of books and stories available.

p.2

2

The school identifies the specific learning needs of pupils with SEND. The school ensures that pupils with SEND learn successfully alongside their peers. Additional resources and the use of teaching assistants are provided when necessary.

p.2

2

In the early years, children benefit from a stimulating environment. Carefully selected activities support children’s formal learning. Staff use children’s specific interests to design appropriate learning opportunities. For example, an interest in playing with twisting cubes cube helped children to understand three-dimensional shapes and explore creating larger cubes. Staff ensure that children with SEND have their individual skills nurtured, such as using appropriate resources to develop a keen interest in numbers. Children settle quickly and learn new routines. This helps them develop important social skills, like sharing and playing cooperatively. Children are being well prepared for life in Year 1.

p.2

2

The school ensures that pupils attend well. Parents, carers and pupils receive the support they need to ensure pupils attend regularly. Pupils conduct themselves well in the classroom. They behave well at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They talk happily in the dinner hall with their friends. The school has high expectations of behaviour. These expectations are consistently met. Pupils are very polite and well-mannered.

p.2

2

The school carefully considers pupils’ personal development. It provides a range of extra- curricular activities for pupils to participate in, including sports clubs, creative writing club and choir. Pupils know that the rainbow of their school logo symbolises inclusivity. They are clear that everyone is equal. Assemblies and personal, social and health education lessons are used to promote fundamental British values. There has been much work on developing pupils’ character, with a particular focus on managing emotions. The school supports pupils well with looking after their mental health.

p.2

2

Governors have a clear understanding of what the school does well and what needs to improve further. They provide challenge and support to leaders. They visit the school frequently and fulfil their statutory responsibilities. Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders have taken measures to reduce workload and are supportive of staff’s well-being.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 and 28 June 2024

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The consistent use of assessment strategies for recall and retrieval is being developed in the foundation curriculum. It is not used well enough to check that pupils have remembered the prior knowledge they have been taught. As a result, some pupils do not retain knowledge well enough over time. The school needs to ensure that assessment using recall and retrieval is used effectively in the foundation curriculum so that pupils know and remember more over time.

p.3

Background

When we have judged good/outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good/outstanding. 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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2015.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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). 27 and 28 June 2024

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 18 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision.  The school has a lower-than-average number of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding.  The school has a lower-than-average number of pupils who speak English as an additional language.

p.4

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 the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 27 and 28 June 2024

p.4

5

 The inspector met with a range of leaders, including senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and governors. The inspector also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and spoke with some pupils about their learning. The inspector looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also listened to several pupils read to a familiar adult.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector reviewed a range of school documentation and policies. These included

p.5

5

the school development plan and minutes of governor board meetings.  The inspector reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s parent, staff and pupil questionnaires. They also spoke with pupils and staff to gather their views of the school.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour around school and at lunchtime.

p.5

Inspection team

Jessica McKay, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 27 and 28 June 2024

p.5

6

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.6

6

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.6

6

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.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6