Lambton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Lambton Primary School Caradoc Close, Lambton Village, Washington, Tyne and Wear NE38 0PL

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Outcome

Lambton Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming school, where adults ensure that pupils feel safe and are ready to learn. Staff, who have excellent subject knowledge, teach an ambitious curriculum. Teachers ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND), access learning. Pupils enjoy learning and they engage well in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Early years is a hive of activity. Children are confident and creative. Adults engage children in conversations. They model new words and how to play with equipment. Children talk with one another and share resources well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond well to the high expectations of behaviour set by staff. They are keen to receive praise and rewards for positive behaviour. The sensory areas and quiet zones help pupils reach a sense of calm so that they are ready for learning. Pupils are courteous and respectful of one another and of staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills and personal interests. Pupils of all ages enjoy the school clubs. They are particularly proud of the gardening club. The school garden is a magical place for all pupils, complete with a ‘Lambton Worm’. They delight in taking care of Buddy and Elvis, the pet rabbits.

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

The school’s inclusive nature is a strength. Pupils with SEND, including those with more complex needs, are supported to access all aspects of the curriculum. Teachers adapt their lesson content skilfully, ensuring additional prompts and equipment are available. Pupils with SEND learn alongside their peers and achieve well.

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

The school has designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. It sets out and breaks down the knowledge that pupils should learn and remember. This is organised in a logical order so that pupils’ knowledge builds over time. The information for teachers is particularly strong in English, mathematics and religious education (RE). Staff are 10 and 11 July 2024

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reflective and understand how their pupils learn best. Teachers typically ask searching questions to check pupils’ learning. They address any misunderstandings pupils have quickly. This enables pupils to learn well.

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The school prioritises the teaching of reading. In early years, children learn to listen well so that they are ready to hear the phonics sounds. They learn nursery rhymes and stories that develop their communication and language skills. Children then move on to the structured phonics programme. Staff have the expertise to teach early reading well. Teachers check pupils’ progress in phonics effectively. If children fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them to catch up quickly. Children learn phonics well.

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As pupils become older, there are many opportunities and incentives for reading. Pupils enjoy the ‘20 day reading challenge’. They access a range of high-quality, diverse reading books. Some of the reading in class is directly related to writing tasks. Pupils understand how to write for a broad range of purposes. Their use of grammar and punctuation is generally correct. However, some pupils have poor handwriting skills. This includes incorrect letter formation and lack of joining letters, which affects pupils’ fluency and coherence.

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Children get off to a strong start in early years. Children are secure in the routines teachers have established. Every activity supports purposeful learning. Children learn to be sociable, curious, and resilient as a result. Many parents rightly express appreciation of their child’s increased confidence in early years.

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However, some parents and pupils express a negative view of behaviour in school. During the inspection, pupils showed positive behaviour. Behaviour records show that the vast majority of pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are attentive in class and are eager to learn. Staff are adept at providing additional behavioural support for some pupils who need it. The nurture spaces provide a quiet area for reflection and for completing work. This helps pupils to learn better and limits disruption in lessons. The school has successfully raised pupils’ attendance and reduced persistent absence.

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Pupils understand the school values and how these relate to fundamental British values. The school promotes respect for, and understanding of, diversity well. The extended computing curriculum, which includes aspects such as online safety, is impressive. The pupil ‘E-safety Leaders’ lead assemblies and distribute information to parents about the latest internet concerns. There are many opportunities for pupils beyond the academic curriculum, such as educational visits, the residential trip and charity work. Pupils value these opportunities to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Staff appreciate the support and training that they receive. Governors are very knowledgeable about the school. They use their experience well to challenge and support leaders to make the school even better.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 10 and 11 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s approach to teaching handwriting is not yet having the intended impact. As a result, pupils’ handwriting is under-developed and many pupils do not form their letters accurately. The school should ensure that the teaching of handwriting continues to be prioritised.  The behaviour of some pupils sometimes distracts other pupils from their learning. Sometimes, pupils do not feel the behaviour policy is applied fairly/consistently. This can lead to perceptions of unfairness from some pupils and parents. Leaders should continue their actions to promote positive behaviour. Leaders should ensure that pupils and parents have a thorough understanding of the school’s restorative practice approach, and why it is being used, to establish the fairness of the policy.

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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 April 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 10 and 11 July 2024

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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). 10 and 11 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 April 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school does not use any alternative education provision.

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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 the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator. Meetings were also held with early career teachers, subject leaders, class teachers and pupils.  The inspector met also with representatives of the local governing body and the school improvement partner from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives into reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspector looked at curriculum planning, conducted 10 and 11 July 2024

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joint lesson visits with leaders, spoke to pupils about their work and looked at pupils’ books and samples of their work.  Prior to the inspection, the inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as published information about the school’s performance and previous Ofsted inspections.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms and around the school. She spoke with pupils about their views of the school and their learning, behaviour and safety.  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 considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The inspector took the views of staff into account through a number of meetings as well as

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their responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Mary Cook, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 July 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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