Jesmond Gardens Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Jesmond Gardens Primary School Jesmond Gardens, Hartlepool TS24 8PJ

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Outcome

Jesmond Gardens Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of the school is Philip Pritchard. The Head of School is Rebecca Nicholson. The school is part of Eden Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Neil Nottingham, and overseen by the board of trustees, chaired by Peter Ingham.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is welcomed at this warm and nurturing school. Pupils enjoy attending school. They are helped to settle in each morning through the school’s ‘soft start’. This gives pupils the opportunity to let staff know how they are feeling. It ensures that pupils are ready to learn each day. There are warm relationships between pupils and staff throughout the school. Pupils know who to talk to if they are worried. Pupils trust adults to listen to them. They know that staff will sort out any problems. This makes them feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is very positive. They are kind and respectful towards each other. Pupils say everyone is treated equally. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive any additional help they need to participate in all aspects of school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for what all pupils can achieve. A deliberately planned ‘Going for Gold’ unit introduces pupils to possible future goals. This helps pupils grow in resilience and develop their aspirations. The school provides opportunities for pupils to be involved with clubs and activities beyond the classroom. Pupils talk positively about the clubs that they attend. These include sports, cookery and games. The recent school production of ‘Matilda’ as part of the drama club helped pupils to grow in confidence as performers.

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

The curriculum is ambitious. The school, in collaboration with the trust, has carefully sequenced the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. From the beginning of the 9 and 10 July 2024

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early years, the curriculum follows a clear sequence. In many subjects, such as mathematics and for reading, teachers receive effective training. This enables them to be clear when explaining new learning. Pupils develop an understanding of what they learn through well-sequenced lessons. Teachers regularly check how well pupils are learning. Lessons begin with recall of ‘fast facts’. Pupils discuss how this helps them to remember their previous learning. The curriculum has begun to focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary. This is as an area where pupils need to develop more confidence. Pupils are not secure or accurate when using subject-specific vocabulary to discuss their learning. This means that they struggle to fully articulate what they know.

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The school prioritises its determination for pupils to be eager and confident readers. Staff are trained to teach pupils to read. Pupils read books matched to the sounds they know. Pupils who need help to keep up have additional intervention sessions. The school plans frequent opportunities for reading. As pupils progress through the school, there is a focus on developing fluency and expression. Pupils know that reading is important. They enjoy being awarded reading tokens, which acknowledge that they read regularly.

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Staff quickly and accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND. There are a number of pupils who need support to develop their communication and language skills. Appropriate referrals are made to services to help develop this. Lessons are adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND develop their understanding alongside their peers. Some pupils with SEND are part of the ‘Maple’ class. This is a warm, caring classroom. Pupils in Maple access a bespoke curriculum that closely matches pupils’ individual needs. This support enables these pupils to thrive at school.

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Children in the early years are very familiar with the school’s routines. They benefit from close relationships with adults who help them follow the expectations. Pupils across the whole school know how to behave and they have positive attitudes to learning. The school has high expectations of pupils’ attendance and punctuality. It works closely with parents and carers to overcome any barriers that may prevent pupils from attending school as often as they should. As a result, many pupils attend well.

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The school has a comprehensive personal development programme. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils learn about the importance of diversity. They learn about religions and being respectful to others who may be different to them. Pupils know what healthy relationships are and the importance of staying fit and healthy. Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities and contribute towards the school community using these roles. This includes being well-being warriors or as part of the school council.

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Staff appreciate trust support with curriculum development. They are involved in curriculum decisions. The trust and local governance have clear oversight of the school and know it well. They provide effective challenge and support to leaders. Staff value the support of the school and trust leadership teams, who are considerate of their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 9 and 10 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Currently, there is not sufficient emphasis on subject-specific vocabulary in some curriculum areas. This means some pupils do not have a secure understanding of how to discuss and describe their learning accurately. The school should ensure that pupils have more opportunities to regularly use and revisit subject-specific vocabulary, in all curriculum areas, so that they can articulate their subject knowledge precisely.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Jesmond Gardens Community Primary School, to be good in November 2014.

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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 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). 9 and 10 July 2024

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School details

Headteacher Philip Pritchard (executive headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 May 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Eden Academy Trust.  The school uses one registered alternative provider for a small number of pupils. This is another school in the trust that has specialist speech and language provision.  The school has two-year-old provision.  The school has a breakfast club.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium is higher than average.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 9 and 10 July 2024

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector 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. The inspector also looked at some pupils’ history books.  The inspector met with the CEO, representatives of the board of trustees, the local governing body and with the school improvement partner for the school.  The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to pupils’ wider development, behaviour and attendance. The inspector also met with groups of staff and pupils to discuss their views of the school.  The views of parents and staff were also considered, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Jessica McKay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 9 and 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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