Washingwell Community Primary School

Inspection of Washingwell Community Primary School Bucks Hill View, Whickham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE16 4RB

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly, happy school in which everyone is included. Pupils look after each other and accept classmates for who they are. Pupils feel safe and are safe because of their trust in adults and their friends who look out for them. Pupils try hard to succeed and do their best. This is because adults expect the very best of them and because they want to succeed for themselves. Aspirations are high. For example, some pupils confidently describe ambitions they have for their future careers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in school reflects two of the school’s values of respect and togetherness. The achievement assembly rewards positive attitudes and living out the value of the week. Pupils aim to be ‘green’ for behaviour rather than moving to ‘pink’ to consider their actions. Pupils know that teachers will sort out any falling out. Older pupils look after younger pupils as ‘buddies’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and treasure the outdoor spaces. Favourites are the two forested areas, the digging space, the trim trail and breaktime equipment. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to take on roles of responsibility. These include being a librarian, a house captain, a school ambassador or a school councillor. This helps to develop their understanding of communities.

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

The school has developed a curriculum which engages pupils, piques their interest and builds their basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Well-designed units of work build pupils’ knowledge over time. In most subjects, the school has identified essential knowledge clearly. This helps pupils connect new learning to what they already know. Children in the early years enjoy a well-planned curriculum. Adults focus on developing children’s vocabulary and speaking skills. This helps them to learn and achieve well. However, in some subjects, the important knowledge pupils will need is not identified sharply. This can result in pupils struggling to recall key learning or make links to what they already know.

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

The school places a high priority on pupils becoming fluent and confident readers. Phonics lessons for younger children follow consistent routines. Pupils recognise and understand the letters and the sounds that they make. Pupils read books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. This helps them build their self-belief as good readers. Pupils at risk of falling behind the pace of the phonics programme, benefit from extra help to keep up with their classmates. Pupils read often and develop a love of reading and books.

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

The school is committed to ensuring that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For these pupils, lessons are adapted well to meet their needs, for example use of extra resources or extra adult support. Effective training helps staff to offer appropriate and targeted support to pupils. As a result, in the day-to-day life of the school and in lessons, no one misses out. 5 and 6 November 2024

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Pupils behave well in and out of lessons. They listen attentively, concentrate well and engage in learning. Pupils show a desire to learn and enjoyment in making contributions to lessons. Children in early years play and learn with curiosity. They show cooperative skills, take turns and share. Pupils clearly enjoy school, reflected by positive rates of attendance. The school does all it can to ensure pupils attend as often as possible.

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Pupils enjoy a range of school clubs and activities. These help to broaden their learning and experiences beyond the academic curriculum. Over the year, clubs include craft, art, coding, sports, dance and choir. Residential visits for older pupils develop their independence. Pupils visit other faiths’ places of worship and local museums and support the local community, including through charitable work. This helps to expand pupils’ sense of responsibility and respect and promotes citizenship. Pupils show tolerance for others through an understanding of fundamental British values. Older pupils maturely describe characteristics in others to value and respect.

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Staff morale in school is strong. There is a notable sense of teamwork in which staff look out for each other. Early career teachers value their mentors and the professional support offered. Parents and carers are supportive of the school. A wider range of extra-curricular activities is the result of the school gathering the views of parents. Well-attended workshops outline the school’s approaches to teaching for parents. Governor links to key areas of school life and curriculum subjects result in their good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas to develop. The positive ethos in school is apparent and infectious. It makes a real difference to how successfully pupils learn and develop.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the essential knowledge pupils need to know has not been precisely identified. In these subjects, pupils do not consistently recall and make connections in their learning. The school should ensure that the essential knowledge pupils should know and remember over time has been identified so pupils can connect new learning to what they already know.

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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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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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 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.  The acting deputy headteacher took up her post in September 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 Prior to the inspection, the lead inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as published information about the school’s performance and previous Ofsted inspections.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the acting deputy headteacher, subject leaders and teachers as part of the inspection.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and history. Inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers and teaching assistants. They spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors listened to pupils read with a familiar adult. Inspectors also looked at curriculum documentation for art and design and design technology.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors gathered views of parents through responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and free-text responses. The views of staff were considered through the staff survey and through meetings with them. Pupils’ views were considered through pupil meetings.  Inspectors spoke with representatives from the governing body and those responsible for school improvement from the local authority.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classes, during breaktimes and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Phil Scott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie McGrane Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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