Kenton Bar Primary School

Inspection of Kenton Bar Primary School Ryal Walk, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE3 3YF

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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The executive headteacher of this school is Elaine Boardman, who is responsible for this school and one other. This school is part of Smart Multi 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), Colin Lofthouse, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Charles Christie. 14 and 15 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Kenton Bar are happy, friendly and proud of their school. They embody the school’s values, which include teamwork, kindness and respect. Pupils have an exceptional appreciation of diversity. They talk about how they like that they ‘have a diverse school’. Pupils of all backgrounds and ethnicities thrive in the harmonious and nurturing ethos that leaders have crafted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Many pupils enter school with low starting points. The school puts support in place to ensure that pupils generally learn well. Most pupils secure and embed their learning over time. Behaviour throughout school is positive. Where pupils may struggle with their behaviour at times, staff deal with this swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Well-trained staff, who fulfil their responsibilities with diligence, ensure that pupils are safe. Pupils’ pastoral needs are a high priority. The school’s ‘no outsiders’ approach means that pupils across the school know that ‘no one is the same, but everyone is equal’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents value the work that the school does, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They talk about their children who ‘love to come to school’ and describe the school as ‘warm and welcoming’.

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

Leaders have ensured that high-quality subject curriculums are in place across school. These curriculums cater well for the high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, and those who speak English as an additional language. The school identifies pupils’ needs swiftly. Effective support helps many of these pupils to successfully access the curriculum. The small number of pupils who access the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) access an appropriate education. Their needs are met well.

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

From children’s first days in early years, there is a focus on speech, language and communication. Children become confident and articulate individuals who can communicate well. This prepares them successfully for the next stage of their education. Phonics teaching builds on these strong foundations for those at the early stages of learning to read. Those who fall behind get the support they need to catch up. Pupils become increasingly confident and fluent readers. They have positive attitudes to reading. Older pupils describe reading for pleasure as ‘like a holiday in your head’ and it ‘inspires me to write my own book one day’.

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

Published outcomes do not adequately reflect the quality of education in the school. They do not show the impact of the work that the school has done to ensure pupils learn well from their starting points. Pupils build a bank of knowledge and skills as they move through the school. For instance, they talk with understanding about different artists’ use of colour and tone. Pupils make meaningful links between different subject areas. For example, they make links between physical education, mathematics and science when 14 and 15 January 2025

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looking at the effect of exercise on pulse rate. The school uses checks on learning to identify gaps in knowledge and address these. In some lessons, activity choices are not appropriate. At times, they do not allow pupils to secure the knowledge that the school intends. Sometimes, in mathematics lessons, the work set does not give pupils sufficient opportunity to apply their knowledge to problem-solving activities. The school’s work to improve in this area is not securely embedded.

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Over time, the school has reduced levels of pupil absence. Attendance is high. Pupils enjoy coming to school. A new behaviour approach in school has had significant impact. Pupils are respectful and considerate of others. Classrooms are orderly and calm.

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The school’s personal development programme is exemplary. Pupils’ spiritual development is carefully considered. Pupils of different faiths and ethnicities demonstrate a secure knowledge of other religions. Their acceptance and celebration of difference is remarkable. Pupils develop a strong moral compass. Over their time in school, pupils have numerous opportunities to contribute positively to the school and the wider community. Their voice is heard throughout the school. For example, they are instrumental in making changes around play equipment and extra-curricular clubs. A programme of enrichment and educational visits is comprehensive and well-designed. The school’s oracy programme has significant impact. Pupils contribute to debate in a considered and highly respectful manner. Pupils are prepared exceptionally well for life in modern Britain.

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Governors and trustees share a clear intent to provide the best education for pupils. They are well informed and highly knowledgeable. They offer support and challenge to school leaders. Staff are extremely positive about the school. Leaders have engaged effectively with staff to ensure developments across the taught curriculum have not impacted negatively on staff workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The pedagogical and activity choices made in some subjects do not emphasise the important knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff are supported to make appropriate pedagogical and activity choices so that pupils’ learning more closely matches the curriculum intent.  At times, work set in mathematics lessons does not give pupils sufficient opportunity to apply their mathematical knowledge to problem solving and reasoning activities. This means that some pupils do not develop a secure level of mathematical understanding to prepare them for the next stage in their education. The school should ensure that its 14 and 15 January 2025

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work to increase pupils’ opportunities to access problem solving and reasoning activities is embedded securely in classroom practice.

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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 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). 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Headteacher Elaine Boardman (executive headteacher)

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School details

Website www.kentonbar.smartacademies.net

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the nursery offers 30-hour provision.  The school is one of 11 schools in Smart Multi Academy Trust.  The school has a specially resourced provision for up to six pupils with autistic spectrum disorder.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  A breakfast club operates on site under the management of the school.

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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 14 and 15 January 2025

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 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.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, other school staff, the CEO of the trust, members of the local governing body, representatives of the trust and the school’s external school improvement partner.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and history. 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.  An inspector looked at examples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.

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 An inspector listened to some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to a familiar adult.  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 the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  Inspectors spoke with some parents at the end of the school day.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online staff survey, including the free- text comments.

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Inspection team

Richard Beadnall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Vic Good-Bruce Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

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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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