Eastlea Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Eastlea Primary School Skipton Close, Northburn Lea, Cramlington, Northumberland NE23 3ST

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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Outcome

Eastlea Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning. They achieve well and have fun at this warm and welcoming school. Pupils are good ambassadors for the positive ethos and culture in school. They work hard, get involved and show tolerance and care for one another. Pupils enjoy strong and trusted relationships with staff. Older pupils carry out leadership roles where they support younger pupils by reading to them, organising sports and playing with younger children in the Nursery.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for what pupils can achieve. Pupils are encouraged to aim high. This is reflected in their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. When pupils leave Eastlea, they are well prepared for secondary school. This also applies to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children in the early years also show great interest and enthusiasm in their learning. They make a strong start to their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They work hard in lessons and they show good conduct and manners at lunchtime and at other social times. Pupils are offered a broad programme of enrichment activities and they take full advantage of these. The rock band, Irish dancing, circus skills and gardening are particularly popular options. Pupils are rewarded for their efforts by taking part in golden days, such as a visit to the pantomime in Newcastle.

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

The broad and ambitious curriculum prepares pupils effectively for their next steps at each stage of their education. For example, children leaving Reception develop strong foundations in reading and numeracy in order to be prepared well for Year 1. Pupils with SEND learn the full curriculum alongside their peers. Those who may need additional 21–22 January 2025

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support are identified promptly. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND receive the right support in lessons. When necessary, the school works effectively with external agencies to support pupils with SEND.

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Pupils of all ages understand the importance of reading. They read widely and often. They particularly enjoy the reading goals and challenges that they are set. The teaching of reading is effective. Some pupils need a little more help to become fluent readers. This includes some pupils with SEND. Timely and effective additional support is provided to these pupils.

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Pupils achieve well in a range of subjects. They learn new information and skills with increasing complexity. In history, for example, they understand democracy through studying Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire In geography, pupils can connect their knowledge of tectonic plates to their understanding of volcanoes. In Reception Year, children compare long and short dinosaur bones to learn about length. However, in some subjects pupils’ understanding is not checked well enough. When this happens, pupils’ learning does not build as well as it could.

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Pupils know the school rules for good behaviour and they follow them. They are motivated not just by rewards but because they also know the right way to treat others. Lessons proceed calmly and pupils focus on their learning. Staff are well trained to support pupils to manage their emotions. The school also works successfully with families to improve attendance, which is above the national average.

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The programme for personal development makes a significant contribution to pupils’ readiness for their next steps. They learn and remember information from important topics, such as online safety and how to keep healthy. Pupils demonstrate an understanding of different faiths and cultures. During careers week, a variety of visitors share the experiences of their jobs. Pupils clearly take inspiration from these visits.

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The school takes every opportunity to provide rich experiences to contribute to the programme for personal development and to bring learning to life. For example, during the inspection, a visiting scientist worked with pupils on robotics. Pupils learn how to programme robots and they consider how similar technology is used in space exploration.

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Staff are very proud to work at the school. The emphasis on ensuring the well-being of pupils extends to the staff. They appreciate this. Staff workload is well managed. The governing board supports and challenges the school effectively. Governors understand the local community and the school. The school engages very effectively with parents and carers. Leaders at all levels know the school’s strengths and areas for development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 21–22 January 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of subjects, checks on what pupils know and remember are not used to sufficient effect. When this happens, the school is less able to gauge pupils’ understanding so that pupils’ knowledge builds well over time. The school should work with staff to better check pupils’ understanding so that pupils deepen their learning consistently well across all subjects.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in July 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. 21–22 January 2025

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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). 21–22 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.eastlea.northumberland.sch.uk

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The school offers a breakfast club.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation of the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection 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.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and other leaders, along with a range of staff. Meetings were held with governors and a representative of the local authority.  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 21–22 January 2025

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The views of parents and carers, staff and pupils were gathered through Ofsted Parent View, staff and pupil surveys, and face to face discussions.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector considered a range of documents. These included safeguarding records, attendance information, the school improvement plan and support plans for pupils with SEND.

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Inspection team

Carl Sugden, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21–22 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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