Bridgewater Primary School

Inspection of Bridgewater Primary School Bridgewater, Delaval Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE15 6NL

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since December 2013. 11 and 12 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

For the pupils, families and staff who are part of Bridgewater, it is more than ‘a school’. It is the beating heart of this vibrant and diverse community. The school has forged partnerships with world-class venues and organisations from across the city and beyond. These open up a world of possibilities to the pupils. From a regular science club delivered in a renowned science centre’s laboratories to a drama club housed in the city’s theatre, pupils’ aspirations are lifted from the moment they join this wonderful school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Across the school day, behaviour is exceptional. Pupils develop a deep respect for each other. They appreciate their school as a melting pot of religions, cultures and backgrounds. Pupils say, ‘Everyone can find their place here.’ As such, genuinely warm relationships ensure that pupils feel happy and safe. They enjoy their days learning and playing harmoniously alongside each other. The positive attitudes and values developed by pupils prepare them excellently for life far beyond the school gates.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s expectations for pupils’ academic development are also high. The quality of education provided in the school ensures that pupils achieve well across the curriculum. Pupils gain a solid foundation for their next stage of education.

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

The school’s ambitions for all pupils are high. Staff are determined to ensure that pupils achieve well. Staff say that they aim to be ‘the advantage to the disadvantage that many of our pupils face’. They tackle any barriers to success with rigour. As such, pupils benefit from a well-considered curriculum. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly. They are then particularly well supported to access the same learning opportunities and wider school experiences as their peers. Staff feel confident to support all children due to the high-quality training that they have received.

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

Teaching develops pupils’ knowledge across the range of subjects well. Exciting activities and partnerships with professionals are chosen to capture the interest of all. For example, the local police and fire service deliver aspects of the school’s safety curriculum. The school’s mathematics curriculum enables pupils to build their mathematical knowledge over time. The school recognises that the teaching of times tables and other number facts creates a solid foundation for other mathematics learning. However, the checks carried out on how well pupils remember this and other knowledge are not routinely precise enough to identify misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This results in pupils’ learning across aspects of the curriculum not being as secure as it could be.

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

A jewel in the crown of the school’s offer is its exceptional music curriculum. From Year 1, all pupils learn to play an instrument. Pupils are taught weekly by expert musicians from a prestigious arts venue. By the time they enter Year 6, they play together in an impressive orchestra. All pupils thrive, including those with SEND, often achieving highly in their musical talents. Pupils have performed with a British chamber orchestra and regularly perform to audiences. 11 and 12 February 2025

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Children in the early years make the strongest possible start. The seamless curriculum journey from the linked provision for zero- to three-year-old children is exceptional. Skilled adults develop children’s early language skills as part of every interaction. Both the indoor and outdoor learning environments are excellent in providing a vast range of stimulating resources that support learning across all areas of the curriculum. The foundations for the exemplary behaviours seen across the school are cemented in early years. Pupils live up to the high expectations set in early years to the day that they leave Bridgewater. Those who need extra support to manage their own behaviour receive the care and guidance that they need to achieve success.

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Over time, pupils learn to read with confidence and fluency. Those who need the extra help to catch up receive effective and rapid support. As pupils reading skills grow, so does their love of reading for pleasure. They enjoy a myriad of books across the school and the ability to request a book to be added to the well-stocked library.

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Attendance is high. The school works tirelessly to support families to ensure that pupils attend school as much as possible. This includes the school having its own minibus to collect pupils who struggle to make it to school on time. The package of pastoral support available to pupils and families is vast. As a result, parents’ views of the school are almost entirely positive.

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Staff enjoy working as part of a cohesive team. They feel that their workload and well- being is well considered and are proud to be making a difference to their local community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff do not always identify the individual misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This results in pupils’ learning across aspects of the curriculum not being as secure as it could be. The school should ensure teachers routinely identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge so pupils reach their potential.

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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. 11 and 12 February 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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Samantha Robson (executive headteacher) Jennifer Stoker (head of school) Website www.bridgewater.newcastle.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 and 18 December 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is part for the West End Schools’ Trust, which is a foundation trust of nine primary schools located in the west of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.  There is a childcare provision for zero- to three-year-old children within the school site, managed by the leaders of the school. This was not part of the inspection as it is inspected separately by Ofsted.  The school has an early years assessment unit. This is an additionally resourced provision for up to eight pupils with SEND. At the time of inspection, there was only one child registered to this provision.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school provides breakfast, after-school and holiday clubs for its pupils.

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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 11 and 12 February 2025

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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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 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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and design and science. 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.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects, including history, geography and music.  The inspectors considered the responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including the free-text responses. The inspectors also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil questionnaires and met with

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staff to discuss their workload and well-being. The inspectors also spoke to several parents during the inspection.  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.  As part of the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the executive headteacher and head of school, subject and phase leaders, the governing body, a representative from the local authority and the school’s appointed school improvement partner.

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Inspection team

Mark Dent, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Zoe Carr Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 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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