Byers Green Primary School

Inspection of Byers Green Primary School Wear View, Byers Green, Spennymoor, County Durham DL16 7PN

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 February 2025

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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 18 and 19 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending this school. Staff know every individual pupil well. Relationships are warm and positive. There is a distinctive ‘family’ feel that spreads through the whole school community. Older pupils willingly support and play with their younger peers. The school is a happy and safe environment where pupils thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), meet the high expectations the school has for their achievement and behaviour. The school has a strong ambition that pupils will take happy memories into the rest of their lives. It aims for every pupil to be a well-rounded and positive contributor to society. Pupils proudly undertake a range of responsibilities. In roles such as reading, inclusion and behaviour ambassadors, pupils regularly seek views, opinions and suggestions from their peers. They use this information to inform their work to support and improve the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Throughout the school, pupils behave sensibly and respectfully. At playtimes, they play co-operatively. They benefit from a range of play equipment, such as hoops and balls. Pupils demonstrate inclusive values founded on respect for others. In lessons, they are keen to learn and make contributions to discussions. They are eager and attentive.

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

The school has introduced a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils achieve well across a range of subjects. The curriculum follows a clear sequence of learning that starts in early years. Teachers have a strong knowledge of the subjects they teach. Where possible, they make links to learning to ensure it is relevant and meaningful for pupils. For example, pupils undertake geographical fieldwork in the school’s locality. In mathematics, pupils have plentiful opportunities to apply their knowledge through solving problems. Teachers make regular checks that pupils are remembering their learning. This helps them identify and address where pupils have gaps in their knowledge. In many subjects, teachers routinely revisit prior learning to ensure pupils remember things over the long term. However, this is not consistently the case. For example, in religious education, pupils learn about other faiths but this learning is not deepened as these topics are revisited too

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

The school uses effective strategies to quickly identify when pupils have SEND. These pupils access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Timely, targeted support and considered adaptations to the curriculum ensure that these pupils achieve well. Through the school’s ‘Hub’ resource, pupils with neurodiverse conditions receive highly effective, bespoke support in a nurturing environment.

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

The early years provides children with a secure start to their education. The curriculum and planned activities ensure children develop across all areas of learning. Children learn how to manipulate large construction materials to create a car for a trip to London. Children maintain focus and attention when exploring how balls roll down slopes. They apply mathematical knowledge when sorting objects according to their length. They work equally well with their peers as they do independently. 18 and 19 February 2025

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The school places a high priority on pupils learning to read. Expert teachers use the school’s chosen scheme for the teaching of phonics well. Pupils learn the sounds that letters make in focused phonics lessons. Those that struggle or slip behind are quickly identified and supported to keep up. Pupils enjoy accessing the school library. They talk enthusiastically about their favourite books and authors. They know how important reading is to be successful in life.

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Some aspects of the school’s personal development programme are strong. A range of extra-curricular clubs and activities excite pupils’ interests and develop their talents. Pupils learn how to lead healthy lifestyles and how to keep themselves safe, including when using technology. In personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons, pupils consider important topics such as the importance of teamwork, understanding emotional needs and what makes a good friend. While pupils demonstrate inclusive and respectful values, the curriculum does not develop their understanding of fundamental British values in sufficient depth.

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The school benefits from productive collaborations with other schools. Leaders at all levels are passionate and committed to ensuring the best for every pupil. The school is outward- facing and welcomes opportunities to learn from others. Governors share the school’s deep commitment to the pupils. They understand their roles and access regular training. They check impact of the school’s improvement strategies. Staff express how they love working at the school. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about their children’s experience.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum does not build pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values, and protected characteristics in sufficient depth. This means they are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should better develop pupils’ understanding of these important subjects and topics.  In some areas of the curriculum, pupils have fewer opportunities to revisit and build new knowledge than in others. Where this is the case, their learning is not as deep as it could be. The school should ensure that teaching enables pupils to remember important knowledge consistently well across all subjects. 18 and 19 February 2025

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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). 18 and 19 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Gordon Henderson

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher have been recruited since the last inspection.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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. 18 and 19 February 2025

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 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 has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders. They also met with members of the governing body and spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, religious education and geography. 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.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses, the pupil survey and the staff survey. An inspector also spoke to parents at the end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Connor Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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