King Edwin Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: King Edwin Primary School South Avenue, Amble, Northumberland NE65 0ND

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Outcome

King Edwin 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 are proud of being part of this inclusive, welcoming school. They appreciate the new building and the extra opportunities that this brings. Pupils are keen to take on positions of responsibility, such as reading leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school successfully supports pupils’ emotional needs. Pupils benefit from positive, caring relationships with staff. Staff treat pupils with kindness and respect. Pupils are happy and safe at school. They know that adults will support them if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well and staff create a calm and safe environment. Pupils usually follow well-established routines during lessons and social times, although this is not consistently the case.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ academic achievement. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study an ambitious curriculum. They achieve well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well supported in their personal development. Leaders successfully use visits and visitors to enrich the curriculum. Pupils benefit from regular opportunities to take part in a range of sporting events and clubs.

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

The school’s curriculum is well structured. It sets out what pupils will learn and when they should learn it. The curriculum identifies the steps in learning that build knowledge over time. Pupils have many opportunities to build on their prior learning. 19 November 2024

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Teachers have strong knowledge of the subjects that they teach. They regularly revisit learning so that pupils remember it. If there are any misunderstandings, these are quickly addressed. Teachers adapt their approach to remedy gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Pupils have time to practise their learning. Pupils learn well across the curriculum.

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Pupils with SEND receive effective support. The school swiftly and accurately identifies pupils’ needs. Learning plans are routinely reviewed to ensure they reflect these needs. The school promotes the independence of pupils with SEND, for example by providing additional resources so that pupils can learn alongside their peers. This boosts pupils’ self- confidence when completing tasks independently. Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and achieve well.

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The school is determined to ensure that pupils read widely and with enjoyment. Two- year-old children enjoy stories and rhymes from their first days in the nursery. From Reception onwards, the school teaches phonics very effectively. Pupils gain confidence in reading as their books are matched carefully to the sounds they know. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them catch up.

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The school has recently adapted its approach to writing. Pupils are exposed to different texts as models for their writing. This helps them to write for a broad range of purposes. Pupils learn to use grammar and punctuation correctly. However, handwriting is not taught consistently well. Some pupils do not develop successful letter formation or handwriting skills as quickly as they should.

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The school teaches pupils to take care of themselves and others through the ‘Puffin Code’. Most pupils understand the school rules and conduct themselves well. However, at times these rules are not applied consistently. This means that, on a few occasions, pupils do not follow school routines at social times. During lessons, some low-level disruption occurs on occasions.

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Pupils’ attendance is a high priority. The school communicates the importance of regular attendance at every opportunity. Clear systems are in place to ensure that pupils attend regularly and on time. Most pupils have high attendance rates. They love coming to school.

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The school has constructed a highly effective and well-considered provision for pupils’ wider development. Pupils enjoy a wide range of rewarding experiences, including attending regular beach days. Pupils learn to recognise risks and how to keep themselves safe. The school also provides opportunities for pupils to broaden their talents. For example, some pupils enjoy being part of the school choir and singing at the local church. Pupils appreciate and respect difference in their local community and in the world. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Governors have the skills and expertise to fulfil their roles well. Leaders have an accurate picture of the school through robust systems of quality assurance. Staff feel well supported. They are proud to work at the school and appreciate how the school considers their workload. 19 November 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s approach to teaching handwriting is not consistently effective. As a result, some pupils’ handwriting is under-developed and they do not learn to form their letters accurately or join their letters. This leads to a lack of fluency and hinders future learning. The school should improve the teaching of handwriting so that all pupils can write well.  There are inconsistencies in how well behaviour is managed. At times, this disrupts learning. The school should ensure that the behaviour policy is adhered to consistently by staff, so that pupils can concentrate on their learning.

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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 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 predecessor school, Amble First School, to be good for overall effectiveness in October 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. 19 November 2024

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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). 19 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.kingedwin.northumberland.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school opened as a primary school in September 2024.  The chair of governors is new to the post since the previous inspection.  The deputy head teacher is currently acting as interim headteacher in the substantive headteacher’s absence.  The school has a nursery that takes children from two years of age.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school. 19 November 2024

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 The inspector considered published performance data about the school. The inspector also looked at a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the curriculum, extra-curricular activities, school improvement planning, governance and documents published on the school’s website.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the acting interim headteacher, other school leaders, school staff, pupils, the chair and vice chair of governors, the school’s attached education adviser and a local authority officer.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 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 inspector spoke with pupils, parents and staff to gather information about school life. She took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff and parents’ views.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, in assembly, at lunchtime, on the playground, and at other times during the school day.

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Inspection team

Alison Stephenson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Joanne Shaw Ofsted Inspector 19 November 2024

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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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