West Walker Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: West Walker Primary School Church Street, Walker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE6 3XW

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Outcome

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

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Outcome

The head of school of West Walker Primary School is Richard Allon. This school is part of the NEAT 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), Debi Bailey, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anne McNall. There is also an executive headteacher, Stephen Gittins, who is responsible for this school and one other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Polite, happy and considerate pupils abound at West Walker Primary School. The majority of pupils represent the school’s core values of ‘kindness, tolerance and respect’. West Walker is a place where pupils from a wide range of backgrounds flourish. A pupil’s statement that ‘no-one is treated any differently because we don’t know what they’ve been through’ highlights the school’s inclusive approach. Pupils develop positive relationships with staff. Their pastoral care is a high priority. Pupils feel safe. They clearly articulate why this is the case.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ academic achievement and behaviour. From what are often lower starting points on entry to school, pupils of all abilities achieve well. They talk about their learning with understanding. Pupils present as courteous and respectful. Bullying is rare. Staff take swift action to address this if it does occur. Pupils’ collaborative play is positive. Their behaviour in school during the inspection visit was also positive. Over time, this has not always been the case, however.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has taken steps to engage positively with parents and carers over time. Parents express their happiness with the school. They appreciate the support the school offers to them and their children. 3 and 4 June 2025

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

Pupils across school enjoy an effective curriculum that allows them to achieve well. Leaders craft the curriculum to help pupils develop a pride in local heritage, including the ship-building industry. This makes learning more relevant to pupils. Children in the early years are keen to share their experiences, from making sandcastles to exploring the life cycle of a butterfly. These children quickly develop the essential language and communication skills that they need. Well-trained adults listen astutely to children at play. They then deepen their learning through the promotion of vocabulary. Older pupils develop an increasingly secure understanding of number. Others talk about Henry VIII and his role in the creation of the Church of England. They are knowledgeable about the Indus Valley and the causes and effects of coral bleaching.

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

Skilled teachers address pupils’ misconceptions in lessons. Checks on individual pupils’ learning allow staff to identify gaps, and close them. However, in some subjects, teachers do not identify and address some of the key gaps that pupils have in some aspects of their subject knowledge. This prevents pupils from achieving all that they could in these subjects.

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

Pupils at the early stages of reading gain the knowledge and skills they need. Those who might begin to fall behind get the support they need to catch up. The environment in the early years is rich in opportunities for children to develop an awareness of letter sounds. They use their knowledge to spell simple words accurately. Older pupils have numerous opportunities to practise their emerging phonics knowledge. As a result, pupils become fluent and confident readers.

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

The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the school is well above the national average. The school places high importance on the early identification of pupils’ needs. Staff put appropriate support in place to help them to access their learning. This includes support for pupils with SEND.

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

Attendance across school has improved over time. This remains a high priority for the school. While persistent absence is still high, it is decreasing. Leaders understand the reasons for pupils’ absences. They engage effectively with families to offer support where appropriate. Their actions have a positive impact on reducing the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school and who miss important learning.

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

Behaviour in classrooms and outside at breaktimes is positive. There have been improvements made over time. Staff are vigilant and attuned to issues that arise. However, some pupils report hearing foul and derogatory language at times in school. They do not always report this to staff. As a result, the school does not understand how prevalent this issue might be. Where this is reported, staff take swift and effective action to address it.

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

The school has developed an extensive offer for pupils’ wider development. The use of ‘relational circle’ activities regularly across the week promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils enjoy visits from different faith leaders and 3 and 4 June 2025

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volunteer in school and the local community. Their appreciation for diversity is well embedded. Pupils are well prepared for life beyond the school.

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Governors and the trust work effectively together to hold leaders to account. They support leaders to implement further improvements in school, while engaging with staff around workload and well-being. They have a comprehensive and detailed oversight of the school’s work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some wider curriculum subjects, the school’s checks on pupils’ learning do not fully identify where some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. In these subjects, this prevents pupils from achieving as highly as they could. The school should further refine its assessment systems to ensure that any key gaps in pupils’ subject knowledge are identified and addressed effectively in these curriculum areas so that pupils learn as well as they could in all subjects.  Some pupils say they hear foul or derogatory language in school, but do not always report it to staff. This means that the school does not have an accurate picture of how prevalent this might be, and some instances are not dealt with. The school should ensure that it supports pupils to report such instances when they occur so that the school can take swift and effective action to address it.

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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, 3 and 4 June 2025

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behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, West Walker Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2014.

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How can I feedback 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 feedback 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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Headteacher Stephen Gittins (Executive Headteacher) Richard Allon (Head of School)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There has been a significant change in senior leadership since the previous inspection. The executive headteacher and head of school were both appointed in September 2024.  At the time of the previous inspection, a specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND operated in school. This has since closed.  The school is one of eight schools in NEAT Academy Trust.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.  A breakfast club operates on site, under the management of the school.  The school uses one registered alternative provider. 3 and 4 June 2025

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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.  The inspector met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, other senior leaders, some other school staff, members of the local governing committee, the trust’s CEO and other representatives of the trust.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector conducted learning walks in the early years provision.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

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 inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  The inspector spoke in person with some parents.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Richard Beadnall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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