Silverdale School

Silverdale School Langdale Gardens, Howdon, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear NE28 0HG

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report:

At the most recent graded inspection, the following areas were identified as needing to improve:

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report:

 Safeguarding procedures and the checks made on third-party providers are not rigorous enough. In addition, some members of staff have not received appropriate safeguarding training. This leads to inconsistent approaches to safeguarding pupils. Some pupils do not trust that the school will take their concerns seriously. The school must improve safeguarding procedures swiftly, making sure that all staff follow safeguarding procedures consistently and appropriately.

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report:

 Some pupils’ rates of attendance are very poor. The school does not have effective systems in place to manage pupils’ attendance. Staff do not know which pupils are in school or not. This creates additional safeguarding risks. The school must take immediate action to improve the systems to manage pupils’ attendance and check their welfare when they are absent. Leaders should ensure that pupils attend school regularly.

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report:

 The governing body does not fulfil its statutory responsibilities. Governors have not ensured an effective culture of safeguarding. They have not held the school to account for an increase in pupil absence, an increase in suspensions and a decline in the quality of education that pupils receive. Governors must take swift action to carry out their statutory duties and responsibilities.

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report:

 The curriculum is not ambitious enough and does not meet the needs of pupils. Pupils experience a disconnected series of lessons that lack structure. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The school must review the content and sequence of learning in the curriculum so that pupils progress through the curriculum purposefully and achieve well.

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report:

 Some pupils do not experience a high-quality personal development programme. Lessons such as PHSE, careers and outdoor education are regularly cancelled. Additionally, the RE curriculum is narrowed. This has a negative impact on pupils’ Monitoring Inspection report: Silverdale School, 10 and 11 February 2026 2 preparation for adulthood. The school must ensure that all pupils are supported to develop the knowledge and skills they need for life in modern Britain.

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report:

 Poor behaviour is commonplace. It is not consistently well managed. This means that too many pupils are regularly subject to suspension, missing out on more of their education. The school must take swift action to review how behaviour is managed and ensure that pupils receive the support they need to engage positively with their education.

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report:

 There is a lack of capacity in leadership at all levels. The school does not have a strategic approach to school improvement. This impacts on the school’s oversight of safeguarding and the quality of education that pupils receive. Governors must work with key stakeholders to strengthen leadership capacity.

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Leaders and governors are taking effective action to improve the school but

continued work is needed to remove the special measures designation.

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The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

considered again during any further monitoring inspection we carry out.

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The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

During the monitoring inspection, inspectors focused on the following evaluation areas:

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The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

 Leadership and governance  Safeguarding  Curriculum and teaching  Attendance and behaviour

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Leadership and governance

The disbanding of the school’s governing board and the implementation of an interim executive board (IEB) has delayed the development of the school. However, this change of leadership has brought about a much-needed focus on school improvement. Leaders have quickly established an initial evaluation of the school’s areas of strength and development. They have an accurate and realistic view of the school and the scale of improvement that is required. School leaders are supported well by the IEB, which has introduced positive partnerships with leaders from local schools to help to address areas of significant weakness and develop practice.

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Leadership and governance

While some staff acknowledge indications of improvement at the school, leaders’ actions to make improvements have not had the time required to make a tangible difference to staff workload and wellbeing. Leaders are aware of this. They recognise the need to communicate regularly with staff to inform them about actions taken to improve the school. Monitoring Inspection report: Silverdale School, 10 and 11 February 2026 3

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Safeguarding

At the previous graded and monitoring inspections, safeguarding was evaluated as being not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have taken effective action to address the shortcomings in safeguarding practice identified at the previous monitoring inspection. They have put in place appropriate procedures to ensure pupils’ safety during the school day.

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Safeguarding

Newly appointed staff, with support from leaders and the IEB, are in the process of developing methods of recording information required by statutory guidance to make appropriate checks on staff and visitors working with pupils. Those involved with this work demonstrate the necessary determination to complete it accurately and to a high standard. They know the importance of these actions in contributing towards an effective culture of safeguarding.

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Attendance and behaviour

The school has improved some of its methods for managing pupils’ attendance. Leaders know when pupils are absent from school. Leaders recognise that the school’s current approach to monitoring attendance is underdeveloped. In part, it is hampered by some weakly established systems. This prevents leaders from accurately identifying trends and patterns in pupils’ attendance. Leaders are in the process of changing the electronic management system used to record attendance data. The newly formed partnership with a local academy trust is helping to develop strategies to support and improve pupils’ attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour

Leaders have established routines across the school day. Pupils’ key workers welcome them positively as they arrive at school. This helps to create a calm atmosphere as the day begins. Across the school, the frequency and duration of periods of time pupils spend out of classrooms during lessons have reduced. Pupils typically benefit from positive and caring relationships with staff. Generally, pupils do not have concerns about other pupils’ behaviour. They feel safe in school. Some pupils have concerns about bullying. While they consider that staff deal with incidents at the time, this does not routinely resolve the situation in the longer term.

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Attendance and behaviour

Leaders have begun a process of analysis to understand the causes of behaviour incidents more accurately. This is helping to improve behaviour and reduce suspensions for some pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching

The weaknesses in the school’s curriculum identified at the school’s graded inspection remain. Leaders, including the IEB, acknowledge this. The IEB is in the process of refining plans to support the development of this area of the school’s work. Monitoring Inspection report: Silverdale School, 10 and 11 February 2026 4 Leaders are gaining an increased understanding of the actions that are needed to ensure clear and accurate oversight of provision to support pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders recognise that the curriculum does not meet pupils’ needs appropriately. Although their work in this area is at an early stage of development, leaders have a realistic view of what needs to be done to bring about the necessary improvements.

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Additional next steps

Leaders and governors should continue to work to address the priorities for improvement identified in the last graded inspection report.

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About this inspection

The inspectors carried out this monitoring inspection under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and it was the second monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded inspection that took place in April 2025.

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About this inspection

The school’s previous inspection and the first monitoring inspection were carried out under the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) at that time. The renewed EIF took effect from 10 November 2025. The areas for improvement identified at the school’s graded inspection and subsequent monitoring inspection have been cross-referenced to the relevant evaluation areas in the inspection toolkit for consideration on this monitoring inspection.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this monitoring inspection was not to determine grades for any of the evaluation areas set out in the school inspection toolkit. The purpose was to identify and report on the school's progress in addressing priorities for improvement since the school's previous inspection.

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About this inspection

Since the last inspection, the school’s governing board has been disbanded and replaced with an IEB. The IEB commenced on 1 January 2026. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) started in post in January 2026. At the time of this inspection, the headteacher was absent from school. In their absence, the deputy headteacher is the acting headteacher.

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About this inspection

During this inspection, meetings were held with the acting headteacher, the senior leader with responsibility for attendance and safeguarding, the SENCo, representatives from the IEB and a representative from the local authority to discuss the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection.

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Lead inspector

Matthew Harrington His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspector

Hannah Millett His Majesty's Inspector Monitoring Inspection report: Silverdale School, 10 and 11 February 2026 5

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Autistic Spectrum Disorder Behaviour, Emotional and Social Difficulty Monitoring Inspection report: Silverdale School, 10 and 11 February 2026 6 and inspects to 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 looked- after-children, safeguarding and child protection.

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