Ouston Primary School

Ouston Primary School

Address: Arisaig, Ouston, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH2 1RQ Unique reference number (URN): 144658

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have a passion for inclusion. They think very carefully about how to support the most vulnerable pupils at school. The ‘learning lab’ supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Here, the curriculum and teaching are expertly tailored to the pupils who access this space. These pupils do very well indeed. In addition, the school supports children in care (and those having previously been in care) particularly well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders identify and assess the needs of vulnerable pupils and those with SEND swiftly and accurately. Staff put precise adaptations in place. They are well trained to enable them to do so. Support plans used by the school are highly effective. Leaders monitor support meticulously to ensure that any potential barriers to learning are reduced. Leaders' work with outside agencies, such as the virtual school, is highly effective. The partnership between the school and parents and carers is impressive. This helps everyone to support pupils who are more vulnerable.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders' use of additional funding, such as the pupil premium grant for disadvantaged pupils, is strategically planned and closely monitored to benefit pupils. The impact of this on the attendance of these pupils, for example, is noteworthy.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well at school. This is reflected in the high quality of work that pupils produce across the curriculum. Pupils develop their understanding well in history, geography and design and technology, for example. They do very well in computing, reaching high standards by the time they leave Year 6.

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Achievement Expected standard

By the time pupils leave the school, their achievements in reading, writing and mathematics are near the standards achieved nationally. Disadvantaged pupils make suitable progress from their starting points. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do very well. This includes those who access the ‘learning lab’ to support their progress.

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Achievement Expected standard

Younger pupils also achieve well. The focus on handwriting and spelling is having a positive impact on pupils’ ability to write at length and with increasing accuracy. Pupils quickly secure their knowledge in phonics. By the time children leave the early years, they are typically well prepared for Year 1.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is a notable strength at Ouston. Leaders are successful in promoting the importance of high attendance. Pupils attend more often and more regularly than is the case nationally. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Very few pupils are persistently absent. Pupils enjoy school and want to attend.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well at school. They show respect for each other and for adults. Classrooms are mostly calm places where pupils can learn effectively. They are happy places, where staff and pupils work well together. ‘Gold star values’ are highlighted at the beginning of the week. These are specific areas of focus that help pupils to know what is expected of them, for example moving around school, playtime behaviour or focusing in class. Pupils who have responded particularly well to these receive a ‘big gold star sticker’ in celebration assembly on Friday.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils who struggle to focus receive extra help. Reflection rooms and individual behaviour plans are used when any pupil's behaviour falls below expectations. These interventions are effective. Bullying is rare and unkind words are swiftly dealt with by members of staff. Pupils accept difference, and discrimination is not present.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and its delivery. They use this information to inform ongoing improvements and staff training. In particular, the school has focused on developing pupils’ writing and handwriting skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is generally purposeful. Teachers present information in small steps, ask probing questions and check what pupils know and understand before moving on. This helps all pupils make progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Sometimes pupils need to be given more time to ensure that they engage with tasks and deepen their understanding, however.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

‘Morning tasks’ are used effectively to help pupils to focus on the basics. Spelling, handwriting and arithmetic are often practised, for example. ‘Flashback’ questions are used to help pupils to remember content that they have studied in the past. ‘Learning questions’ are used to help pupils know what they are going to study in different subjects. At the end of a topic, teachers use these questions to check how much progress has been made.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have made sure that pupils can present what they learn in a variety of different ways. Animation, photography and game design, for example, have been integrated into the curriculum.

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Early years Expected standard

Children get off to a positive start to their early education. Leaders have designed a well- thought-out curriculum. Children develop their knowledge and skills across all areas of learning well. Staff have high expectations for what children can achieve.

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Early years Expected standard

Communication, vocabulary and reading have a high priority. Children listen and join in with stories and songs. There are a plethora of opportunities to write in the setting. Children use rhyme and repetition to develop their understanding of numbers. Children interact well and support one another in their learning. Staff model a wide range of vocabulary on purpose. As a result, children develop their knowledge and skills well. The majority are ready to move to Year 1 at the end of Reception.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff focus on building positive relationships with children and their parents and carers. Children settle quickly into well-established routines when they start school. They become confident and resilient over their time in early years.

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Early years Expected standard

Teaching is effective. Adults observe children keenly and capture learning opportunities when they occur. For example, at snack time, a child spoke about a homemade rocket. This was skilfully used to discuss design and evaluation at an appropriate level.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Two striking features of leadership at this school are the commitment to supporting the most vulnerable and the positive relationships that are in place with parents and carers. The school is highly effective at supporting the most vulnerable pupils in its care. The ‘learning lab’ supports pupils with more complex special educational needs and/or disabilities well. Support for children in care is of high quality. The commitment to inclusion is palpable. Leaders work very well with parents. The majority of parents have a very positive opinion of the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know their school very well. They have an accurate understanding of the school’s context, strengths and priorities. They strive to make the school even better, for the benefit of their pupils. Leaders act decisively in pupils’ best interests.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance have a wide range of experience and skills. This helps them to support and challenge leaders effectively. They check that the school fulfils its statutory duties. This includes safeguarding. The information that they receive about the school helps them to ask probing questions. Governors and trustees want the best for the pupils here at Ouston.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Professional learning is rich and impactful. Leaders ensure that face-to-face training and one-to-one coaching help everyone to improve. The focus on writing has had a positive impact, for example, as has trust-wide art input. Staff wellbeing is prioritised and workload is considered. Leaders cultivate a professional, respectful culture where staff feel valued and safe. Leaders model care and high expectations and staff gladly follow.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal development programme makes a positive contribution to pupils’ development. The school is friendly, calm and welcoming. Pupils get on well together and accept each other’s differences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The taught curriculum for personal, social and health education is comprehensive. For example, pupils learn about what bullying is, how to keep safe and healthy and what healthy relationships are. They also learn about money and different careers. Relationships education is age-appropriate. The ‘one Britain’ theme focuses on what everyone has in common and respecting difference. The impact of this is variable, however. Pupils can talk about different types of family well, for example. Pupils do not remember as much about different religions and cultures, however.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

There are extensive extra-curricular opportunities spanning arts, outdoor learning and sport. Pupils have the opportunity to practise their swimming and join in the school fun run. Art and craft club, theatre visits and rock and pop are on offer. Pupils can perform at harvest or in the choir at the cathedral at Christmas. Pupils can contribute to the local area through Friday fundraisers. Pupils themselves choose charities and organise events to raise money. Residential trips have a high priority at Ouston. Here pupils can go rock climbing and build rafts, as examples. These events help pupils to develop socially. Leaders make sure that everyone who wants to attend can do so.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leadership opportunities are also available to pupils. The school council is active. In the past, pupils helped to design the local pump track. Waste warriors help the environment and sports leaders and play leaders help younger pupils to join in at playtime. Pupils develop their understanding of the world of work during careers week. Police officers, local councillors, scientists and bobsleigh champions have talked to pupils about their day jobs.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

This is a school where all are welcomed and all are cared for. Any pupils needing extra support receive this. For example, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in care are very well supported at Ouston. All pupils access an ambitious curriculum that is well taught. Some exciting innovations in how the curriculum is delivered, for example using animation, photography and game design, are of note.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe. They say that bullying is rare and that unkind words are uncommon. Everyone is welcome here. Classrooms are hives of activity and pupils typically move around the school calmly and with purpose. When some pupils need to be reminded about how to behave, they respond positively to these nudges. There are positive relationships between pupils and staff. Everyone ‘tries their best to achieve success’. Attendance at school is above average.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils do well here. Children in the early years develop their skills and understanding well. Pupils develop the basics over time. Pupils do well in handwriting, reading, writing and mathematics, for example. They leave ready for secondary school both academically and socially. They are confident and responsible young people.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Personal development is a high priority. Residential trips are an important element of the school calendar. Pupils access rock climbing and raft building. Clubs are aplenty here. They include robotics, dance, choir and a variety of sports. The school council members, ‘waste warriors’ and play leaders are active. All have access to these opportunities. Pupils need to build on their current understanding of different religions and cultures.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders have positive relationships with parents and carers. Pupils, staff and parents have positive views of the school. Care and compassion are at the centre of this school, where all children and pupils are known as individuals.

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Team inspectors:

Mark Wilson, Ofsted Inspector Helen Smith, Ofsted Inspector

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Next steps

Leaders should review the extent to which the personal development programme has a positive impact in all areas. They should make refinements as appropriate, so that pupils develop a greater understanding of the world around them, specifically different religions and cultures. Leaders should ensure that the right balance of direct teaching and independent work is in place across classrooms so that pupils deepen their learning and make even more progress in their learning.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Jigsaw Learning 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), Wendy Angus, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Hilary Akien.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the co-headteachers, members of staff and the CEO during the inspection. The lead inspector also met some of those responsible for governance.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Co-headteachers: Louise Lavelle and Jo Wise The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 61% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 52% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 73% 75% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 76% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 76% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 72% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 43% 47% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 57% 63% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 64% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 57% 61% Close to average

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 4.5% 5.2% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 13.4% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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