Schools & FE · Report card

Eskdale Academy

Inspected 16 Jun 2026 · URN 139584

Original PDF ↗

Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Kathryn McDonald (lead), Marcus Newby, Rowena Sykes

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

Achievement verified
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour verified
Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
Early years verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Strong standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
16 Jun 2026
Inspectors verified
Kathryn McDonald, Marcus Newby, Rowena Sykes
Postcode verified
TS25 4BT
Name on report verified
Eskdale Academy
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
139584

Page 1 of 16

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

Join free to get a short, plain-English summary of any report.

Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementExpected
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingExpected
Early yearsExpected
InclusionStrong
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+73Very positivemore positive than 50% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseeffectivelyeffectiveenjoyrapid progressstrengthpositiveconsistentlyconfident

Criticismgapsstruggleconcernstoo lowlowpersistently absentdeclineuneven

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1553w+76
Leadership244w+77
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve60w−33

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

No strong criticism found.

Next steps

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,902; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 48, typical 43
Average sentence: 13 words
Next steps: 2; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 4%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 54%Leadership 8%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 34%

Full report text

Eskdale Academy

Address: Eskdale Road, Hartlepool, TS25 4BT Unique reference number (URN): 139584

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established thoughtful systems to support staff to quickly identify barriers that pupils may face. Staff receive the purposeful training. This enables them to use their knowledge of pupils’ needs to provide the right support. This support is of a consistently high quality. Consequently, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and those who attend the school’s specialist resource provision for pupils with SEND make rapid progress from their individual starting points. Leaders check carefully that these pupils benefit from a personalised curriculum that prioritises speech, language and communication skills and education, health and care plan targets effectively.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders routinely check the impact of their work. If something does not work well, staff change their approaches to make sure that the support that pupils receive is consistently effective. Leaders work collaboratively with the local authority and other professionals to understand the changing context of the school community. When a pupil’s needs cannot be met on site, leaders ensure that they select the most appropriate alternative provision and maintain close oversight of pupils' attendance, safety and learning.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders' use additional funding, such as the pupil premium grant for disadvantaged pupils, purposefully. They make astute decisions about how to allocate resources. They understand what support pupils need to ensure they thrive. As a result, disadvantaged pupils achieve success.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils achieve outcomes in national tests that are in line with national averages by the end of Year 6. Disadvantaged pupils achieve particularly well in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make rapid progress from their starting points. Across the school, most pupils make steady progress through the curriculum. Pupils develop secure knowledge, understanding and skills in readiness for future learning.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Reading is a clear strength. Pupils across the school achieve highly from low starting points. Pupils enjoy reading and read regularly and fluently. Teaching supports pupils to remember what they have learned in subjects, such as geography and science.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Year 4 pupils achieve outcomes in line with national averages in the multiplication tables check. Leaders continue to prioritise pupils’ spelling and handwriting. Pupils typically secure the foundational knowledge they need for future learning.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching across the school. They provide effective support and training for staff to improve teaching and support for learning. The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured. The sequence of teaching typically helps pupils to build the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of their education.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Reading is prioritised across the school. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the precise support that they need to learn to read. Staff are trained to effectively implement the school’s phonics programme. Pupils practise reading books that match the sounds they know. Typically, this helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers. Leaders ensure that pupils gain secure knowledge in handwriting and spelling. This helps pupils to write well across the curriculum.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers generally check pupils’ understanding regularly. They identify and address any gaps in knowledge. This helps pupils to improve their skills and knowledge. Teachers generally adapt their teaching and break learning down into smaller steps when needed. This helps pupils, including those with SEND, to succeed. Leaders have recently implemented changes to some aspects of the curriculum, including mathematics, to support more pupils to achieve highly.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate ambition for provision in the early years to support children to have a secure and positive start to school life. Leaders have a clear vision for progression from 2- year-old provision into Reception. There is a sharp focus on communication and language, early literacy and preparation for Year 1. Children are happy and confident. They build warm, trusting relationships with adults and other children.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Classrooms are welcoming places in which to learn. Staff know children well. They are quick to notice any emerging needs. They work closely with parents and carers to make sure support is provided early. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified promptly and receive the help they need. Activities are carefully adapted, which enables children to achieve well.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

There is a focus on learning to read. Staff teach phonics effectively, helping children to develop their early reading skills effectively. Children who struggle are effectively supported. Routines are well established. They help maximise the time spent on building important early skills such as physical strength and developing fine muscle control. Through activities such as role-play, children learn to take turns and listen to others. Despite most children’s low starting points, most children achieve well. They are ready for Year 1.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders in the trust have provided effective support through recent changes in leadership. They have ensured that the school continues to work towards its improvement priorities, including attendance. Work to improve attendance is beginning to make a difference. Leaders regularly remind parents about the importance of attending school. Inclusion is now a strength of the school.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees and governors are knowledgeable about the school. They have an accurate understanding of its effectiveness, including the impact of provision for disadvantaged pupils. They provide appropriate support and challenge, holding leaders to account. Trustees meet their statutory duties. They oversee the effective use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and trustees act in the best interests of pupils. They have robust systems in place to check the quality of provision. This gives them an accurate view of what is working well and what needs to improve further. Leaders use this information to inform staff training. Staff typically get the training they need to carry out their roles. Those at the early stages of their teaching career are supported well. Leaders prioritise staff workload and wellbeing. Staff feel valued. They appreciate the training and support from leaders.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

More recently, parents and carers say that they appreciate the visibility of leaders and the support the school provides to their child, both academically and pastorally. Leaders support parents providing advice, guidance and work with other professionals when needed. Parents appreciate how each child is known as an individual.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils benefit from a well-considered personal development programme that reflects the school’s context. Leaders consider gaps in pupils’ experiences in their wider offer. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from effective support from staff to access the clubs and leadership roles on offer at the school. They make sure that any barriers to accessing the schools wider offer are effectively reduced.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Older pupils understand the importance of their roles as pupil leaders, such as 'wellbeing warriors'. This helps pupils to feel that they belong. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. They have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships and know who to speak to if they need help. Pupils understand why rules and laws exist and can explain how these help to keep them safe and support learning. Staff generally teach the personal, social and health education curriculum well. Consequently, pupils develop an understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics. Leaders have designed a curriculum to support pupils to learn about a range of cultures different to their own. Pupils recognise and respect difference.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities that support pupils’ wider development, including clubs, educational visits and participation in a range of sports. Leaders ensure that cost or other barriers do not prevent pupils from participating. This means that disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND, those known or previously known to children’s social care and other pupils who face barriers access these opportunities and benefit well from this offer.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is a strength of the school. It is well matched to pupils’ needs. Staff know pupils well and work closely with families and external agencies where needed to support

p.4

Needs attention

pupils’ wellbeing. Leaders review and adapt the personal development programme so that it prepares pupils for life in modern Britain.

p.5

Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders acknowledge that attendance is too low. The number of pupils who are persistently absent remains too high. Through their analysis, leaders have identified the reasons for this, but they have not secured sustained improvement. They have recently improved the school’s systems to act swiftly when a pupil’s attendance starts to decline. Leaders work well with external agencies to address issues with attendance. Leader’s work with pupils and their families who have a history of prolonged absence has improved attendance for a small number of pupils. However, the impact remains uneven. As a result, some pupils miss out on too much of their important learning.

p.5

Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Behaviour across school is consistently positive. Pupils develop respect for each other as they progress through the school. They understand the importance of treating everyone equally and fairly. Pupils typically develop positive attitudes to learning and school. They enjoy earning rewards for positive attitudes and behaviour. They focus and concentrate well in lessons. Pupils understand what bullying and discriminatory behaviour is. Leaders deal with these types of behaviours swiftly and effectively. Pupils who struggle to manage strong emotions are well supported by skilled staff and well-considered strategies to support pupils’ behaviour.

p.5