Cheviot Primary School

Cheviot Primary School

Address: Yetholm Place, Newbiggin Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE5 4EB Unique reference number (URN): 143271

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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

Pupils thrive personally, socially and academically. Leaders identify pupils' individual needs quickly and precisely. This includes the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and pupils known or previously known to social care. The school's highly trained staff meet the needs of pupils extremely well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils with SEND receive closely targeted additional support. Staff address and meet these pupils' individual barriers to learning expertly. This includes pupils who attend the additionally resourced provision. These pupils receive high-quality and bespoke provision. They also benefit greatly from experiencing lessons, breaktimes, assemblies and other activities alongside their mainstream peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school has implemented a highly effective strategy to support disadvantaged pupils. Leaders check on the impact of the strategy regularly and precisely. Disadvantaged pupils access fully the exciting educational experiences the school provides. They achieve well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff liaise with pupils' parents and carers knowledgeably, regularly and sensitively. Leaders draw on the expertise of external professionals to ensure any barriers to learning pupils may have are overcome. These professional relationships, such as with the virtual school, ensure that children in care receive the support they need to succeed.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development and wellbeing. The school has implemented a carefully and well-sequenced curriculum. This helps pupils gain the skills, knowledge, understanding and concepts they need to succeed and thrive. This curriculum is richly enhanced by a wide variety of educational experiences. Many of which link to local industry and introduce pupils to the world of work. ‘World of Possibilities’ visitors further enhance this work. These visitors, including an engineer, an events coordinator, a tattoo artist and a town planner, tell the pupils about their occupations and lives. Pupils learn about being employed and being self-employed. Older pupils learn about budgeting, planning and economic growth during enterprise activities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils carry out roles of responsibility in school, such as being reading buddies to their younger peers, diligently. They have a growing understanding of the similarities and differences they see in everyone. They understand that there are many different types of families in the local and wider community. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online and in the local community. Visitors, such as those from Northumbria Police who deliver workshops on the dangers of knife and hate crime, enhance this work further. In addition, all pupils from the Reception Year to Year 6 have been trained to use defibrillators and to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Visits to museums, art galleries and local theatres further enhance pupils' cultural experiences. Pupils understand values such as law and democracy. Older pupils use this knowledge, coupled with their speaking, listening and communication skills, to debate democracy in Ancient Greece and compare it to democracy in Britain today. Pupils are

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Expected standard

tolerant of each other’s individual differences. They respect those from different faiths and cultures. All receive a warm welcome at Cheviot Primary School.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well from their individual starting points. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other barriers to their learning. The school's results in national tests at the end of key stage 2 reflect how well pupils achieve. Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are improving over time to be close to the national average. Pupils develop their speaking, listening and communication skills extremely well during their time in school. Pupils use a wide range of vocabulary accurately and confidently in their speech and writing. They use simple punctuation well. Their use of more ambitious punctuation, such as ellipses, colons and hyphens, is not as well developed

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Achievement Expected standard

Currently, pupils are making much better progress in phonics than in the past. A much larger proportion of Year 1 pupils are reading more accurately and fluently. Pupils across the school apply their knowledge confidently to secure their understanding in wider curriculum subjects. Overall, pupils leave the school prepared well for the next stage in their education.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders check on the quality of the curriculum and teaching regularly. They make improvements where necessary. For example, leaders have recently implemented a new handwriting scheme to ensure pupils form, size and place their letters more consistently when writing. While early signs are positive, it is too soon to measure the impact of these changes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have secure subject knowledge in the subjects they teach. This means teachers ask skilful questions to help pupils think hard in lessons. Pupils learn new knowledge in a sensible order. They build new knowledge on what they already know. Staff develop pupils' speaking, listening and communication skills at every opportunity. Pupils reply to staff's questions using whole and grammatically correct sentences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that reading is of high priority throughout the school. Highly trained staff deliver the school's phonics programme knowledgeably. Staff ensure that pupils have a sound knowledge of number bonds and multiplication tables. Pupils use this knowledge well in mathematics. They also apply it confidently across the curriculum in subjects such as science. Staff are knowledgeable about individual pupils' needs. They adapt their teaching successfully to ensure any barriers to learning pupils may have are overcome.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The well-sequenced curriculum is enriched by a wide variety of visitors to school, educational visits out of school and after-school activities.

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Early years Expected standard

After a warm welcome from adults, children settle quickly into the early years classrooms each morning. Children develop their independence as they register their own attendance. Relationships between the staff, children and families develop well in the early years. Parents and carers attend stay-and-play sessions and phonics workshops to support their children. The early years classrooms provide a happy, safe and caring start to children's education.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have implemented a carefully sequenced curriculum. This sets out clearly the key knowledge and skills that 2- to 4-year-old children must learn. Staff quickly identify children's strengths and any barriers they have to learning. They ensure children's individual needs are met. Children respond well to the school's emphasis on children's speaking, listening and communication skills. The classrooms and outdoor learning environments are full of purposeful spoken interactions. Staff speak in whole sentence. Children have time to think and respond. Staff develop the youngest children's muscular control and mark making skills well. They deliver the school's phonics programme equally well. Children are enthusiastic readers. They make effective progress through the curriculum from their individual starting points. The majority of children at the end of the Reception Year are ready for the demands of Year 1.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of all in school. They accurately identify the school's strengths and areas that need further development. They take the right actions to bring about improvement, rightly prioritising the most important aspects. Some actions, such as those to improve pupils' letter formation, have not been identified and taken rapidly enough.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff receive the training necessary to fulfil their roles competently and confidently. Staff benefit from recent professional learning on trauma, autism and oracy. Leaders have created an open culture of staff sharing effective practice with staff in and beyond the school. Teachers new to the profession benefit from the right support. Leaders consider staff's workload and wellbeing well. Staff receive dedicated time to fulfil their wider responsibilities, such as subject leadership, in school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governance, at both trustee and local governing board level, challenges and supports leaders in equal measure. Governors and trustees have a clear and accurate view of what the school does well and aspects that need more work. For example, governors know that pupils' attendance must continue to improve. They keep a close eye on this aspect. Governors ensure that looking after senior leaders’ workload and wellbeing remains a high priority.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers value highly the education and support the school provides for their children. They appreciate the school's stated open-door policy and find it easy to talk to staff. Most of all, parents are pleased that their children enter school happily on the days they attend.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders provide a warm, welcoming and nurturing place of learning for the pupils and their families. Despite this, too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Some arrive late for school. These pupils miss vital learning. They do not make the progress of which they are capable. Leaders take this issue seriously. Improving pupils' attendance is one of the school's key priorities. Leaders have recently put in place several new attendance initiatives. Although there are green shoots of improvement, it is too soon to see the full impact of this work. Pupils attend the additionally resourced provisions regularly. Measures such as a delayed start and early finish to the school day ensure their specific needs are well met.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Staff have consistently high expectations of pupils' behaviour. They meet the needs of pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties extremely well. Pupils’ behaviour in and around school is exemplary. They show high levels of self-control and dedication to learning, even during challenging weather conditions. They are polite, respectful and courteous. Pupils love to learn. They are enthusiastic in lessons. They welcome visitors warmly and are eager to find out more about them. Extremely rare incidents of bullying are dealt with appropriately by staff. Pupils are proud to attend the school. They embody the school's 3 behaviour rules, 'Be Kind, Be Safe and Be Respectful'.

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

Pupils receive a warm welcome into school every morning by staff who care for them deeply. They share their overnight news and any worries they may have straight away. Then, pupils quickly settle to complete 'morning board' learning. Pupils respond well to the school's routines and staff's high expectations of them. Pupils are keen to please their teachers and make progress, which they do. Some pupils, though, do not attend school often enough. They miss out on some of the rich educational experiences on offer.

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

Pupils, from the early years through to Year 6, progress well through the curriculum. Their individual needs are identified quickly and met very well at this proudly inclusive school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those who attend the additionally resourced provision, thrive at Cheviot Primary School. Pupils develop their speaking, listening and communication skills especially well. By the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared for their next stage in education.

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

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, experience a host of exciting educational events. They meet authors at local theatres, work with engineers at local car manufacturers and learn about robotics with local secondary schools. Pupils develop sporting skills through regular cricket, basketball and netball competitions. Older pupils thrive during their outdoor and adventurous activities residential experience. Pupils extend their horizons and ambitions extremely well through these learning opportunities. Pupils behave very well in lessons and during breaktimes. Older pupils, including the playground buddies, are excellent role models for their younger friends. Rare incidents of bullying are dealt with quickly. Pupils flourish in the school's calm, safe and well-structured environment for learning. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They appreciate the care, support and education their children receive.

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Next steps

Leaders should embed their attendance strategy and enhance their working relationship with parents and carers even further, to reduce the number of pupils who are persistently absent from school. Leaders should ensure that staff, including in the early years, provide regular support for pupils to develop secure transcription skills, especially in handwriting and punctuation.

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About this inspection

The school is part of Smart Multi 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, Colin Lofthouse, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alan Robert Keenleyside.

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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 education inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, head of school, assistant headteacher and special educational needs coordinator, the school's improvement partner, the chair of trustees and one other trustee, and one member of the local governing board.

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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 includes additionally resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities for 16 pupils with communication and interaction difficulties.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Oliver Flitcroft, Ofsted Inspector Karen Butler, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 23 June 2026

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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 6 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 needs support 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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (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

2024/25 (final) 66% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 61% 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) 72% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 74% 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

2024/25 (final) 69% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 72% 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

2024/25 (final) 69% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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average

2024/25 (final) 70% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 65% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 65% 59% Close to average

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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) 65% 61% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 70% 59% Close to average

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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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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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Persistent absence

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

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 17.4% 14.6% 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.

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Urgent improvement

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

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