Egglescliffe Church of England Primary School

Egglescliffe Church of England Primary School

Address: Butts Lane, Egglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS16 9BT Unique reference number (URN): 144936

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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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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils' performance in the end of key stage 2 national tests and in the Year 1 phonics screening check have been significantly higher than the national averages. Pupils who are disadvantaged also achieve well in national tests at the end of Year 6, particularly in mathematics. Across the curriculum, pupils are supported to master a challenging curriculum. They relish answering ‘dig deeper’ questions. These make them think hard and extend their knowledge.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils' progress is regularly monitored. Leaders analyse pupil progress regularly. When pupils fall behind, they receive timely, targeted support. Pupils new to the school are supported to make accelerated progress from their individual starting points. Pupils secure early reading skills and read with growing confidence. By the end of key stage 2, pupils' handwriting, spelling and use of grammar are accurate. As pupils progress through school, they take increasing pride in how they present their work.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have a detailed approach to tracking pupils’ attendance. The attendance of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, is typically above national averages. Pupils who are disadvantaged attend in line with the national average. The number of pupils who are regularly absent is low. Leaders take effective action to tackle the reasons why pupils are not coming to school. They are dedicated to helping parents, carers and pupils eliminate barriers that keep pupils from attending regularly. For most pupils, these are effective and have led to their individual improved attendance over time.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. These expectations are met. Consequently, pupils engage well with their lessons. Classrooms are respectful, calm and purposeful. Significant incidents of poor behaviour are rare, and bullying, though uncommon, is dealt with effectively. During social time, pupils play well together and enjoy the range of activities available to them. Pupils feel safe and report that bullying or unkindness rarely happens. Where it does, staff ensure that it is addressed quickly and effectively. Pupils are polite and have good manners. They hold doors open and are warm and welcoming to visitors. They are also considerate and reflective on why their peers may have different needs and adaptations.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders prioritise inclusion. Leaders are knowledgeable about the barriers that pupils face. They ensure that pupils' needs are precisely identified from the time they start school. Leaders seek expert advice when required. This helps them find an appropriate programme of support for pupils, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff create support plans for pupils to tailor the help they provide in class. Regularly reviewing these plans helps to keep them effective. This helps to ensure that pupils make progress in their learning from their various starting points. Most parents and carers believe the support their children receive is helpful. Some say it has made a big difference to how their children are now able to engage in school. Parents are involved in reviewing the provision in place for their children. Leaders also ensure that they address pupils' social, emotional, and mental health needs. This helps pupils stay focused in class and manage their emotions. Staff receive training to build their skills and better meet pupils' needs. They work hard to adapt lessons so that pupils can overcome any learning barriers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious for pupils who are otherwise disadvantaged, including those known or previously known to children's social care. The school uses the extra funding they receive for these pupils to help them succeed alongside their peers. Pupils who join the school later than their peers are also provided with a range of support. This enables them to catch up on any missed learning. They achieve well over time.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance are committed to improving the school. The expert support and challenge provided by the trust has helped the school to improve since the previous inspection. This is despite a significant increase in pupil numbers. School leaders have significantly strengthened the curriculum. It is now effectively sequenced. Leaders have also developed an assessment strategy across the wider subjects. They typically monitor the impact of the new curriculum on pupils’ understanding. While this generally works well, some of the checks made on how well pupils can recall prior knowledge are less effective.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders ensure that staff know how to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). They have developed and introduced new systems to best help these pupils. This has resulted in a whole-school approach to help ensure that pupils with SEND thrive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff feel supported by leaders, who prioritise their wellbeing and are committed to reducing workload. Staff feel valued and proud to work at the school. They work together to meet the needs of all pupils. The school promotes professional learning. It provides staff with the training that they need to develop their practice. Leaders and staff benefit from collaborating with colleagues from other schools within the trust. This teamwork helps to share ideas and improve practices. Leaders ensure that professional learning makes a positive contribution to the school's development.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Those responsible for governance fulfil their statutory duties. They ask the right questions about safeguarding. They also check how leaders are tackling key priorities. Local governors and trustees are very committed to improving the school. They work together to offer both support and challenge to school leaders. They take their roles seriously, frequently visiting the school to check how its priorities are being met. They also examine how leaders use additional resources to support vulnerable pupils, checking the impact that it has on achievement for these pupils over time.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders create opportunities to engage parents and carers. Most parents speak highly of the school, how it is managed and the support they have received.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have shaped a deliberate, high-quality personal development and wellbeing curriculum. The offer considers the unique make-up of the school's pupils and their needs. For example, pupils are taught how to ride their bicycles safely. To ensure that this is inclusive, leaders ensure that every pupil has access to a bicycle and the school also hosts a bicycle repair shop. Pupils are also made aware of how to keep safe near the local river and railway. In addition, leaders help pupils to understand the impact of financial hardship. Supporting bodies such as the Salvation Army and a local women’s refuge helps pupils understand privilege and build empathy.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development programme suitably covers relationship education, internet safety and how to keep healthy. Pupils have extensive knowledge about this. In response to pupils' maturity, leaders have updated this content to help ensure they are fully prepared for secondary school. Pupils are secure in their knowledge of the fundamental British values and of why differences between individuals should be respected. Pupils are also prepared for life beyond school by learning about different career pathways.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Teaching about physical and mental health is well established from the early years. The school has ensured that pupils have access to a wide range of physical activities. Where barriers exist, leaders adapt this provision, including by offering lunchtime clubs, to ensure inclusion. Leaders carefully track participation and ensure that pupils with vulnerabilities attend. Being a librarian, sports leader, lost property helper or school council member teaches pupils about responsibility. These roles also contribute positively to enhancing school life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Spiritual, moral and cultural development are woven through the curriculum and through the wider offer. Pupils share their experiences to help build an understanding of other cultures and faiths. Leaders enhance the curriculum through various visits. Pupils particularly enjoyed the recent bushcraft activities, visits to Yarm, Hope Town and to the local museum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is well thought out. It is ambitious, imaginative and appropriately sequenced across subjects, to support the building of pupils' knowledge and skills over time. The local area serves as a starting point for learning in geography and history. The curriculum then builds to extend pupils' understanding of the wider world. In lessons, staff provide opportunities for pupils to recall prior knowledge. This helps pupils to make sensible connections. Staff precisely break down new learning into small steps. Tasks given to pupils help them use what they've learned already while encouraging them to think more deeply.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils learn to read and start writing through the careful delivery of the school’s phonics scheme. Pupils in the lower years of the school develop basic skills in mathematics, letter formation, spelling and handwriting. However, not all staff consistently check whether pupils use an efficient pencil grip or form numbers and letters correctly. For pupils at the earliest stages of writing, staff do not always ensure that all pupils use capital letters and full stops when writing sentences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff typically check pupils’ understanding in lessons and over time. This ensures that misconceptions are usually identified and addressed. Staff make suitable adaptations so that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can fully access the learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have created an inspiring and well-resourced early years environment. This encourages children in the earliest stages of education to be imaginative and creative. Staff welcome children warmly and ensure that they have a calm start to the day. Children quickly settle and take joy in their learning. Leaders ensure that the welfare needs of the youngest children are well considered. Their emotional needs are met by caring staff. Children feel safe and respond well to the nurturing relationships established by staff.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have developed an ambitious and detailed early years curriculum. This maps out the key stories, songs and vocabulary that leaders want children to learn. Children develop communication and language through high-quality interactions with staff. Staff deliberately model language and introduce vocabulary in a structured way. This helps children to develop their language over time. In the Nursery, teachers introduce children to rhythm and rhyme. This helps them get ready for the early stages of reading. Children secure their early reading and writing through precise phonics teaching. Staff typically check children's understanding. However, children are not always taught how to hold a pencil correctly. They are sometimes provided with activities that they cannot easily access due to gaps in their knowledge. For example, during the inspection, where children struggled to recognise numbers beyond 10, they struggled with number-based activities.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that partnerships with parents, carers and external agencies are positive. Parents and carers generally feel involved and well-informed about their child's journey in the early years provision.

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

Pupils love being part of the Egglescliffe school community. They develop a curiosity for knowledge and embrace many of the opportunities that the school provides. Pupils are warmly greeted by name as they enter the school. Leaders have established routines that create a calm environment throughout the school. The youngest children in the early years provision enjoy a stimulating and inviting environment. They engage with enthusiasm in a range of tasks set out for them.

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

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve well. Most of them have the knowledge and skills they need to thrive at secondary school. Teachers provide suitable support to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, they learn effectively alongside their peers. The curriculum inspires pupils to take their interests further. For example, after learning about bees and their role in food production, pupils' learning is further enhanced by a visit to a local beehive. Some pupils were so fascinated by this that they recently went on to become qualified beekeepers! Pupils learn how to stay safe online and in their local area. This includes being careful near the river, busy roads and the railway.

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

In lessons, around school and in the playground, pupils demonstrate positive behaviour. They take turns, share resources and show manners. Bullying rarely happens. Staff address any concerns raised by pupils swiftly and effectively.

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

Pupils understand the importance of being respectful and keeping within the law. They consistently show tolerance and respect towards others. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils who join the school at different times receive a warm welcome and settle in with ease. Pupils across the school access a carefully chosen selection of books. These help foster a love of reading and broaden their knowledge. Most parents and carers recommend the school. They feel their voices are heard and have confidence that leaders support when matters arise.

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Next steps

Leaders should further improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently effective, and identifies and addresses pupils’ knowledge gaps and misconceptions quickly. Leaders should ensure that children’s learning opportunities are of a consistently high level across the early years provision, specifically in supporting children's oracy, pencil grip, early writing and number development. Now that the curriculum is securely in place, leaders need to further enhance their monitoring to ensure that teaching is of a consistently high standard across all year groups and subjects.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

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About this inspection

The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Paul Rickeard, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Taylor.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 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 senior leaders, the chair of the board of trustees, the CEO of the trust, members of the academy council, including the chair, and the director of education from the Diocese of Durham.

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About this inspection

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Team inspectors:

Graham Findlay, Ofsted Inspector Gemma Jeynes, 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 7 July 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. This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in March 2019.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Emma Robertson National average: 300

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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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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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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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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

‘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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gap

‘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

2023/24 (3 term) 4.8% 5.5% 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

2024/25 (3 term) 9.9% 13.0% 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

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

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