Schools & FE · Report card

Whinstone Primary School

Inspected 14 Jul 2026 · published 18 Sept 2026 · URN 145223

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Kathryn McDonald (lead), Amy Cookson, Julie McGrane, Rowena Sykes

What we read, and from where

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Achievement verified
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour verified
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
Early years verified
Strong standard
Inclusion verified
Strong standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Strong standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
14 Jul 2026
Inspectors verified
Amy Cookson, Julie McGrane, Kathryn McDonald, Rowena Sykes
Postcode verified
TS17 0RJ
Name on report verified
Whinstone Primary School
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
145223

Page 1 of 16

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementExpected
Attendance and behaviourStrong
Curriculum and teachingExpected
Early yearsStrong
InclusionStrong
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingStrong

Tone of the report

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

+78Very positivemore positive than 62% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisehighly effectiveeffectivelyhigh-qualityfeel safehigh expectationspositiveconsistentlyeffective

Criticismgapsat riskconcernsfalling behindinconsistencynot consistentlypersistent absencepersistently absent

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

Findings1587w+78
Leadership257w+84
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve63w+33

Strengths

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Concerns

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

Leaders identify any pupils who may be at risk of falling behind and put in place timely support. p.4

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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

Leadership & governance46
“Leaders have developed training and highly effective systems to ensure that staff consistently meet children's needs.” p.2
Curriculum17
“The impact of leaders' improvements to the writing curriculum is clear in pupils’ high-quality work in English.” p.4
Progress & outcomes10
“Alongside staff, leaders work to consistently and effectively reduce barriers to pupils’ achievement.” p.2
SEND & inclusion8
“The impact of their approach is particularly evident in the highly effective provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.” p.4
Communication & language8
“Staff build children’s vocabulary effectively.” p.2
Teaching & assessment7
“Phonics teaching is highly effective.” p.4
Reading & phonics6
“Phonics teaching is highly effective.” p.4
Attendance6
“The number of pupils who are persistently absent is reducing.” p.2

Anatomy of the report

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

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,955; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 42, typical 43
Average sentence: 13 words
Next steps: 3; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 3%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 53%Leadership 9%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 35%

Full report text

Whinstone Primary School

Address: Lowfields Avenue, Ingleby Barwick, Whinstone Primary School, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 0RJ Unique reference number (URN): 145223

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

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders' work to tackle persistent absence has been successful. The number of pupils who are persistently absent is reducing. Leaders' determined efforts have improved pupils' attendance overall, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders check attendance patterns meticulously and follow up on any absences swiftly. They work well with families and the local authority to ensure that families receive the support they need so that pupils can attend school regularly.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils' behaviour reflects leaders' high expectations. It is highly positive across the school. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils listen attentively and respond thoughtfully to one another in lessons. During social times, pupils play happily. They are well supported by pupils who take on the role of 'play leaders'. Pupils show kindness and respect for each other. From the early years onwards, pupils learn to play together with consideration of others. Staff consistently apply leaders' expectations. This creates a positive environment where pupils feel safe. Bullying and discriminatory behaviour rarely occur. Leaders take firm action to deal with any issues. Incidents are dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils learn to manage their emotions and show increasing self-control as they progress through the school.

p.2

Early years Strong standard

Before children start in the early years, staff get to know them and their families well. This helps staff to build a thorough knowledge of how best to support children. Leaders identify any additional needs early, including those who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.2

Early years Strong standard

Nothing is left to chance in the early years. Staff carefully plan every aspect of the indoor and outdoor provision. Staff talk with children often. They model using language precisely. Staff build children’s vocabulary effectively. Leaders have developed training and highly effective systems to ensure that staff consistently meet children's needs. For example, leaders ensure that staff gain the expertise to develop children's knowledge and skills through their high-quality conversations.

p.2

Early years Strong standard

Staff identify the areas of learning where children typically need more support to develop. For example, leaders prioritise building phonics knowledge, vocabulary and early writing. Leaders ensure that children have plenty of opportunities to develop and practise these skills. Staff check children’s understanding across all areas of learning. They establish consistent routines and develop warm relationships with children. Children are very well prepared for Year 1.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders create a highly inclusive culture that ensures all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, experience success. Leaders have established robust systems to check and review pupils’ needs with precision. Alongside staff, leaders work to consistently and effectively reduce barriers to pupils’ achievement. Leaders ensure that every child is known, understood and supported from the start in the early years. Leaders and staff provide highly effective support for pupils. This means that pupils make notable progress through the curriculum.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils receive effective support that is precisely matched to their needs. Leaders' regular checks on pupils’ learning helps them to identify where support is most effective and where amendments might be needed. Ongoing training for staff ensures that they have the expertise they need to provide pupils with consistent levels of support.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders work closely with parents, carers and external specialists to get the right support for pupils. They ensure that recommended strategies are swiftly implemented in classroom practice so that barriers to learning are reduced. Leaders check the impact of additional funding closely. They use funding to improve pupils’ academic success and to meet pupils' emotional needs. Pastoral support is highly personalised. Disadvantaged pupils access school life fully.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development programme provides rich opportunities for pupils to learn about different cultures, faiths, local and world events. Pupils learn to reflect on their own beliefs and experiences. They value learning about different religions and understand how it helps them to relate to others. Pupils show a deep understanding of right and wrong. They talk insightfully about fairness, equality and how people should treat one another. Pupils learn about fundamental British values, such as the importance of democracy, through their roles as pupil leaders.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The curriculum is rooted in pupils developing an understanding of healthy relationships. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, both online and in the local community. For example, through the many visitors to school, pupils learn about cold water safety. Staff skilfully weave the programme through the wider curriculum so that pupils build a deep understanding of the world beyond the school. In the early years, children learn to identify their emotions. As pupils progress through the school, they develop empathy for others. They develop into confident and considerate young citizens.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide a rich set of experiences to develop pupils' talents and interests. They support all pupils to benefit from these by actively encouraging pupils who may not choose to attend. Many pupils access opportunities that they may not encounter outside of school, for example writing and performing speeches for a regional competition.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pastoral support is a significant strength of the school. Leaders identify emerging needs and barriers promptly. Pupils know who to approach for support and feel safe, valued and listened to.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide an extensive range of leadership roles for pupils to contribute to school and the wider community. Roles include 'mental health champions' and 'reading ambassadors'. Pupils are proud to support their local community by participating in, for example, charity events.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils typically achieve well in reading and mathematics. This enables them to confidently access learning across subjects. The impact of leaders' improvements to the writing curriculum is clear in pupils’ high-quality work in English. Pupils' writing in some other subjects is not of the same high standard. This hinders pupils from producing high-quality work across all subjects.

p.4

Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils attain the standard expected of them by the end of key stage 2 in national assessments. Many pupils attain particularly well in mathematics at the end of key stage 2. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make notable progress through the curriculum from their starting points. In 2025, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils at the school was higher than disadvantaged pupils nationally.

p.4

Achievement Expected standard

Children in the early years make secure progress through the curriculum from their starting points. They build secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. In phonics, outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening check have been above the national average over time.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have made well-considered improvements to the curriculum. They identify the important knowledge that pupils will learn and break this into small steps. Leaders make thoughtful connections between subjects to strengthen pupils' basic skills. They check the quality of teaching regularly. This helps to inform the ongoing training that staff receive. Leaders ensure that teachers are equipped to make skilful adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers use their subject knowledge skilfully. For example, they model and explain new learning carefully. They generally use the information from assessments effectively to adapt teaching and to fill gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Phonics teaching is highly effective. Leaders identify any pupils who may be at risk of falling behind and put in place timely support. Staff model the language that they want pupils to learn. Pupils receive support to use subject- specific vocabulary in both speech and writing. In writing, refinements to the English curriculum include a greater focus on the correct use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting. Staff identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge well. However, there is some inconsistency in the application of these skills across other subjects. Sometimes, staff do not consistently correct errors in transcription, punctuation and grammar.

p.4