Chopwell Primary School

Chopwell Primary School

Address: Derwent Street, Chopwell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE17 7HS Unique reference number (URN): 131107

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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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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Over time, leaders meticulously identify the reasons for pupils' persistent absence from school. They seek imaginative solutions and implement these in partnership with parents and carers. The 'walking bus', use of other transport and highly positive engagement with parents help pupils attend more regularly. As a result, leaders oversee significant improvements in overall attendance. The significant decrease in the persistent absence of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is now matched by disadvantaged pupils. This gives pupils the best chance of success both academically and socially. Leaders continue to focus on this so that pupils can achieve to their full potential.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils are consistently polite, considerate and show empathy for others. This shows in the overwhelming sense of harmony in classrooms and around the school. Staff address any form of less positive behaviour, however rare this might be. Their extremely positive relationships with pupils and parents promote an environment of cooperation and respect. Professional development for staff enables them to understand pupils' emotional needs very well. Where adjustments or adaptations are needed to support pupils, staff implement these with commendable consistency. From 2-year-old children up to older pupils in Year 6, positive and inquisitive attitudes to learning help all access and achieve across the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders ensure that pupils access high-quality, meaningful learning across a range of different subjects. The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced. Strategic improvements made to teaching mean that pupils across school develop secure and detailed knowledge over time. As a result of the school's highly inclusive practice, pupils with all levels of need and vulnerability can access learning as staff intend. Teaching across year groups is highly effective. Staff choose learning activities to have maximum impact. The focus on early skills and knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics prepares pupils well, so they can access the wider curriculum without issue. Pupils demonstrate the depth of their knowledge in conversation with adults. The school's curriculum over time to improve pupils' speaking and listening skills is carefully sequenced. It helps pupils talk with clarity and precision across the curriculum. They have a clear delight in learning and gaining knowledge that the

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff make effective use of checks on pupils' learning. They offer precise and effective support to pupils if they need to catch up with any learning. This ensures that pupils build on the knowledge and skills they already have and deepens their understanding.

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Early years Strong standard

Significant early years expertise within leadership and staffing ensures that there is a deep understanding of child development at Chopwell. Staff show a relentless pursuit of excellence in terms of planning high-quality educational and pastoral experiences for children. A detailed and exciting curriculum takes children through a very positive learning journey from nursery. It consistently prepares them very well for key stage 1. Children make significant progress from their starting points. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children with SEND are expertly supported by highly trained staff.

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Early years Strong standard

The very youngest children in early years confidently and independently support others to prepare resources for painting activities. Other children show the impact of the school's unswerving focus on communication and language. They use vocabulary accurately to talk about their learning. Children actively seek out opportunities to practise their writing, reading and number skills. They take pride in their successes.

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Early years Strong standard

The overwhelmingly happy environment in early years reflects leaders and staff prioritising children's wellbeing and welfare. Positive and effective relationships between home and school promote a seamless understanding of emerging needs. It helps leaders understand where some children may need more support at times. This support has notable impact.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school is a highly inclusive school with pupils at the heart of every decision made. Leaders demonstrate a relentless pursuit of the best possible provision for pupils. They craft a comprehensive offer for pupils. Highly trained staff identify and address pupils' barriers to success. Leaders and staff have a deep knowledge of each individual pupil. This means that carefully tailored support meets pupils' needs well. Regularly reviewed teaching, learning and pastoral support systems have been impactful over time. They make a significant difference to pupils’ experiences, opportunities and life chances. This applies to all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities(SEND), those who are disadvantaged and those who are known to social care. Leaders use the pupil premium funding wisely to maximise impact. It has made a significant difference to both attendance and academic achievement for disadvantaged pupils. Senior leaders’ monitoring, tracking

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Inclusion Strong standard

and evaluation of provision is exemplary. It means that pupils are consistently well supported. Pupils' wider development is also a high priority for staff. Leaders' ensure that a programme of experiences, clubs and opportunities benefits all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Leaders use pupil voice to help strengthen the offer further, making clubs and wider opportunities accessible for everyone.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders at all levels have a consistently deep and high-quality understanding of the school. Leaders and staff share a determination that every action should be in the best interests of pupils. As a result, actions for improvement are swift and focused on what will make the biggest difference to pupils. Alongside the consideration of pupils' needs, leaders invest time and resources into staff's expertise. High-quality professional development for staff is a high priority. It positively impacts across all areas of the school's work. The consistency with which staff implement the curriculum across school is impressive. Staff compliment leaders on how their workload and wellbeing are central to decisions across school. Staff comments about a 'very supportive senior leadership team' and how staff feel 'valued for the job we do' are common. There is a real sense of teamwork at the school.

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Expected standard

Governors receive detailed information from leaders. Governors are an integral part of the school's journey of continual improvement. They hold leaders to account. They ensure that there is robust challenge across all aspects of the school's work, while making sure that leaders and staff feel well supported. Governors ensure that they consistently uphold their statutory duties and play an active part in the school community.

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Expected standard

The school's engagement with parents and carers is highly effective. The school sits at the heart of the Chopwell community. Many parents reflections about the school demonstrate the positive relationships between home and school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development offer at Chopwell Primary School is of an excellent standard. A high-quality curriculum is precisely matched to the needs of pupils. It targets the skills and knowledge that pupils need to be very well prepared for life beyond the school gates. At the heart of the curriculum sits pupils' pride in their local heritage. They make positive contributions to the school and the wider community. For example, the school's annual 'Lumiere' event sees parents, carers and pupils working together to create structures to light up the festival. This also helps to promote a wide range of career aspirations for pupils. Staff skilfully weave aspiration and ambition for all into the different curriculum subjects. Leaders leave no stone unturned to ensure that all pupils are able to access the school's rich personal development offer. The school's pastoral support is highly effective. Highly trained

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

and caring staff nurture all pupils. This contributes to the exemplary atmosphere of respect and tolerance in the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop a clear understanding of right and wrong as well as how to keep themselves safe in a wide range of situations. This includes a comprehensive understanding of online safety. Pupils' understanding of spiritual and cultural differences instils highly positive attitudes towards others. Pupils talk knowledgeably about how the school's curriculum helps them to understand 'how to respect all religions'. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from a well-considered and highly effective approach to relationships education. Pupils have an impressive understanding of equality, diversity and how discrimination of any form should not be tolerated, including racism, homophobia and misogyny. This is strengthened further by strategic decision-making within the curriculum from leaders and staff. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain as a result.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils do well. Leaders' actions have rapid and notable impact on how all pupils achieve from their starting points. This also includes the very youngest children in early years. Through careful adaptation and support, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils also achieve well. It means that pupils are prepared well for their next steps in education. Leaders understand the key barriers to pupils' achievement. They prioritise early reading and phonics for younger pupils. This then helps to improve pupils' reading comprehension across key stage 2. Pupils typically produce work of an appropriate standard across different subjects. Their work is not of a consistently high quality however, and, at times, this limits their overall achievement.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils recall their learning well. They show secure knowledge and understanding of their learning across the curriculum. Pupils talk excitedly about geographical wonders of the ocean and use technical vocabulary to help describe their thinking.

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

Pupils at Chopwell Primary School are superb ambassadors for their school. They exemplify the school values of mutual respect, independence, nurture and excellence. From their first days in early years, children develop resilience, determination and pride in their school. Pupils of all ages live out the school's vision of becoming a 'caring, responsible member of the community'. Their excellent attitudes and behaviour help create an overwhelming sense of friendship and collaboration. Bullying is very rare. Pupils know this is dealt with swiftly. They feel very safe at school. Pupils' rapidly increasing attendance shows their desire to be part of the school community each day.

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

Children and pupils love to learn. They have a clear appetite for knowledge. Pupils apply their previous learning to new concepts. For example, older pupils confidently discuss crime and punishment throughout history, linking this to previous work on invaders and settlers. Children in the 2-year-old provision take delight in exploring what happens when small tyres are rolled across the outdoor area. Pupils benefit from very high-quality lessons being taught by talented and well-trained staff. Staff identify and reduce any barriers to pupils' learning consistently and effectively. This means that pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education. They make clear progress from their starting points. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

From working with a regional university through to projects with a local regeneration hub or the school's own 'Lumiere' festival, pupils get a range of opportunities to make positive contributions to the school and the wider community. All pupils benefit from this rich offer. They thrive academically and socially. Their appreciation of diversity and equality is well developed. Relationships across the school community are positive and productive, including with parents and carers. Typical comments from parents mention 'compassionate and caring staff' and children who are 'genuinely excited to go to school'.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the improvements made to the curriculum in all areas impact positively on the consistent quality of the work that pupils produce and pupils achieve as highly as leaders expect them to.

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Lead inspector:

Richard Beadnall, His Majesty's 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 9 September 2026

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School and pupil context

Leaders should ensure that the rapid improvements made in pupils’ attendance are sustained over time.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Elizabeth Sillence.

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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

This inspection took place on Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 September 2026.

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and staff, members of the board of governors, the interim headteacher of the local authority virtual school and the school's local authority school improvement partner. They also spoke with groups of pupils, visited a sample of lessons and looked at pupils' work across a number of curriculum subjects. Inspectors also spoke with some parents and carers.

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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. The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection: the headteacher and one of the assistant headteachers were appointed in 2024.

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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. National average: 4.1%

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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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average

2024/25 (final) 60% 62% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 57% 61% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 63% 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) 72% 75% 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) 76% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 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

2023/24 (final) 74% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 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) 46% 47% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 33% 46% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 62% 63% 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) 62% 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

2023/24 (final) 56% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 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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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

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

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