Whitehouse Primary School

Whitehouse Primary School

Address: Whitehouse Lane, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 8PE Unique reference number (URN): 150021

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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 Expected standard

Leaders create an environment that makes pupils want to attend school, and they attend at least as well as peers nationally. Leaders manage attendance well. They have a clear strategy to bring about further improvements. Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance to pupils and their families. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged attend more than those nationally. This is because leaders work effectively with families to understand and reduce barriers to attendance. Leaders have established effective systems to monitor attendance. They identify concerns early and provide increasingly targeted support where needed. Incentives for pupils encourage good attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established a culture where pupils are safe and well supported. Pupils understand and rise to the school's expectations for behaviour. Incidents of bullying and discrimination are unusual. Staff deal with any incidents effectively if they do happen. The recently introduced behaviour policy is clear and understood by staff, pupils and families. Pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour receive appropriate support that is matched to their individual needs.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and contribute to a calm, orderly learning environment across the school. Behaviour during social times is a particular strength. Pupils interact well with one another. They engage enthusiastically in a wide range of structured activities and demonstrate positive relationships across the school.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years provision gives children a very positive start to their education. Leaders, supported by the trust, have developed a curriculum that prioritises children’s communication, language development and early reading skills. The curriculum is well sequenced and adapted appropriately to meet the needs and interests of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. This ensures that barriers to learning are reduced. Leaders check what children can do when they enter the early years and use this to plan their teaching. This contributes to improving outcomes over time.

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Early years Expected standard

Children engage positively in a range of well-planned learning experiences. They learn in an environment that is engaging and inviting. The provision encourages independence. Adult interactions successfully move learning on. Children learn and play cooperatively together. They learn to share and take turns. Children behave well and approach their learning with curiosity and enthusiasm. Safeguarding and welfare requirements are embedded, and routines are well established, supporting the children's sense of safety and security. Transitions are carefully planned, and pastoral care is effective in ensuring that children settle well into school life. By the end of Reception, children are well prepared for the demands of key stage 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Whitehouse Primary is a welcoming school. Leaders have established a clear strategic vision for inclusion, underpinned by high expectations that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can succeed. Leaders use effective systems to identify pupils’ needs promptly. They work with a wide range of external professionals to ensure that pupils receive appropriate, specialist support where necessary. Staff receive training to help strengthen their expertise. Trust oversight supports ongoing improvements in SEND provision, including within the additionally resourced provision (ARP). The ARP is effective in meeting pupils' complex needs through a holistic approach.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school's inclusive ethos ensures that all pupils are fully involved in school life. Pupils in the ARP access mainstream learning where appropriate. Leaders actively remove barriers to participation for disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils. They use additional funding effectively to support them to do this. Leaders carefully keep a check on the needs of pupils known to social care. Parents and carers speak positively about the school’s inclusive approach and the support that their children receive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Teachers use a range of appropriate strategies to support pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. This enables pupils to learn successfully alongside their peers. Many pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged make positive progress over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, demonstrate a clear commitment to school improvement. There is a sense of shared purpose focused on pupils’ needs. Pupils are at the heart of every decision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders select the right priorities to work on. Consequently, they have established a safe and orderly environment. The trust ensures that it has a secure oversight of the school. It uses effective systems to check that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities, such as in relation to safeguarding. Trust staff contribute well to curriculum development. Teachers appreciate this support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are positive about the culture in the school. They feel valued, supported and able to seek help when needed. They value the training that they receive. Leaders regularly consider staff workload and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the school's context and the community that it serves. There is an ambition to ensure that everyone is welcome and treated equally.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors assure themselves that leaders' actions are impacting positively on the school's ongoing journey of improvement. They have a clear understanding of the school’s current position and priorities. They provide support and appropriate challenge to leaders. Governors benefit from trust support and expertise, enabling them to fulfil their strategic role within the wider trust structure.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a broad programme for pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. The programme is supported by a well-designed personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. This is further enhanced through additional planned activities, including the use of visitors and external professionals, where appropriate.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The PSHE curriculum is taught regularly and follows a structured programme. Typically, pupils demonstrate an understanding of fundamental British values and characteristics that support their understanding of being a good citizen. They know what healthy and unhealthy relationships might look like. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. They know where they can turn to for help. They have an understanding of different world faiths and recognise the importance of acceptance of all. These factors mean that pupils are generally well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders, supported by the trust, ensure that pupils have access to a carefully thought-out range of wider opportunities. All pupils benefit from these before they leave the school. They include educational visits, such as day trips to London and enrichment days, such as a business breakfast. This allows pupils to understand about the world of work and helps to raise aspirations. This contributes positively to pupils’ developing awareness of future pathways. A structured programme of extra-curricular clubs, such as sport, dance and cheerleading, is in place. Opportunities to develop pupils’ leadership roles, confidence and responsibility are clear. This includes through school council membership roles. The personal development offer is open to all pupils, and leaders ensure that they remove any barriers to participation.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides a well-established pastoral support system that responds promptly to all pupils’ individual needs, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and those who are looked after. This contributes to a supportive environment in which pupils feel known and cared for.

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Achievement Needs attention

Recent improvements to the curriculum and targeted staff training are making a positive difference to pupils' progress through the curriculum. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well in the early years. Across key stage 1, leaders prioritise phonics and early writing. This helps pupils to read and write with increasing fluency and accuracy. However, this is not consistently sustained as pupils move through the school. Some pupils continue to repeat errors in handwriting, letter formation, spelling and punctuation that are not corrected effectively enough. These misconceptions become embedded, and pupils do not consistently develop the skills needed to support future learning. Gaps in skills and knowledge are not closing quickly enough. Leaders have not ensured that pupils consistently remember more and build on their learning across the curriculum over time. This means that not enough pupils have been prepared academically

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders prioritise curriculum development and strengthening the quality of teaching. They are ambitious in their curriculum design. The curriculum is broad, balanced and well sequenced. Leaders know that their actions need further time to embed. The impact of their actions is not evident across all classes. The quality of teaching and curriculum implementation is too variable, particularly across key stage 2. Expectations are inconsistent between classes. Teachers often overlook errors in letter formation, pencil grip, presentation and spelling, including the spelling of mathematical vocabulary. As a result, pupils frequently repeat the same errors over time. Teachers' checks on learning are not always used effectively to inform next steps in teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have introduced a range of strategies to identify and fill gaps in pupils’ learning. These include initiatives such as targeted, small group sessions and a ‘keep up, not catch up’ approach. These are beginning to support pupils in addressing gaps in knowledge, particularly in the early stages of reading and writing, as well as those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who are disadvantaged.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Where teaching is strongest, staff demonstrate secure subject knowledge, effective modelling and purposeful questioning that deepens pupils’ understanding. This is particularly evident in phonics, where teaching is delivered precisely, with a relentless focus on developing secure basic skills.

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

Whitehouse Primary School has been through a period of significant change and rapid improvement. Pupils value the changes that have been made and are happy to come to school. Most pupils attend school regularly. Improvements to behaviour mean that pupils are safe and able to thrive in a calm and orderly school. Pupils say that bullying is rare but trust the adults to deal with any problems. Relationships between the pupils and adults are warm, caring and trusting. Pupils say that everyone is welcome and they would recommend the school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those in the additionally resourced provision, take part fully in school life. This adds to the sense of belonging that pupils feel.

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

Much work has been done to develop the curriculum, but it is not consistently having the desired impact in all classrooms. Pupils benefit from a broad curriculum, which is relevant to the area that they live in. For example, pupils in key stage 1 learn about Grace Darling. This learning is then brought to life with a trip to the local museum. Children in the early years get off to a positive start. Leaders prioritise phonics and early reading and writing. As a result, most pupils learn to read quickly. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and basic skills. Leaders know about this and are taking appropriate actions to close them. These gaps in learning mean that some pupils do not achieve as highly as they should. This limits the proportion of pupils who are well prepared for secondary school. Pupils generally enjoy their learning and the wider opportunities available to them. This includes educational visits, extra-curricular clubs and leadership responsibilities. Pupils play

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

imaginatively and cooperatively with each other, including with their peers from other classes. This contributes to the supportive and inclusive nature of the school.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to strengthen the development of pupils' foundational writing skills, including handwriting, spelling and punctuation, so that pupils learn to write with increasing fluency, accuracy and confidence across the curriculum over time. Leaders should continue to support teachers to implement the curriculum design consistently and effectively, so that all pupils progress appropriately through the curriculum and raise their achievement.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the NEAT 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 (CEO), Steve Haigh, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Dr Sasha Ban.

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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 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 the headteacher and other senior leaders during the inspection, including from the trust. They also met with the CEO, trust board members and members of the local governing board. Inspectors spoke with some pupils, staff and parents and carers.

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About this inspection

The school includes provision for 12 pupils with an education, health and care plan for moderate learning difficulties.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. This is the first inspection since the school joined the NEAT Academy Trust in January 2024. There has also been an appointment of a new headteacher.

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Lead inspector:

Lorraine Bamforth, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Julie McGrane, Ofsted Inspector Ailsa Taylor, 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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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

2024/25 (final) 50% 61% 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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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.2% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.0% 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) 12.6% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 17.1% 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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