Cragside Primary School

CRAGSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs M. Hulme OIN: 3609

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CRAGSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st – 23 rd February 2000

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CRAGSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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CRAGSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Cragside Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cragside High Heaton Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne & Wear

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Philip J. Carter MBE.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 th June 1996 Cragside Primary School - 4

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Team members

Mrs. M. Hulme Registered inspector Mr. S. Vincent Lay inspector Mr. D. Earley Team inspector Ms. B. Pollard Team inspector

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Team members

The Innovation Centre Europarc GRIMSBY North East Lincolnshire DN37 9TT

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Cragside Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT [ ]

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL [ ]

Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high Overall, teaching is good with half the lessons being very good. The ethos fosters very good behaviour and pupils have very good attitudes to their work The headteacher is a very effective and strong leader and very well supported by the staff and governing body Parents support the school very well and are satisfied with the education it provides

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED [ ]

Better use needs to be made of new technology The playground, that constitutes a health and safety hazard, needs a safe surface and the removal of structures that formed a barrier when there were two schools.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Cragside is a large urban primary school for children aged four to 11 years. There are 402 pupils on roll of whom 60 are under five in the two reception classes. The pupils are taught in 14 classes by 16 teachers who include the headteacher and one part-time teacher. The school serves an outer suburb of Newcastle and takes some pupils from other areas of the city and North Tyneside. Children come from both council housing and privately owned homes. The intake is enriched by the entry of children from all over the world, including those whose parents work at the local teaching hospital for up to two years. There are 40 children for whom English is an additional language and of these there are 17 who are at an early stage of English language acquisition. There are 34 pupils identified as eligible for free school meals which is eight per cent of the roll. There are 40 pupils (10 per cent) on the special educational needs register and at present none has statements of need

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

although one is in the process. The school has no refugees or Travellers. When children enter the school their attainment is broadly average, although there is a significant minority of talented children and a group who have fewer social skills and whose learning is slower than others.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school that works hard to maintain its reputation for high standards which it achieves within a stimulating and very good quality learning environment. When weaknesses have occurred they have been successfully overcome. Standards are high, the quality of education is very good, costs are mainly low and all resources are used very effectively. The value for money provided by the school is very good

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What the school does well

• Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high; • Overall, teaching is good, with half the lessons being very good; • The ethos fosters very good behaviour and pupils have very good attitudes to their work; • The headteacher is a very effective and strong leader and very well supported by the staff and governing body; • Parents support the school very well and are satisfied with the education it provides.

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What could be improved

• Better use needs to be made of new technology so that pupils have better access to a greater range of facilities for research and personal study; • The playground, that constitutes a potential health and safety hazard, needs a safe surface and the removal of structures that formed a barrier when there were two schools. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1996. The developments since that inspection have been very good. Since that time the school has tackled several initiatives extremely well and improvements have been made that make it even better. There are better and consistent written schemes of work for all subjects. The whole- school approach to curricular planning is now excellent and ensures a consistent approach to all subjects. All teachers have appropriate learning objectives that are realised by the end of most lessons. A notable feature of the school is the very good provision for pupils who have English as an additional language and the support for those pupils who have special educational needs. There have been considerable improvements to the teaching, particularly at Key Stage 2, which is now very good. A more rigorous system of the analysis of Cragside Primary School - 7 assessments has enabled the school to pinpoint problems and find ways of overcoming them before they impact

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

badly on standards. Teachers’ assessments of what children can do is a regular feature of all lessons and this helps teachers to plan work that is at the right level for all pupils, whatever their stage of learning. Particularly challenging tasks are provided for talented pupils. The governing body is now more effective and directed to specific issues relevant to the school. Cragside is very well placed to continue to improve and has correctly identified those areas for further development.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English E D A A well above average above average A B mathematics E E A A average below average C D science E E A A well below average E

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Key

The findings of the inspection confirm the National Curriculum test results for 1999 in that they are well above average for the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. A few years ago results were disappointing but the school analysed its results and worked on the weaknesses, which resulted in the very good results now achieved. The school has appropriate targets for each year group. The very effective marking of work enables more specific targets for individuals. The performance of talented pupils is impressive, with results showing a high percentage of pupils gaining the higher levels. The National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy are well imbedded and the use of these skills are emphasised in other subjects. Reading standards are particularly good throughout the school. The way the school has used these strategies, together with the very good support provided, has helped pupils who have English as an

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Key

additional language and pupils with special needs to progress at the same rate as other children. Although standards in information and communication technology are sound the lack of access to the new technology does hamper the progress that pupils can make, particularly in the older classes. Cragside Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Enthusiastic pupils are keen to succeed and work diligently. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are courteous and show respect for adults. The very good behaviour allows pupils to work well in class and they complete their tasks. Personal development and relationships The very good relationships between teachers and pupils form the foundation for children’s motivation to work hard and do their best. Pupils show good co-operation, take care of equipment and willingly take responsibility for a variety of tasks. Attendance Good. No pupils need to be excluded and most arrive punctually. There is minimal unauthorised absence.

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Aspect Comment

The very good relationships established between teachers and children have resulted in pupils having particularly good attitudes to their work. This is a strength and forms the foundation for good learning. Pupils come willingly to school. The consistently good behaviour is a key factor in the sustained work and extremely good efforts made by all children, which is resulting in high standards.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Good Good Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

All teaching was satisfactory or better, with 50 per cent being very good. This is a considerable improvement on the previous inspection when only 12 per cent of teaching was very good and five per cent was unsatisfactory. There are many strengths and very few weaknesses. Particular strengths in teaching include: good subject knowledge; very good teaching of basic skills; very effective planning with clear lesson objectives; high expectations with challenging tasks; very good management and discipline; very good relationships; good use of ongoing assessment, good use of support staff; effective use of resources; effective teaching methods; good pace to lessons and good use of homework. Weaknesses relate to a lack of opportunities to use the new technology owing to insufficient appropriate resources and some lack of teacher expertise.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Due attention is paid to the skills of literacy and numeracy. The quality of teaching in English is very good. In mathematics over 50 per cent of teaching is very good and the rest is good. Basic skills are taught very effectively, as teachers have the appropriate technical skill to do so. There is an emphasis on using essential English skills in other subjects. A high priority is given to the need to ensure that the needs of all children are met and provision for this is very good. Appropriate adult support in class is provided for those with special educational needs and great care is taken to plan work that is appropriate to the stage of learning. Some withdrawal sessions are provided for children for whom English is an additional language and work done there is then reinforced in class.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The good teaching has a very positive effect on pupils’ learning. This shows itself in their very good efforts as they understand tasks, the good acquisition of skills and knowledge, the consistently good efforts to complete work, their very good concentration and their ability to organise their own resources and work independently. Pupils are developing an evaluation of their own learning even from the reception stage and this is well established by Years 5 and 6. Pupils with special needs learn as well as others when supported. The teaching of children for whom English is an additional language is very good and enables them to achieve at the same rate as that of other pupils. The few weaknesses relate to good teaching being hampered by a lack of information technology resources and the need for some teachers to have training to extend their expertise. Cragside Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and relevant and caters well for the broad range in pupils’ interests and abilities. Visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities provide practical experiences that extend children’s understanding of the wider world.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. The work designed especially for them, together with the well trained additional support, enables them to make good progress .

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The very good support by a knowledgeable teacher is a key factor in the good progress made by these children.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Overall good. The very good staff role models and very clear codes of behaviour ensure that pupils develop a mature understanding of their moral and social responsibilities. Provision for cultural development is good and spiritual development is sound

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Staff promote a caring attitude and the school does all it can to keep children from harm but a health and safety issue needs attention in relation to the playground.

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Aspect Comment

Curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils include a good range of visits to places of interest and visitors to the school who contribute effectively to subjects. Booster lessons in literacy and numeracy are raising standards. A range of extra-curricular activities is provided, particularly for older pupils. All areas of the curriculum meet statutory requirements. Despite the very best efforts of the school it has been unable to resolve the problems associated with the playground, which is hazardous and has been the cause of accidents. Resolution of these problems is now an urgent requirement.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The excellent ethos created by the headteacher and supported by the school community effectively supports learning. Very good teamwork. The right tasks identified for the future.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good understanding of strengths and weaknesses results in very effective fulfilment. Good level of expertise and well organised.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has a very good view of its work and its analysis is successful in helping staff understand what works well and why.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good, resulting in high standards, an attractive learning environment and very good quality of education – all achieved at low cost.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher is a very effective and strong leader and very well supported by the staff and governing body. There is very good delegation and contribution of staff with responsibilities. Governors take a keen interest in the school’s performance, show interest in how this is perceived locally, and make good use of assessment analysis and target spending to improve standards. Cragside Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• the school expects children to work hard and achieve their best • children enjoy coming to school • the teaching is good • children make good progress • behaviour in the school is good • the school helps children become mature and responsible • they feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem • the range of activities outside lessons • the condition of the playground

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views. The range of activities outside lessons is similar to that of other primary schools and is good in the areas of music and drama. The school is already considering any activities that might be suitable for younger pupils. Inspectors endorse the concerns of parents about the condition of the playground. Cragside Primary School - 11

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

1. When the results of National Curriculum tests for 1997 were disappointing the school decided this was unacceptable and set to work to find out what had gone wrong and to make improvements. The following year improvements were seen in English. An in-depth analysis of test results was carried out and specific weaknesses were targeted for improvement with additional time made for Year 6 pupils whose results were borderline. Additional literacy support was made available for younger juniors too, easing them over the problems they had experienced when undertaking the National Curriculum tests at Year 2. Targets for each year group have focused attention on improving weaknesses while at the same time ensuring that strengths are maintained. Teachers’ marking of work is particularly effective in identifying what weaknesses pupils need to be working on next. The good relationships that teachers have with children mean that pupils make very good efforts to improve their work in the way the

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

marking suggests. These approaches have been instrumental in leading to the high results now evident with pupils attaining well above average results in English, mathematics and science.

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

2. These outcomes are also partly due to the high expectations that teachers have of what every child can achieve. The performance of talented pupils has been encouraging and some of the attainment has been at a level that might be expected at secondary school. In English, mathematics and science the percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels has been above average and this was highest in science, with 42 per cent gaining the higher level. Due attention is given to the needs of those children who have special educational needs or who have English as an additional language. These children are well adjusted into school, given time to take part in all subjects and participate fully in the life of the school. Children with special needs are identified early in reception class and once they are at the stage of needing an education programme they are well supported towards the targets identified so that they

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

progress at the same rate as other pupils. Pupils who have English as an additional language receive a well-structured individual programme of work with clear targets to achieve. Care is taken to ensure that in such subjects as mathematics, pupils’ use of language enables them to understand mathematical ideas and processes. They progress at the same rate as other children.

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

3. The National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy are well imbedded and the pupils’ use of these skills are emphasised in other subjects . Reading standards are particularly good throughout the school. This is very noticeable at the under-five stage, where teachers have the technical skill to teach it well and give the children a good start to their compulsory education. Children love stories and quickly learn to read. By the end of the reception year standards in reading are higher than might be expected for the children’s age. The good progress they make as they move through the school results in many avid readers by Year 6 whose sheer delight in reading enhances their knowledge of literature, made evident in their ability to quote from other texts.

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

Overall, teaching is good, with half the lessons being very good.

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

4. Throughout the school, teachers prepare their lessons thoroughly by identifying precise learning objectives, grouping children carefully, varying the activities, often producing really challenging ones and deciding how to assess what pupils learn. All teachers have established very good relationships with pupils. This makes children eager to work hard as they want to please their teachers. Classes are managed well because teachers have positive attitudes to discipline. Consequently, there is sustained work that is completed by the end of the lesson. Teachers are particularly good at making sure that support staff are fully aware of the lesson aims and that they have guidance on working with groups. The additional training that support staff and parents helping in the classroom receive makes them Cragside Primary School - 12 extremely effective in assisting teachers and enabling pupils’ progress. Lessons proceed at a good pace

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

and the way they are structured maintains children’s interest. These features, together with the teachers’ enthusiasm, contribute significantly to the high standards achieved and the good progress that pupils make.

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

5. One teacher’s good subject knowledge was used extremely effectively in a science lesson when her skills in teaching partially hearing pupils was put to good use in helping Year 2 children extend their knowledge and understanding of the hearing process. They were very interested in the signing process and asked sensible questions using appropriate vocabulary such as vibration, eardrum and decibels .

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

6. In a Year 6 literacy lesson a teacher’s skilful use of questioning about the roots of words assisted pupils in working out meanings and understanding how common words used today have been derived. In the same lesson the excellent reading of text captured the pupils’ interest immediately, their enjoyment obvious as their faces reflected their responses to the way the author created atmosphere. Later they were able to express their views articulately, even quoting from other texts with which they were familiar to support those views.

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

7. In almost all lessons the teachers share the learning objectives with the pupils and encourage them to reflect on the ways in which they learn. Pupils show a good understanding of the tasks and can explain what they hope to learn. In a Year 2 numeracy lesson children demonstrated their knowledge of such terms as anti-clockwise by turning their bodies and in a plenary session their responses showed gains in understanding right angles. The use of plenary sessions often draws the teachers’ attention to difficulties experienced by children. This happened, for example, in a reception class where slower learners were mixing up the f and v letter sounds because they were unaware of the distinction between the soft sound of letter ‘ f’ and the hard sound of letter ’v’. The teacher was then able to plan additional work for this group to reinforce the learning.

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Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are very high

8. Teachers’ ability to provide challenging tasks and respond with flexibility to pupils’ ideas often produces some exciting outcomes. Year 4 pupils who were learning about insulation were challenged to produce models illustrating how rooms, buildings and clothes may be insulated. They tried to combine their science and design and technology knowledge in the task. The teacher’s ongoing assessment was used effectively in helping pupils to overcome difficulties and her challenging use of questions extended their understanding and skill. As they worked co-operatively, one group of pupils succeeded in creating a science fiction landscape related to work in literacy. The plenary session demonstrated a good understanding of the planning and making processes and effective use of such skills as measuring, sticking and joining.

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The ethos fosters very good behaviour and pupils have very good attitudes to their work

9. The aims of the school lay the foundation for an ethos that provides a happy, stimulating and safe place for children to learn. The whole school team, that includes governors, is dedicated to the task of promoting attitudes and values that enable the school community to work and play in harmony.

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The ethos fosters very good behaviour and pupils have very good attitudes to their work

10. When children enter the reception classes they have short concentration spans and respond in a physical way to minor confrontations. The reception teachers work hard to establish positive attitudes to learning, establish good work routines and encourage children to share with and care for one another. By the time the children leave school at age eleven they are mature, responsible, independent learners who have the necessary skills to engage in personal study. Parents are very happy with the behaviour and attitudes of their children, with at least 95 per cent expressing their satisfaction.

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The ethos fosters very good behaviour and pupils have very good attitudes to their work

11. In over 80 per cent of lessons children’s attitudes to their work were very good and the rest were good. The very good relationships established between teachers and pupils were a key factor in pupils’ Cragside Primary School - 13 attitudes to the school and their work. There was respect for one another and pupils appreciated the efforts made by teachers to make the lessons interesting, responding with good intellectual effort. This made for a very productive working atmosphere. The work ethic is very well established and undoubtedly contributes to the high standards achieved.

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The ethos fosters very good behaviour and pupils have very good attitudes to their work

12. In classrooms, around the school and in the playground, the children’s behaviour is very good. Pupils say that bullying is not a problem because when any incident arises they know that teachers will help them overcome the difficulties. One pupil shared her experiences of how the headteacher has supported her and continues to check that all is well. Pupils understand that good behaviour is very necessary when outdoors as the playground is still a source of possible injury. Older pupils take the initiative to care for younger ones, giving particularly good support at lunchtimes. Further opportunities occur during paired reading sessions when Year 6 help younger ones with their reading

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governing body

13. The headteacher has a clear vision of what the school is about. She wants it to be one of the most successful but not just for academic results. Both she and the governing body are intent on producing pupils who will be good citizens of the future. They need to be well-rounded individuals who are capable of relating well to others, whatever their background, showing tolerance and understanding, whatever their values and beliefs, and showing concern for those less fortunate than themselves. With these qualities, she feels they will be able to contribute fully to their own community and hopefully beyond it.

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governing body

14. She has a positive view of the governors as ‘critical friends’ who are active, questioning and supportive. She recognises the importance of consultation with parents, whom she seeks as effective partners with the staff and governors in the education of their children. The headteacher’s monitoring probes how effectively subjects are taught and when a weakness has been identified, targets have been set for improvement. Much has been done to improve the results for eleven-year-olds in English, mathematics and science and there have been considerable improvements in the quality of teaching.

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governing body

15. She knows how to delegate effectively and although helping colleagues lets them get on with the tasks for which they are responsible. A good example of effective delegation is the considerable improvement in planning that has been led by the deputy. At the time of the last inspection, the use of schemes of work and lesson objectives was a key issue for further development. The deputy has used the expertise of the management team, local inspector and individual staff in the work that has followed, ensuring a whole-school approach to curriculum planning and recording that has eradicated the weaknesses and set up a monitoring system which has been agreed by all staff. All staff with management responsibilities work well together as a team. They know what is expected of them and their responsibilities are reviewed annually. The management team meets regularly and deals with long-term strategy. The

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governing body

headteacher tries to provides some time for them to carry out their responsibilities and expects high quality input in return. The deputy and co-ordinators use considerable initiative to bring new ideas to their work and these are shared with staff, which impacts on improvements to classroom practice.

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governing body

16. Governors contribute substantially to the effectiveness of the school. They have good levels of expertise and are very well organised and thorough in their approach. They are open to new ideas and are willing to adapt quickly. They grasp opportunities to bid for additional funds and constantly seek ways of using new initiatives to cut costs without losing quality. They have trust in the headteacher and expect accountability. They work very closely with her and appreciate the very effective induction she provides for new governors. They work hard to do their best for parents and try to respond quickly to suggestions or concerns. Most are able to make regular visits to the school and some are very Cragside Primary School - 14 industrious, supporting the school in a wide range of activities almost daily. Reports on what individual governors do in school are discussed at full meetings, thus keeping everyone fully informed about the

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Parents support the school very well and are satisfied with the education it provides

17. The school’s links with parents are very good. Parents are interested in the school and support their children very effectively. They successfully help in and around the school as well as raising substantial sums of money to support the school with learning resources and other projects. There is a thriving ‘Friends of the School’ group who raise between £8,000 to £10,000 each year. They understand that there is a need to identify priorities in educational developments and appreciate that there are often insufficient funds to do all the school would wish. Every parent receives information about the work undertaken by this group and how the funds are being utilised. They say that the fundraising is only as good as it is because parents are not kept at arm’s length, communication is usually good and they are very involved in the life of the school. Their support extends to the administration. Every day there are

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Parents support the school very well and are satisfied with the education it provides

some parents who offer voluntary support such as handling charity appeals or collecting vouchers for computers. This leaves the very efficient administrative staff free to carry out the essential work of running a school.

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Parents support the school very well and are satisfied with the education it provides

18. Most parents support their children with work at home and during lessons it was evident that a range of homework is given, depending on the age of the children. At the parents’ meeting, prior to the inspection, one parent had remarked on the variety of work his child was given and how the teachers involved had sent home tips on how to go about the research. Parental involvement does have a positive effect on the progress children make.

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Parents support the school very well and are satisfied with the education it provides

19. Not all parents are happy about all aspects of the school but they do have opportunities to be heard and know their concerns are acted on. For example, they were concerned about the National Curriculum tests results of two years ago but were pleased with the action taken to bring about an improvement. There were 95 per cent of parents who returned questionnaires that agreed they would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem.

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Better use needs to be made of new technology

20. Although standards in information technology are sound, the lack of some essential resources is hampering the progress that pupils can make in this subject and in others related to it. In a Year 6 geography lesson, pupils were unable to access the Internet to retrieve information and were frustrated that they had the computers to do this at home but not in school. In a Year 4 class progress was limited as pupils had to wait overlong for access to information technology support and the teacher had to rely on teaching skills to a small group. In a Year 1 class a very skilled teacher is unable to use her expertise as she would wish as too much hardware is outdated.

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Better use needs to be made of new technology

21. An information technology skills audit has been carried out that has identified a need for further training for staff as the majority do not feel confident in their ability to use computers to their full potential. New software needs assessing and decisions need to be taken about spending on priorities. However, much of the hardware is outdated and the school lacks the number of personal computers it needs to provide an appropriate ratio of computers to pupils. The overall national ratio of computers to pupils is 1:7.4. It has been estimated that at least eleven new computers are needed. Some teachers do not own a computer at home and the school lacks a laptop that would enable them to develop skills in their own Cragside Primary School - 15 time. The school is part of the initiative National Grid for Learning and has been offered some training very soon but if it is going to capitalise on that it must have the hardware and access to the Internet.

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Better use needs to be made of new technology

22. The school recognises that more needs to be done and a new development plan for this aspect is to begin at the end of March.

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The playground, that constitutes a health and safety hazard, needs a safe surface and the removal

of structures that formed a barrier when there were two schools.

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The playground, that constitutes a health and safety hazard, needs a safe surface and the removal

23. The headteacher, staff, governors and parents drew the attention of inspectors to the condition of the playground that has been a problem for several years. The surface of one section is so dangerous that it has had to be fenced off to prevent children using it. This not only reduces the space available for play, particularly in the winter months when the field is too muddy to play on, but the present fence is also a hazard. This fence was removed with a view to replacement but had to be re-erected when workmen failed to bring new fencing. The other part of the playground that is dangerous is what constituted a barrier when there was an infant and junior school prior to the amalgamation. There are raised kerbs, uneven concrete and pot holes. In addition, a flag pole has been removed and the hole left in the middle of the play space.

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The playground, that constitutes a health and safety hazard, needs a safe surface and the removal

24. The school has made very many attempts to get this situation remedied and while it remains there are seven adults supervising play. There has been no risk assessment on the playground and a statement exists that declares the fenced area a priority for attention which is dated 1996. Despite the school’s best efforts it has been unable to resolve this problem and it is now an urgent requirement.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) make better use of new technology so that pupils have better access to a greater range of facilities for research and personal study by: • extending training for teachers • providing sufficient hardware and software for pupil use;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(b) seek help to improve the following circumstances that threaten health and safety • the playground surface; • rough fencing; • the old boundary of raised kerbs, uneven concrete and potholes; • flag pole hole Cragside Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 402

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/A 34

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 40

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 40

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 34

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Cragside Primary School - 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 31 25 56

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 24 23 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 23 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 82 91 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 27 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 24 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 91 79 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 32 28 60

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 25 29 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 20 26

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 80 82 93 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 27 29 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 22 27

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 85 86 95 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75 Cragside Primary School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.4 Financial year 1998/99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 28.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total expenditure 600634

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1444

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 64 Balance brought forward from previous year 4154

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 18131 Cragside Primary School - 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 48 48 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 33 62 1 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 25 56 15 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 35 48 12 4 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 35 5 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 55 42 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 28 52 15 2 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 36 47 5 1 11

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 43 52 2 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 13 33 20 14 19

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Other issues raised by parents

Great concerns about the safety of the playground supported by evidence of accidents, some of which were serious.

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