Stanhope Primary School

Inspection Report Stanhope Primary School

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108676 Unique Reference Number South Tyneside LEA 278020 Inspection number 7 November 2005 to 8 November 2005 Inspection dates Mr Eric Jackson Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Gresford Street School address Primary Type of school South Shields Community School category Tyne and Wear, NE33 4SZ 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0191 4201710 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0191 4202510 Fax number 211 Number on roll Jane Deacon Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr John Vasey Headteacher 1 December 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278020 7 November 2005 - 3 to 11 8 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Stanhope is an average sized primary school with a nursery class. The number on roll has fallen by 35 per cent in recent years. There are significantly more boys than girls. Twelve per cent of their current role is from minority ethnic groups, mainly of Asian British heritage. The two-storey school building has been deemed ‘unfit for purpose’ by the local education authority. However, a recent national bid to provide a new school was unsuccessful.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Stanhope Primary School, 7 November 2005 to 8 November 2005

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Grade: 3

Stanhope is a satisfactory school. It has some strengths, but also important weaknesses. Some aspects of the school’s work are not as effective as in its last inspection report, nor as judged in the school’s self-evaluation. Until recently, weaknesses have not been dealt with adequately. However, with new senior managers in place, the school now has the capacity to improve rapidly. Children’s achievement in nursery and reception is good, as it is in Years 1 and 2. At the end of Year 2 in 2005, standards were well above those in similar schools. They were also above those in similar schools by the end of Year 6. However, compared with national averages, standards at the age of 11 were below average in English mathematics and science. Children’s personal development is good, as are their behaviour and attitudes. They enjoy school and make satisfactory progress, although those in Year 6 have not made enough progress in the past, particularly in writing. Teaching and learning are

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Grade: 3

satisfactory, but do not provide pupils with an understanding of what they need to do to improve. The curriculum too is satisfactory but it is narrow and neglects information and communication technology (ICT) in particular.

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What the school should do to improve further

• By the end of Year 6, raise standards in English, mathematics and science and ensure that pupils understand what they must do to improve. • Improve and enrich the curriculum so as to raise standards in all subjects, particularly ICT. • Monitor and evaluate the school’s performance more effectively and take prompt action to make the required improvements.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory overall but standards are below the national average at the end of Year 6. Children joining the nursery have a wide range of attainment. However, many have below average skills, particularly in social and language development. They make good progress in nursery and reception, and many achieved the levels expected levels by age five last year. In 2005, results at the end of Key Stage 1 were close to the national average and well above those in similar schools in reading, writing and mathematics. However, achievement in other subjects is often not as good. For example, pupils’ skills in ICT and art were below the levels expected for their age. Standards in Year 6 national tests in English, mathematics and science in 2005 were well below the national average and the school’s targets, although above those in similar schools. 2 Inspection Report: Stanhope Primary School, 7 November 2005 to 8 November 2005

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Grade: 3

Currently, children in Years 3 to 6 make satisfactory progress and good progress in some lessons. However, the current year 6 children did not make the progress they should have done in Years 3 to 5. They are now making rapid progress. Provision for children with special educational needs and those from minority ethnic backgrounds is good, and many of them make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. Both the children and their parents say that support for pupils is strong and children enjoy their time at the school. Staff have good relationships with the pupils and raise their self-confidence through praise. The school uses a very good behaviour improvement programme effectively and children behave well. They say they feel safe and that bullying is swiftly dealt with by the staff. The new ‘Buddy’ system, with older children trained to help others, is much appreciated by the younger ones. The reward system to promote better attendance has been effective. Attendance has improved well to just below the national average. Staff encourage safe practices well and healthy living satisfactorily. However, too little time is given to physical activity. Children contribute well to the school community, and through charitable collections to the wider community. Economic well-being is

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Grade: 2

promoted in a satisfactory way. Moral and social development are promoted well. Children work and play well together, especially in the nursery, and learn right from wrong by writing and then following their own class rules. Spiritual and cultural development are satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. They were good in lessons seen in the nursery, Year 2, Year 3, and Year 4, and outstanding in a Year 6 literacy lesson. However, until this term, the teaching that the Year 6 pupils received after Year 2 has not built adequately on the levels the pupils achieved by Year 2. Their learning in the past has been unsatisfactory. Now their teaching is much better and they are making rapid progress. Year 3 children say that the new deputy headteacher makes learning fun, but makes them work hard! Staff use the ample space available effectively in work with small groups. This helps the pupils focus on their work. Staff have taken well to using new interactive whiteboards and laptop computers, but children do not have sufficient opportunity to develop their ICT skills. Some support staff teach art and design, and the planning of these activities is very good. 3 Inspection Report: Stanhope Primary School, 7 November 2005 to 8 November 2005

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Grade: 3

Targets are set for English and mathematics but sometimes pupils are not challenged enough. One older pupil said that his work was often easy as staff gave him the same work as children who were not as advanced as him. Provision for children with special educational needs is good, and many of them learn well. Teachers’ assessment of children’s learning is satisfactory, but they do not yet involve the children sufficiently in checking their learning so that they know what they must do to improve.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and meets statutory requirements. It emphasises literacy and numeracy in order to raise standards. This lessens the time available for other subjects, so that, for example, the time for physical activity does not meet the recommended two hours per week and the coverage of ICT is weak. Teachers in Years 3 and 4 have begun to adapt their planning to national guidance to provide excellence through enjoyment, and support staff have been trained to deliver well-planned art and design sessions. In the nursery, staff plan successfully to cover the six areas of learning, providing good variety and choice for the children. The reception day is more formal, covering the six areas but also linked to national literacy and numeracy strategies. Curricular enrichment is satisfactory overall but there are many learning resources that are outdated but still in use and other, better ones that are not used, in science, for

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Grade: 3

Children are well cared for and feel safe in school. There are effective procedures for risk assessment, and to deal with accidents and emergencies. Guidance and support for personal development is good. Children say that there is always someone to turn to if they have a problem. Child protection procedures are secure. Guidance and support for learners in their class work is satisfactory. Their work is checked by the staff but pupils are not given clear enough of an idea about what they must do to improve

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. This is not as strong as at the last inspection, nor as the school judges itself. However, after a period of relative decline, with new staff, leadership and management are improving and the school is well-placed to improve rapidly. The headteacher is a well-respected leader, and has managed recent staffing difficulties and national requirements successfully. He has put in place a strong senior management 4 Inspection Report: Stanhope Primary School, 7 November 2005 to 8 November 2005 team. Their plans to raise children’s achievement in English and ICT and implement better assessment systems are well-focused, and have already begun to have effect. The head is determined to take a fresh approach to school improvement and performance management, prompted by a recent school audit and the school’s effective involvement in the Primary Leadership and Behaviour Improvement Programmes. This

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Grade: 3

is timely, as he has not held individual staff sufficiently to account for children’s unsatisfactory progress in the past. The unsatisfactory school building is managed as well as possible but both parents and children are concerned about it and access to it is poor. School self-evaluation is satisfactory, but not incisive enough in determining strengths and weaknesses, and too complacent about outcomes for the children. In measuring value for money, the school is satisfactory. However, whilst governors are very supportive, they do not probe deeply enough when assessing the spending per child against overall outcomes. 5 Inspection Report: Stanhope Primary School, 7 November 2005 to 8 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Stanhope Primary School, 7 November 2005 to 8 November 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 4 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 4 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk Stanhope Primary School Gresford Street South Shields Tyne and Wear NE33 4SZ 9th November 2005 Dear Children Thank you for welcoming us when we visited your school this week. As you know, we came to check how well the school looks after you and helps you with your learning. You told us that you really enjoy your school, and that you feel safe and well cared for. Your parents or carers agree with you. They told us how much they know you enjoy it, and how much they like it, too. We agree with all of you. We could tell that you enjoyed singing, playing and working. Some of you said that the staff were very caring, and looked after you well, and we agree. You certainly have good meals! It is a great credit to you, your school and your parents that you behave so well, and have such good attitudes to your work. We know that all of you want to do your best, so we are asking

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you to help the staff to help you even more. Some of you told us that your work is often easy, and that the ICT equipment is not good enough. We agree with you. That is why we have asked the staff to help you read, write, do maths and science, and all the other things you learn, including using ICT, better than you do now. We have also asked them to make sure that you know what you need to do for yourself to improve. You can help here by working hard, thinking about how you can get better, and trying your best. We have also asked Mr Vasey to check that you are reaching the highest levels you can in whatever you do, whether it’s writing, maths, computer games, drawing, singing, reading maps, acting a part, making puppets, or even hopping on one leg and then the other in PE! If you find Mr Vasey looking over your shoulder, you will know why. We hope that you keep on enjoying your school, and are not too disappointed about not getting

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

a new one. At least you have plenty of room! With best wishes for your future, yours sincerely Eric Jackson, Lead Inspector. Annex B

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