Emmaville Primary School

Inspection Report Emmaville Primary School

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108339 Unique Reference Number Gateshead Local Authority 288070 Inspection number 18 °19 October 2006 Inspection dates Derek Neil HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Main Street School address Primary Type of school Crawcrook, Ryton Community School category Tyne and Wear, NE40 4ND 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0191 4132460 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils Fax number 231 Number on roll (school) Mr Bill Purvis Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Avril Armstrong Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288070 18 °19 October 2006 3°11 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 one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Emmaville Primary School is situated in the Crawcrook and Greenside ward of Gateshead. The attainment of children when they start school in the Nursery and in Reception is about average and the number eligible for free school meals is average. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. Almost all pupils use English as their first language. A new headteacher took up post in September 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding features, which gives good value for money. It provides a happy and caring environment and prepares its pupils well for the next stage of their education. The overwhelming majority of parents appreciate the school’s many strengths, particularly the very high level of care and support the staff provide. As one wrote, expressing the views of many others, ‘the staff are enthusiastic and encouraging, which makes this an excellent place for children.’ Children’s achievement in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Their literacy skills are less well developed than their ability in other areas of learning, because there has been too little emphasis on this aspect of the curriculum. Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils achieve well and attain high standards because of good teaching and an innovative, well planned curriculum. Teachers plan challenging and exciting lessons,

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Grade: 2

in which pupils make good progress. Work is pitched at the right level for each pupil, except in English, where sometimes the low attainers find it difficult to grasp some of the concepts they are being taught. Pupils also thrive because of the guidance they receive from staff and the opportunities they get to help them mature into responsible citizens. They have a good awareness of environmental issues, for example, and their knowledge of how to stay healthy is outstanding. Although teachers know their pupils well and give them suitable targets for development, the school does not systematically track the progress of each pupil so that it can identify and tackle underachievement. The high standards and the good teaching are the result of effective leadership and management. The new headteacher has quickly settled into the post and has a detailed and accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. She has drafted a realistic

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Grade: 2

and relevant plan to improve this successful school even further. She is supported by a capable staff, who have responsibilities for coordinating various aspects of the school’s work. These are not all carried out as effectively as they should be. This is because the roles of the Foundation Stage coordinator and of the subject coordinators are not sufficiently clear, nor have their leadership skills been well developed. Nonetheless, this is a committed and hard-working staff who have a shared understanding of what the school needs to do next, so the capacity for improvement is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the planning in the Foundation Stage so pupils begin Key Stage 1 with higher standards of literacy. • Introduce a system for tracking pupils’ progress throughout the school. • Develop the roles of the Foundation Stage coordinator and of subject coordinators. 2 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ achievement in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. The youngest pupils make less progress with their literacy than in other areas of learning because there are too few opportunities for them to develop their skills in writing. Consequently, when they start in Key Stage 1 their attainment is average. They make good progress in Key Stage 1 and by the time they are seven the proportion attaining the expected standard is above average, although few pupils reach higher levels, particularly in writing. In Key Stage 2, pupils continue to make good progress and by the time they are eleven the proportion reaching the expected standard is above average. The number who attain higher levels is regularly greater than the national average. These high standards, which have been rising every year, are due to good teaching and the well planned curriculum. The school recognises the need to improve standards still further in English,

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Grade: 2

which, though above average, are less high than in mathematics and science. Pupils produce a variety of different types of writing, but many do not spell or punctuate accurately when they are writing at length. Although they write neatly, they do not use a pen until their final year in school. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress, although lower attaining pupils sometimes struggle to understand some concepts in English lessons.

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Grade: 2

Pupils behave well and show consideration for each other in lessons and in the playground. They love school because their lessons are interesting and they enjoy, in their own words, ‘finding out new things.’ They develop good levels of independence from an early age because teachers trust them to do things for themselves and expect them to act responsibly. Pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average and they arrive at school in good time. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Their knowledge and understanding of their own culture is good, but their understanding of other cultures is less secure. They know how to stay safe and who to ask for help and advice. Their awareness of healthy living is excellent; they eat healthily and take plenty of exercise, for example, in the many out-of-school sports clubs. The school council is highly effective in responding to pupils’ concerns and requests for improvements. It was

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Grade: 2

instrumental, for instance, in introducing a recycling scheme into the school. Through exciting enterprise activities, pupils learn important life skills such as how to work in a team. Year 6 pupils, for example, learn through an imaginative project how to manage budgets and raise funds, which they donate to the school for future improvements. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are well equipped for the next stage in their education. 3 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good throughout the school. Lessons are well planned and this contributes to the smooth running of each class. No time is wasted; the work is challenging and the pace is brisk. Pupils concentrate in lessons and try hard to do well. When working independently, they show maturity and confidence; for example, pupils in one class planned and produced a collage with little supervision from the teacher. Relationships are very good; the enthusiastic teachers use praise and encouragement very effectively to spur pupils on and help them make progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are ably supported by teaching assistants, who are well briefed by the class teacher. The staff’s high level of confidence in teaching mathematics means they can introduce a topic to the whole class and then set related work that is well matched to groups with different abilities. In English, however, they sometimes expect too much

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Grade: 2

of lower attaining pupils. Teachers know their pupils well and give them clear and helpful advice on how to improve their work. The school does not systematically track the progress pupils make towards their targets, so is not able easily to identify individuals or groups who might be underachieving.

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Grade: 2

Teachers plan very well to help pupils make progress in English and mathematics. Planning for other subjects is excellent. Pupils greatly enjoy lessons in which they work through a variety of activities united around a common theme. This imaginative approach makes very effective links between subjects, consolidates basic skills and leads to high quality work from pupils of all abilities. Personal, social and health education makes a strong contribution to pupils’ well-being and knowledge of the world. Planning for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities takes good account of their individual needs. Pupils of all ages have many opportunities to enhance their learning through regular visits to places of interest. A good range of lunchtime and after-school clubs gives them the opportunity to develop new interests and talents, such as cooking. These are very popular and are well attended throughout the year.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are very well cared for. Rigorous procedures, including risk assessments, child protection procedures and health and safety checks, ensure that the children are free from harm, in an organised and well supervised environment. Good relationships throughout the school create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that adds to pupils’ sense of security and well-being. For example, pupils are confident that teachers will resolve the rare instances of bullying or threatening behaviour that occur. Parents of 4 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006 the youngest children are pleased with how they and their children are supported at the start of the year and recognise how well this has helped them settle into school. Support and guidance for pupils’ personal development are good. The staff know the children well and closely monitor their behaviour and attitudes to ensure that high

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Grade: 2

standards are maintained and support is provided when it is needed. Support and guidance for pupils’ academic progress are also good; staff are determined to help pupils of all abilities to meet challenging targets.

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Grade: 2

The new headteacher provides good leadership in what was already a successful school. Staff, parents and pupils appreciate the way she listens to their views and concerns. In a short time, she has developed a clear and well informed view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and has used this as a basis for a realistic improvement plan. Although the plan is still in draft form, staff fully understand the direction the school needs to take. Senior managers conduct a thorough analysis of pupils’ work, including their performance in national tests. They use this to identify areas in English and mathematics, which could be better. The roles and responsibilities of subject coordinators and of the Foundation Stage coordinator are not sufficiently clear and some staff have not developed the leadership skills to make them fully effective in these areas. For example, subject coordinators prepare detailed action plans, but these

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Grade: 2

are not based on a rigorous evaluation of their subject. The school has made good progress in many respects since the last inspection; for example, it now teaches joined handwriting in Key Stage 1. It has not completely eliminated the difference in standards between English and other subjects, largely because of the lack of staff development in recent years and a shortage of structured opportunities to improve pupils’ writing in the Foundation Stage. It has, however, begun to tackle these issues and its actions are beginning to have an impact on the progress pupils make in lessons. Governors provide good support and statutory requirements are met. The school is very well resourced, particularly in information and communication technology, and its very good facilities are used well. It provides good value for money. Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 September 2006Inspection Report:Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 20066Document reference number: HMI 2507 01

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Grade: 2

procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 5 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The Pupils Emmaville Primary School Main Street Crawcrook Ryton Tyne and Wear NE40 4ND 18 October 2006 Dear Pupils Thank you for welcoming us so warmly into your school. We enjoyed watching you in lessons and at play; talking about your school with you and your teachers; and looking at your work. Now we want to share with you what we thought. Here are some of the many things we liked. • You told us you like coming to school and feel safe there. • We saw that you were clearly enjoying your lessons. You obviously like the ‘rotation activities’ very much, and because of this you produce some really good work. • Your behaviour is good. You listen carefully to the teacher in class and you walk around the school in a sensible way, showing consideration and respect for others. You should be proud of this. • Your teachers and other staff take good care of you while you are at school. • You are rightly very proud of your school council. It gives you a valuable opportunity to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

make the school a better place. • You all know how important it is to eat healthily and take plenty of exercise. • You try hard in lessons, even when the work is very difficult, and because of this you are making good progress. We think you and your teachers could make the school even better and this is what we would like to happen now. • Although your work in English is very good, we think it would be even better in future if the very youngest children got more practice at writing. • Your headteacher is working very hard to make this such a good school and we have asked her to show other people how they can help her. • We have asked your teachers to set up a system that will show them clearly that all of you are doing as well as you can with your school work. We hope you continue to enjoy the many good things about your school. Yours sincerely Derek Neil Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools 9 Inspection Report: Emmaville Primary School, 18 °19 October 2006

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