Beamish Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders know their pupils well. They work closely with staff in planning teaching and additional support, so pupils succeed academically and in their personal development, often from low starting points. Leaders promote an inclusive ethos and robustly address barriers to learning through extensive support for children and their families.

Leaders work closely with families to support learning and build constructive relationships, contributing to the increasing numbers of pupils joining the school. Effective planning and targeted support encourage high levels of pupil engagement. These are leading to good rates of progress for the majority of pupils... and rising levels of attainment, although the most able pupils are, at times, not challenged rigorously enough.

The school works effectively within its federation to review standards, build leadership capacity and strengthen curriculum provision and planning. Wider partnerships with the local authority and external partners help to moderate standards and enhance safeguarding. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress in mathematics and writing but less progress in reading.

They receive good individual support, although leaders do not always review the overall effectiveness of provision. The arrangements for safeguarding pupils are effective. Leaders and dedicated support workers are tenacious in the actions they take to promote pupils' welfare and well-being.

Leaders promote a culture of respect and courtesy through high expectations, clear routines and the cultivation of positive relationships between pupils and adults. Governors are committed to the progress and well-being of pupils at the school. They are active in supporting leaders but also in questioning them on key aspects of pupils' progress and the effective use of funding.

In the most recent key stage 2 national tests, pupils made better progress in mathematics and writing than they did in reading. However, progress in reading is improving at key stage 1 and for current key stage 2 pupils. Effective teaching in the early years enables children to make good progress and prepares them well for learning in Year 1.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. This school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual time is well above average.

The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well above average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above average.

Almost all pupils are White British. The school's 2015 results met the government's floor standards for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 6. The school is in a hard federation with Pelton Community Primary School.