Hebburn Lakes Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Since the school opened, it has quickly become a harmonious, caring and well respected community for all pupils. From their starting points in the Nursery class, which for many children are well below the levels of skills, knowledge and understanding that could be expected for their age, pupils in each key stage make good progress. By the end of Year 6, attainment that is just below average in English and mathematics but is rising.

Teaching is good and many lessons are outstanding. Teachers plan work thoroughly, have high expectations of their pupils and explain work clearly Pupils' behaviour is very good in lessons and in the playground.... Their attitudes to learning are excellent.

The school's work to keep pupils safe is outstanding. Pupils show high levels of respect to adults and to each other and say that they feel very safe in school. The behavioural units provide high quality education and care for pupils.

Most of those who attend are successfully re-integrated into school. The successful leadership team is clear what they need to do to improve the school further. In the short time since the school opened, they have already made improvements to teaching and as a result, standards are rising.

These improvement show that the school is well placed to improve still further. Governors are fully supportive of the school; they know it very well and the next steps it has to take to improve. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The standards reached by some pupils, especially the most able, are not yet high enough in English and mathematics across the school.

Leaders do not always ensure that targets set for pupils' progress are challenging enough, check the progress of individuals and groups of pupils closely or form an accurate view of progress made in lessons when observing lessons.

Information about this school

This newly-built school opened in September 2012 following the amalgamation of two local primary schools and is much larger than the average-sized primary school. Most pupils are of White British heritage.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils whose parents serve in the armed forces, is high. About two-thirds of pupils are known to be eligible. The proportion of pupils supported at school action and those supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.

The school meets the government's current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics. The school provides a daily breakfast club for pupils. The school has two small units to cater for up to 12 pupils from across the local authority who have been identified as having behavioural, social or emotional difficulties.