North Fawdon Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The school's motto of 'learn together, aim high and succeed' has quickly become a reality in this rapidly improving school.

The relentless focus of the headteacher on improving the quality of teaching has been pivotal in raising the expectations of staff and pupils. Teachers know their pupils well. They use accurate assessment information to plan lessons that build on what pupils already know and move their learning forward.

Most pupils make good progress from their starting points so that they quickly make up for the lost ground of previous years. Children in the early years make a strong start to their learning because teaching priorit...ises the development of their personal, social and communication skills. Pupils' positive attitudes to learning and their good behaviour make a strong contribution to their learning and enjoyment of school.

A caring and nurturing atmosphere contributes effectively to pupils' safety and their strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance has improved so that it is now broadly average. The number of pupils who are persistently absent has reduced significantly.

Pupils work and play alongside their friends harmoniously. They show respect and tolerance for those of other faiths, cultures and communities. Pupils' interests are enriched by a wide range of clubs and activities that develop their sporting, musical and artistic talents.

Governance is skilled, knowledgeable and dedicated to making the school the best it can possibly be. Governors frequently make their own checks on the school's performance through regular visits to classrooms to see teachers and pupils at work. Parents are highly supportive of the school.

They appreciate the advice and guidance they receive to help their children and families to succeed. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Pupils' progress is not as strong in Key Stage 1 as it is in the rest of the school. The most able pupils are not always given work that challenges them to reach their full potential.

Pupils are not always sure what they have to learn next to reach a higher level of achievement. They do not always understand how to respond to their teachers' marking to enable faster progress.

Information about this school

North Fawdon is smaller than the average-sized primary school.

A special resource unit known as the ARC forms part of the school. It caters for a small number of pupils from across the local authority who have complex needs, some of which are related to social, emotional and behavioural issues. It is managed by the governing body of the school.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils (those eligible for support through the pupil premium) is well-above average at over double the national figure. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above average.

The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage though an above-average proportion of pupils are from other heritage groups. The proportion of pupils who are new to English, or speak English as an additional language, is higher than found nationally. The number of pupils who transfer in and out of the school during the school year is well-above the national figure.

When the school was previously inspected in December 2013, it was judged to require special measures because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education. One of Her Majesty's Inspectors subsequently visited the school on two occasions to monitor its progress. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress at the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics.

The school has been part of the Newcastle North West Learning Trust, a collaborative partnership of local schools, for just over one year. Three new teachers joined the school at the beginning of the academic year. All other teachers followed their classes into the next year group to teach them for an additional year.

A number of new governors have also been appointed since the time of the last inspection. The early years operates as one classroom for both nursery and reception children. Nursery children attend on a part-time basis in the mornings only.