Redesdale Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Redesdale Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show care and respect for each other and their teachers. Teachers expect pupils to do their very best.

Pupils trust their teachers and try hard to succeed. Pupils show good attitudes, behaviour, commitment and sportsmanship – their 'ABCs' which seem to be always on the tip of their tongues. Leaders award certificates each week for pupils who display the current 'PROUD' rule.

For example, pupils learn about being open and honest.

Pupils behave very well in lessons and when playing outside. Staff deal with small issues that pupils have so that they do not develop in...to bigger problems, like bullying.

Older pupils become 'buddies' to younger pupils, helping with simple tasks at breaktimes. 'Sports leaders' organise and run games and activities each Friday for younger pupils. Older pupils' patience, kindness and good communication skills inspire the younger pupils.

School councillors come up with ideas to improve the school.

Pupils know the importance of good mental health. Staff teach pupils not to bottle up their emotions but instead, how to manage them.

Pupils say that they are safe in school because teachers look after them. Pupils learn about staying safe online especially when gaming. They know that they should not communicate with someone they do not know.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The senior leaders lead by example. They are continually looking for ways to improve pupils' learning and experiences. Governors give leaders appropriate support and challenge.

Governors are not reliant on only the detailed information from the headteacher. Their regular visits to school provide first-hand updates about all aspects of school. Staff exude commitment and hard work for the benefit of pupils.

They speak of being valued and appreciated by colleagues and leaders. There is a strong sense of teamwork.

Leaders have put into place a broad and exciting curriculum.

Leaders have mapped out this curriculum, so it is clear for teachers to understand. Most subjects have key ideas that link learning. Pupils build new knowledge on what they already know.

Lessons build up what they know progressively in each short unit of work. In most subjects, the essential knowledge that pupils need to remember is clear. However, this is not sufficiently well planned in all subjects.

Teachers are skilled in recapping what pupils have been taught previously to ensure that it is remembered over time. Teachers make regular checks on pupils' knowledge and understanding. Teachers make changes to future lessons accordingly and design extra activities to plug any gaps in knowledge.

This includes in phonics to make sure pupils keep up with their peers. In some subjects, teachers are less able to make accurate checks on what pupils have learned and remembered. This is because the essential learning for some units of work has not been clearly identified.

Children in the early years make a positive early start in their reading. Children in Reception quickly learn letter sounds and can blend them together. Phonics lessons are taught consistently and follow the same routine in each class.

Leaders have provided extra phonics training for all adults in school. Leaders have made online tutorials and refreshers available to staff. Leaders have bought new books that match closely to pupils' reading ability.

Pupils' confidence and self-belief as readers builds over time. Older pupils strive to win 'reading rocks' certificates for the amount of books that they read.

Pupils enjoy lessons.

Pupils want to succeed, so they try their best. Pupils' behaviour is good and attitudes are positive. All pupils access the same curriculum in this inclusive school.

Any pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive extra help, so they do not miss out on any part of their learning. Teachers introduce more challenging vocabulary before each unit of work. They change or adapt work to enable all pupils to access or record their work successfully.

Teachers make innovative use of technology to support pupils with SEND, such as computers to change speech to written text.

Pupils develop understanding of other people and talk about respect and tolerance. Attendance at the various after-school clubs is high.

Pupils take part in cookery, judo, gymnastics and papercraft sessions. Educational visits out of school have resumed. Pupils visit places of worship, local museums and areas of natural beauty.

Pupils celebrate national days or weeks such as anti-bullying week, odd-socks day or Black History month. Visitors to school, such as from the community police officer or the Royal Navy, help to widen pupils' understanding of national events, issues and concerns.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Governors rightly describe safeguarding in school as being of paramount importance. Leaders arrange, or deliver, regular training for staff on safeguarding. Adults learn how to recognise the smallest sign of a bigger concern or worry.

All staff know how to record and report any issue. Leaders secure the help that pupils and families need without delay.

Leaders and office staff keep detailed records and vetting checks for new staff.

The link safeguarding governor checks on systems and records. Teachers use a password system to ensure younger pupils are collected by a known adult.

Pupils are taught about staying safe in and out of school.

Pupils learn about safe relationships and consent in an age-appropriate way. Teachers deliver lessons and assemblies about being safe online. Pupils know about road and bike safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the key ideas that link substantive knowledge together lack clarity. Leaders have not identified some of the essential knowledge that pupils need to know and how pupils should demonstrate this at the end of each unit of work. Teachers are unclear on what pupils should remember.

Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders need to more precisely define the knowledge that pupils need to retain in each curriculum subject and ensure that teachers are using this to teach and assess.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013.

Also at this postcode