Shotley Bridge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders, including governors, managed the amalgamation of the infant and junior schools sensitively and decisively. A sense of 'oneness' permeates all aspects of school life.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. Senior leaders are adept at identifying aspects of teaching and learning that require further development. They provide bespoke training opportunities for staff.

Subject leaders are knowledgeable. They have correctly identified the strengths and areas for development in their subjects. The curriculum is broad and balanced.

It entices pupils and excites staff. Learning through fun, hard work and persev...erance is evident throughout the school. Current pupils, including the small numbers of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

The vast majority of teachers use assessment information well to plan work for their pupils. Leaders have identified the need for teachers' expectations to be higher and for work to be even more challenging, including in the early years. Parents and carers are appreciative of the actions teachers take to ensure that children settle into the Reception class rapidly.

Children make good progress in the early years. Parental support for the school is strong. Parents ensure that homework is completed and many read with their children every day.

A very high proportion of pupils achieve the expected standard for their age in the Year 1 phonics screening check. All pupils reach the standard by the end of Year 2. They are equipped well to read the more challenging texts in key stage 2.

As the school has grown, its administrative systems and procedures have become unwieldly. They require streamlining. Pupils' attendance is above average because : they enjoy learning.

They are polite, respectful, inquisitive and want to succeed. Pupils are superb ambassadors for the school. They carry out roles of responsibility most conscientiously in the safe and secure school environment.

Governance is improving. However, governors find it difficult to fulfil their challenge role strongly because there are few measurable targets in the school's improvement plans by which to evaluate progress.

Information about this school

Shotley Bridge Infant School (URN 114037) amalgamated with Shotley Bridge Junior School (URN 114038) on 1 September 2015.

At the time of the amalgamation, the infant school was judged to be outstanding, and the junior school required improvement. Shotley Bridge Primary School retains the infant school's URN. Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 attend school on the Benfieldside Road site.

Pupils in key stage 2 attend school on the Snows Green Road site. The two sites are half a mile apart. The school does not meet requirements for the publication of information about key stage 2 results and the pupil premium grant on its website.

The school met the government's floor standards in 2017. These are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.

The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well below average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those eligible for support through the pupil premium funding, is half the national average. The vast majority of pupils speak English as their first language.