St Bede’s Catholic Primary School, Jarrow

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school As a result of effective teaching and clear classroom routines, pupils are highly engaged in their learning and show consistently positive attitudes to learning.

Pupils make good progress from their starting points. In 2017, pupils made significantly better progress than other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics and achieved standards of attainment above those seen nationally. Disadvantaged pupils make very good progress from their starting points, often exceeding other pupils nationally.

Differences in attainment significantly narrowed in 2017, with disadvantaged pupils outperforming their peers at key stage 1. Leaders ...and teachers cater well for the needs of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities and review their progress regularly with parents. Pupils achieve well.

Leaders and teachers show a good understanding of pupils' welfare and take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. Leaders and governors promote an inclusive ethos and a culture of tolerance where every child is valued. Pupils behave with consistent respect and courtesy.

Provision in the early years has shown consistent improvement over a three-year period. Leaders and teachers help children to make good progress through effective planning, teaching and regular monitoring. The new chair and vice-chair of the governing body have refined committees to strengthen accountability.

The skills and expertise of new governors in holding the school to account are still developing. Leaders have provided a curriculum with breadth and balance, but pupils do not develop subject-specific skills in sufficient depth in subjects such as science, history and geography. Although leaders' actions have supported school improvement in recent years, systems to check teaching and progress are not sufficiently rigorous or regular.

Sometimes pupils, particularly the most able, are given work that lacks challenge. Attendance is improving but the attendance of disadvantaged pupils requires further improvement.

Information about this school

The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about governance, the curriculum and the review of the use of the pupil premium, as these documents are not up to date.

Three new teachers joined the school in September 2017. They included a new deputy headteacher and two teachers with subject responsibilities for mathematics and English. The school provides part-time nursery provision for three- and four-year-old children.

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well above average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above average.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional is below average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 6. The school runs a breakfast club and runs after-school care for pupils.