St Helen Auckland Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The acting headteacher is very effective. She leads the school with clear moral purpose.

She has high expectations of herself, staff and pupils. Middle leadership is strong. Working with senior leaders and governors, middle leaders are driving up pupils' standards and levels of staff expertise at the school.

Safeguarding is effective. Staff receive appropriate, up-to-date training that ensures that they have the skills to keep pupils safe. Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities receive effective additional support.

They achieve well from their different starting points. Childre...n do well in the early years provision. This is because it is well led, and staff have high expectations.

Links with parents are strong. Reading is a strength of the school. Most teaching is effective.

Pupils enjoy learning in interesting and attractive classrooms where skilled, kind and knowledgeable staff care for and challenge them well. The quality of teaching in key stage 1 is variable and expectations are not always high enough. This is slowing some pupils' progress.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They learn how to manage potential risks to their safety and well-being. The curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that pupils have the knowledge and skills they need to enjoy life and make good and sustained progress.

It is underpinned by a wide and varied range of extra-curricular activities. Governors challenge leaders effectively. They know the strengths and areas for further improvement of the school.

The school is well supported by the local authority. Pupils are well behaved. Relationships among pupils and between adults and pupils are open, kindly and respectful.

Most parents speak very positively about the school. They are pleased with the education and care provided by the staff. The school's work to develop pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is strong.

Staff provide pupils with many opportunities to explore these aspects of their lives through many extra-curricular and other activities. Phonics screening check scores have been variable over time.

Information about this school

St Helen Auckland Primary School is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.

The acting headteacher has been in post since May 2018. Most pupils are White British. .

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is significantly above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above average. The school offers a breakfast club and a range of other sessions before school.

The school also offers a range of clubs and activities after school. The school has a nursery provision that offers both morning and afternoon sessions. It also has provision for two-year-olds.