Usworth Colliery Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly and happy school. Many pupils told the inspectors how much they love coming to the school. Pupils are adamant that bullying is rare.

Teachers deal swiftly with any misbehaviour. There is a buzz of excitement in lessons. This includes in the additionally resourced base.

Pupils' attitudes are good. They are well behaved and polite. Pupils spoke about how much they like their teachers.

They maintain that adults 'really, really listen' to them and try to make things better if they feel upset or sad. Pupils say that they feel safe.

Pupils benefit from the well-ordered and attractive school environment.

Displays in classrooms, s...hared areas and corridors are of high quality. They celebrate pupils' good work and show important information for learning. Reading is important in the school.

Libraries are well stocked and enjoyed by pupils. However, early readers are sometimes given books to read that do not contain enough of the sounds that they have been taught.

The school offers many and varied after-school clubs for all pupils.

Currently, the clubs span activities from dodgeball, performing arts and film clubs to reading, cookery and board games. These are valued and well liked. Most parents and carers are supportive of the school.

Many made very positive comments to the inspectors. 'Absolutely brilliant school… amazing teachers! Would recommend' is typical of many comments.

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

The school benefits from a skilled senior leadership team.

Its members are relentless in their efforts to ensure that the school improves constantly. All adults share the ambition to provide the best education for pupils. There is a strong sense of teamwork.

The governing body knows the school well. It holds leaders to account and is totally committed to the school. Leaders make every effort to support teachers.

Pupils are at the very heart of all the school does. Adults treat pupils equally. Pupils have every opportunity to flourish.

Since the last inspection, leaders have improved many parts of the curriculum. There has been a focus on reading and on writing. Stronger teaching is now in place in these areas.

In mathematics, reading and writing, pupils understand the important concepts. This is because teachers are clear about what pupils need to learn. Lessons build on what pupils already know.

Pupils now achieve well.

Leaders have made sure that learning is well planned and sequenced in subjects such as science and geography. In these subjects, important ideas and areas of learning are taught in the right order to make sure pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need.

Teachers make sure that pupils understand and use the key words. Knowledge of key vocabulary helps pupils to explain their thinking. Leaders are working to ensure that this is the case for all subjects.

The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year's curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transition arrangement has been applied in this case.

Phonics teaching is effective. However, leaders have a clear commitment to making pupils' early reading skills even better. Most children in Reception already know their letter sounds and can read some simple sounds to read harder words.

Teachers ensure that pupils learn, remember and blend sounds together. Pupils who fall behind are given extra support. Most reading books are well matched to pupils' reading skills.

This means that some pupils can read them with confidence on their own. However, not all pupils have reading books they can read by themselves. This slows their development.

Adults listen to pupils read often. There is no doubt that reading is a high priority for the school. Consequently, pupils are becoming fluent readers.

The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. All pupils with SEND have access to the good-quality curriculum. Their individual needs are catered for.

In the resource base, pupils' individual needs are met by dedicated and skilled staff. Adults make sure that activities and resources are matched to pupils' abilities. This promotes pupils' good development.

Pupils take on roles in school with enthusiasm. They have the chance to visit many places of interest linked to what they are learning. Pupils talk about respect and tolerance for each other.

They discuss and debate issues in class. Pupils have enjoyed the recent 'Sunderland Culture' project. This included a behind-the-scenes theatre visit to see 'War Horse'.

Pupils' behaviour in class, in the hall and at breaktimes is excellent. They are friendly, polite and well mannered. In lessons, pupils are bright, alert, enthusiastic and determined to succeed.

Very little off-task behaviour was seen. The number of exclusions in school has fallen sharply. There is little doubt that pupils' very positive attitudes to their learning help them to succeed.

Pupils' rate of attendance is rising.

Children in early years are independent and creative. They are eager to make friends, find out new things and stick at tasks without giving up.

Children work well together to solve problems. Children are friendly and welcoming. They are confident to approach adults if they need help.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained and know how to keep children safe. The regular updates for staff from leaders give them information about risks to watch out for.

All staff, including those with designated responsibility for safeguarding, know pupils and their families well. They are vigilant in their oversight of pupils' welfare and safety. The work of the family liaison officer is invaluable.

Where appropriate, staff communicate with outside agencies when raising concerns. Pupils have detailed knowledge about the dangers they may face online and how to avoid these.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have made sure that the curriculum is becoming more coherently planned and sequenced.

Some plans show that key ideas and concepts are carefully organised so that pupils' learning builds progressively. This is especially the case in science and geography. Further work must be completed to ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is equally strong.

. Some pupils struggle to remember the content they have been taught over time. These pupils are unable to explain how previous learning helps them with the new learning they are taught.

Leaders must make sure that all teaching is designed to help pupils remember important knowledge and skills, so that pupils can make sense of the new learning they are acquiring. . The school's approach to the teaching of phonics is becoming stronger as the expectations of teachers about what pupils can do each term rises.

Some younger pupils' reading books are matched closely to their phonics knowledge as they are learning to read. These pupils are becoming confident and fluent readers. Leaders must make sure that all early readers practise by reading books that contain the sounds they have been taught and know.

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