West Boldon Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

West Boldon Primary is a very caring school.

Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy attending. There is a welcoming breakfast club that provides healthy food at the start of the day. Pupils who attend enjoy reading to one another.

Lots of pupils now get extra help before lessons start. This is helping them to catch up quickly.

The school is calm and orderly.

Pupils feel safe and trust the adults to look after them. Pupils behave well. If they occasionally misbehave, they have a chance to 'stop and think'.

This approach is helping pupils to manage their own behaviour. Bullying rarely happens. Pupils say the staff are quick to address it.<...br/>
The pupils know they can raise a concern by using the worry box in their classroom. There is a relaxed and friendly atmosphere at social times. Pupils enjoy drawing or reading with their friends.

There is a strong sense of community. There are team-building activities each week and carefully planned days to celebrate diversity. For example, the school holds a Black History Month and children learn about different sexual orientations.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully integrated into the life of the school.

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

Leaders worked hard to provide education for all pupils across the COVID-19 pandemic. Last term, leaders planned carefully to help pupils catch up lost ground.

However, leaders know there is more to do. They have extended the school day this year. Many pupils are getting extra teaching or tutoring in reading and mathematics at the start of the day, to get them fully back on track.

Leaders have also reviewed the wider curriculum. They have trained their staff to deliver new, more ambitious topics. Teachers started to deliver these plans this September.

Leaders have made sure the full national curriculum is covered within subjects such as history, art, computing and religious education (RE). Teachers have sequenced subject knowledge carefully. Learning in these subjects starts in the Reception.

Well-designed assessments are being used to check that pupils are remembering what they are taught.

Leaders give the teaching of reading a high priority. Phonics are taught across the Reception Year and key stage 1.

The school's phonics programme is well established. Teachers receive regular support and training to teach phonics effectively. Consequently, teachers are developing real expertise.

Pupils work through books that are well matched to the sounds they know. Most pupils learn to read fluently by the end of key stage 1. There is plenty of extra help for pupils who need it.

Story time is a regular feature at the end of each day. Leaders have selected stimulating books for pupils to study and read together.

School leaders and governors want to be as inclusive as possible.

They are determined to provide the best possible education, irrespective of any barriers a pupil may face. They have a clear strategy to achieve this. Pupils with education, health and care plans receive one-to-one support from skilled adults.

These adults adapt learning resources and guide pupils well. Teachers and other adults are patient and caring. Over time, pupils who once struggled to control their behaviour learn to do so.

Behaviour in the school is good. Lessons are calm and orderly. There is a purposeful approach to learning.

Pupils understand the school's behaviour management system. They appreciate being able to make a fresh start if they have a bad day. Teachers are good at showing pupils what they expect.

Children in the early years are taught clear routines and quickly rise to these expectations.

There is much in place to support pupils' personal development. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is taught each week to all year groups.

Early years teachers teach children safe routines and social skills, such as taking turns. Pupils are taught about safety, democracy and other cultures to their own. Pupils learn about healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way.

Online safety has a high profile. The pastoral and well-being leader offers a range of therapies to support pupils' mental health. Pupils are encouraged to give back to their community through the 'Giving Project'.

For example, Year 2 pupils run a community coffee morning.

Together, senior leaders and governors are providing strong leadership. They are taking steps to help pupils address any remaining gaps in their knowledge.

They are strengthening the curriculum. Some changes are at an early stage. Some subject leaders are new to their role.

Although leaders have plans in place to check on the quality of education, their planned methods are too generalised. They do not focus sharply enough on how well curriculum plans are implemented or the impact of the curriculum on learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that the staff are well trained in safeguarding. Staff are trained to recognise the signs of abuse or neglect. Recent training has raised their awareness about sexual harassment between pupils.

Staff are knowledgeable and are kept informed about any pupils who are potentially vulnerable. Leaders act quickly and report concerns to other professionals when warranted. Leaders keep detailed records of the actions they take to support pupils at risk.

Leaders also ensure that vetting checks on adults who work in or visit the school are comprehensive. A wide range of safety topics, such as road safety, are taught in the PSHE lessons.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's new approach to delivering the wider curriculum is at an early stage.

Senior leaders are keen to find out how well it is working. However, they need to refine their planned approach to monitoring. They need to focus more on checking that teachers are implementing the curriculum fully and that pupils are remembering the essential knowledge needed for the next stage of their education.

• There are some subject leaders who are new to their role. They have not had the training needed to be able to check on how well the revised curriculum is helping pupils learn. Subject leaders need the training and opportunities to check on the impact of the curriculum.