Whitecliffe Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Whitecliffe is a good school.

It is improving quickly. At the heart of the school's systematic improvement since the previous inspection is the ambition and quiet determination of the headteacher, astutely supported by an insightful governing body. All staff are totally committed to the senior leaders' ambition to ensure each child reaches his/her full potential.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive and appreciate the excellent care, guidance and support their children receive. Most pupils start school with abilities and skills which are well below those expected for their age, especially in their listening, speech and language. Children make rapid early progress, confidently sett...ling into classroom routines.

By the end of Year 6, attainment is typically broadly average. A consistent pattern of good progress has resulted in a clear trend of improvement. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good and occasionally excellent progress, because their needs are accurately identified and intervention and support are effective.

Writing skills are improving, although those of boys are not quite so strong. Pupils' achievement and enjoyment are good because teaching and learning are good. This is the result of the positive action taken by the headteacher closely monitoring lessons and nurturing the skills of staff.

Yet, staff sometimes miss opportunities to demand more from more-able pupils and to promote literacy and numeracy skills in all subjects. In lessons, where progress is faster, expectations are high, learning is thought-provoking and approaches are inspired and stimulating. When progress is less brisk, questioning does not probe thinking sufficiently and teachers' explanations are sometimes too long.

Occasionally, the inspired and thought-provoking approaches seen in the best lessons are missing in the less effective lessons. Marking is constructive and helpful, but does not always provide well-defined guidance for improvement. The school instils in its pupils a clear sense of values, self-belief and above all, enjoyment of learning.

This is evident in improved attendance, which is now above average. Pupils gain great benefit from the excellent links the school enjoys with parents and carers, the local communities and sports service providers. Pupils report that they feel safe and show a good understanding of how to stay fit and healthy.

They make an excellent contribution to school improvement and to community life, for example, by helping to promote the UNICEF Rights Respecting initiative in school and village life. Pupils are safety-conscious, such as when taking sensible precautions using a computer. The headteacher has brought about many improvements by accurately checking and evaluating what the school does well and planning for improvement.

The robust checking of pupils' progress adds to the quality of strategic planning. Senior leaders demonstrate a strong sense of purpose and this is evident in their determination to sustain improvement gains. Subject leaders ensure that all pupils are included in happy, learning experiences and achieve well.

Together, this ensures that the school has a good capacity to continue improving.

Information about the school

Whitecliffe is a smaller-than-average primary school. It serves the villages of Carlin How and Skinningrove on the North Cleveland coast.

All pupils are White British. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is almost three times the national average. A significantly higher-than-average proportion of pupils than found nationally have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

There is a well-above-average number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs. The school runs a breakfast club. The school is working towards the UNICEF Rights Respecting award.

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms