Whitehouse Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have mixed feelings about school. Many are happy, enjoy learning and like being with their friends.

They are enthusiastic about the clubs and extra-curricular activities available. However, because of the inappropriate behaviour they often see, some pupils do not feel safe.

Younger pupils learn in a calm and productive environment.

They respond well to praise and encouragement. This is not the case consistently for older pupils. Pupils' behaviour in some classes is poor.

In these classes, pupils say they want to learn but cannot because of the rude and sometimes aggressive behaviour of others.

Many of the pupils who spoke to inspector...s reported bullying, fighting and bad language. Although some say it is getting better, others feel that nothing happens to stop it.

A third of pupils who completed Ofsted's pupil survey said they would not recommend the school to a friend.

There is variation in the quality of the curriculum pupils receive. Pupils are not able to build on what they already know in all subjects.

Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of the pupils who attend Whitehouse Primary School. These pupils are not consistently encouraged to try hard.

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

The new headteacher has taken action to improve the quality of education provided at the school.

She is supporting subject leaders and staff to identify what the curriculum needs to provide for the pupils. This is work in progress. There is a lot more to do.

For example, in subjects such as history, work to establish exactly what pupils should learn is in its early stages. Pupils are often unable to recall what they have been taught or make links between topics.

There are green shoots of effective curriculum practice.

For example, the content of the curriculum in design and technology is well thought out. Teachers are supported well by the subject leader. A commercial scheme has helped to build teachers' confidence.

As a result, pupils talk about the process of designing, making and evaluating confidently. They recall prior learning with ease and understand key concepts.

Leaders have ensured that early reading is now taught more systematically.

Staff have recently been trained to teach the school's chosen phonics programme. They do so effectively. Pupils read books that match their phonics knowledge.

Leaders check what pupils know. They make sure that additional practice is arranged when needed. Older pupils know that reading is important.

They enjoy reading. Leaders have provided appropriate training and resources to improve the teaching of reading comprehension.

The mathematics curriculum is effective in the early years.

Children learn about numbers and develop their understanding of key concepts such as direction, time and shape. The curriculum for mathematics in the rest of the school is developing. The knowledge that pupils need to learn is not organised logically.

Teachers are unsure about what to teach and when. They draw on a wide range of resources and, as a result, pupils do not learn consistent strategies. New leaders have made sure that pupils have more time to re-visit and practise what they have learned.

Current pupils' mathematical knowledge is not good enough.

Many children start school with limited vocabulary and less knowledge than is typical for their age. Early years staff have carefully considered children's needs when developing the provision.

They have made sure that children have opportunities to return to important concepts at different points and in different ways during their time in the early years. There is a focus on language development across all areas of learning. Adults respond appropriately to children's interests while still ensuring that key knowledge forms the backbone of the curriculum.

For example, children's enjoyment of 'The Three Little Pigs' led to a project on exploring different materials and building structures. Children developed their knowledge of materials well as a result.

Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in all aspects of school life.

However, teachers do not make appropriate adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum as a matter of course. Consequently, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could. Pupils in the additionally resourced provision are well supported.

They enjoy school and do well.

Low-level disruptive behaviour such as shouting out or interrupting is tolerated in some classes. Sometimes, the behaviour of pupils with complex behavioural needs is not well managed.

Staff told inspectors that some pupils in key stage 2 cause significant disruption on a regular basis. Some pupils told inspectors that lessons are often disrupted by pupils' poor behaviour. Pupils' behaviour is beginning to improve.

However, this improvement is not quick enough. Some pupils' behaviour in some classes remains poor. Leaders introduced a new behaviour policy recently.

Many pupils are beginning to respond well to this. They enjoy earning reward points for making the correct choices. These pupils are respectful to one another and to staff.

They follow rules and routines.

Leaders ensure that pupils have access to wider educational experiences across the curriculum. This starts in the early years, where teachers use the outdoor environment to support children's learning and development.

Older pupils have opportunities to take part in a wide range of clubs and activities. During the inspection, some pupils rehearsed for an operatic event in the local community. Others talked about involvement in the recent 'Mouth of the Tyne' festival.

Pupils are taught about healthy relationships and personal safety. However, the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is not adapted to meet the needs of individuals and groups. Leaders' systems for checking that pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of PSHE are underdeveloped.

The content that pupils should learn is not accurately matched to the needs of some pupils.

Leaders are making changes to improve the school. Until recently, governors did not have an accurate picture of the quality of education at Whitehouse.

They have not checked on school improvement well. Governors are acting on the recommendations of a recent external review to improve their support of, and challenge to, leaders. They have made some key staffing appointments to strengthen the leadership capacity of the school.

They are also beginning to make effective use of the support provided by the local authority.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The headteacher has prioritised safeguarding.

She has ensured that all staff have accessed appropriate training. They know what to do if they have a safeguarding or child protection concern. Record systems show clearly that concerns are followed through.

The recent appointment of a pastoral lead has strengthened the school's safeguarding arrangements.

Pupils learn about healthy relationships. They understand what bullying is and know how to stay safe online.

Leaders have not ensured that the safeguarding curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of individual pupils and groups of pupils, including those with social, emotional and mental health needs.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some classrooms, pupils do not behave well and do not treat adults or other pupils with respect. Some staff struggle to deal with pupils' complex behaviours.

Some pupils do not feel safe. Some learning is disrupted. Leaders must continue to develop pastoral care and check on the implementation of the new behaviour policy.

Leaders should make sure that the school's high expectations of pupils' behaviour are understood and applied by all. ? The curriculum is not coherently planned and sequenced in all subjects. It does not clearly set out the essential knowledge that pupils need to know at each step.

Pupils do not develop a secure bank of knowledge that they can apply when required. Leaders should review the curriculum and ensure that vital content is included for each year group and in all subjects. ? Curriculum adaptations for pupils with SEND are not precise enough.

Pupils with SEND too often study subject content that does not build on their current understanding. Leaders should make sure that the curriculum and its implementation are precisely matched to pupils' needs and that teachers are fully equipped to provide the necessary support. The PSHE programme does not set out clearly how pupils will build knowledge over time.

Nor is it clear how teachers should adapt the programme to support pupils or groups of pupils at different developmental stages or with particular vulnerabilities. Leaders should consider the particular needs of the pupils attending the school and make alterations to the programme accordingly. They should develop systems to check that the curriculum is implemented effectively for all pupils and that pupils remember key knowledge.

• The governing body has not monitored routinely the quality of the curriculum or checked to ensure that statutory duties are delivered. The recent external review of governance provided a large number of recommendations for improvement. Those with responsibility for governance should continue to address these recommendations, strengthen the governing body and work with the headteacher to implement systems to improve the quality of their challenge and support.