Witton-le-Wear Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

Achievement is outstanding. Pupils in this small village school make excellent progress across all key stages. This is because senior leaders have continued to improve on the good levels of achievement identified in the last inspection.

Children who start in the Reception class come from a range of different nurseries and other settings, including a number for whom Reception is their first experience of education. Although the majority of children arrive with levels of skills and understanding in line with those expected nationally, for a significant number levels are lower, particularly in communication. By the end of Year 6, th...e vast majority of pupils leave with standards above those expected nationally in both English and mathematics.

This represents outstanding achievement for pupils in all groups. Teaching is of an outstanding quality across the school. Teachers are exceptionally good at identifying the needs of all pupils and are very effective at ensuring work set closely matches individual pupils' needs.

However, in a very small number of lessons marking and feedback does not give pupils sufficient guidance on how to improve their work. Pupils' behaviour is excellent both inside and outside the classroom. Without exception they are polite and caring towards each other, staff and visitors.

They all feel that school is a safe and very happy place to which they enjoy coming to learn. This is reflected in their very good levels of attendance and their exceptional attitudes to learning in lessons. The headteacher and deputy headteacher supported by the small staff team and governing body have brought about much improvement since the last inspection.

For example, pupils' standards of attainment in mathematics and English have improved since the last inspection, as a result of improvements in the quality of teaching. Leaders' continued commitment to bettering pupils' levels of achievement shows their ability to make the school even better in the future. Although systems to monitor the performance of staff are currently in place for teachers, senior leaders have yet to provide similar levels of monitoring for non-teaching staff.

Information about this school

Witton-le-Wear Primary school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage with a very small number from other minority ethnic backgrounds. A smaller than average proportion of pupils is eligible for the pupil premium (which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in the care of the local authority and those from forces' families).

There are a broadly average number of pupils with special educational needs who are supported through school action. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is slightly higher than the national average. The school meets the current floor standards set by the government for pupils' attainment and progress.

Because of the small size of the school, pupils are often educated in mixed-age classes. There is a before- and after-school club which is managed by the school governors. The school has recently received a number of awards and accreditations including a Healthy Schools award.