Lord Blyton Primary School, located in South Shields, has undergone an inspection that highlights both strengths and areas for improvement. The overall effectiveness of the school is rated as requiring improvement, with specific aspects of the quality of education, personal development, and leadership and management also identified as needing enhancement. However, the school has demonstrated good behaviour and attitudes among its pupils, as well as effective early years provision.
Since the last inspection, the school has made efforts to improve its curriculum, but further work is necessary to ensure that pupils receive a high-quality education consistently. The school's expectations for pupils are not always met, particularly in foundation subjects like geography. Despite these challenges, pupils at Lord Blyton Primary School exhibit positive attitudes towards learning and enjoy attending school. Their behaviour is commendable, and staff are proactive in addressing any concerns that arise. The school provides a range of pastoral support for pupils and their families, and there are strategies in place to improve attendance where necessary.
The school encourages pupils to engage with the local community, exemplified by their participation in events such as laying a wreath on Remembrance Day. While there are some extracurricular clubs available, the curriculum for personal development lacks depth in certain areas. For instance, pupils struggle to articulate the importance of fundamental British values, such as democracy.
The school has prioritized the teaching of reading and mathematics, which has positively impacted pupils' outcomes. The phonics program is well-established, and staff have received training to effectively implement the phonics scheme. Additionally, the school has invested in reading materials that align with pupils' learning levels, providing support for those who face challenges in reading.
In the early years, children receive a strong foundation, with effective routines and expectations established. Activities are designed to foster early mathematical skills, and formal phonics and mathematics instruction begins promptly in Reception. The curriculum across subjects is coherently planned, although some foundation subjects require further refinement to better meet pupils' needs.
Teaching quality varies across the school, with instances of unclear explanations leading to confusion among pupils. This inconsistency can hinder learning, although pupils generally remain patient and do not exhibit negative behaviour. Additionally, tasks assigned to pupils do not always align with lesson objectives, complicating the assessment of their knowledge retention.
Subject leaders are knowledgeable and passionate, but they do not consistently utilize information from their observations to enhance the curriculum. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is a notable strength, with personalized teaching and inclusive practices in place. The school collaborates with external agencies to ensure that all pupils receive the necessary support.
Pupils demonstrate respect for others and have a basic understanding of protected characteristics, but their knowledge of healthy relationships and physical well-being is limited. School leaders, including governors, do not have a fully accurate view of the school's current position, which affects their ability to drive improvements effectively. While there are strengths within the school, significant work remains to ensure that all pupils achieve well across the curriculum.
The safeguarding arrangements at Lord Blyton Primary School are effective, ensuring a safe environment for all pupils. To improve, the school must focus on refining the foundation subject curriculums to better align with pupils' needs, ensuring consistent implementation of these curriculums, and enhancing the personal development curriculum to cover essential topics. Additionally, leaders should adopt a more rigorous approach to evaluating the curriculum's effectiveness to foster continuous improvement.
