Butterknowle Primary School, located in a rural community in County Durham, was inspected on 27 and 28 September 2023. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education, leadership and management, and early years provision also receiving similar ratings. However, the school demonstrated good performance in terms of behavior and attitudes, as well as personal development.
Pupils at Butterknowle Primary School enjoy their time at the school, which is characterized by a warm and safe learning environment. The staff have fostered a culture where bullying is rare, and pupils exhibit good behavior and regular attendance. Despite this positive atmosphere, the governors' ambition for all pupils to achieve well is not fully realized. A significant concern is that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not develop reading fluency early enough, which hampers their progress in key stage two.
The school is in the process of developing its curriculum from early years to Year 6, drawing on subject expertise from the three primary schools within its federation. Although this initiative is in its early stages, it is beginning to yield positive results, with pupils starting to recall and apply knowledge learned in subjects like geography across the curriculum. The school also provides varied opportunities for pupils, including residential visits and well-attended extracurricular clubs.
The establishment of the federation has been a focus for the governors in recent years, but challenges such as staffing turbulence and the impact of COVID-19 have contributed to a decline in academic standards. Leaders acknowledge that the curriculum has not adequately prepared pupils for their next educational stages, and they have initiated strategic improvement plans. The school’s self-evaluation of its effectiveness is deemed accurate.
A critical area for improvement is early reading. Many pupils do not achieve the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check until the end of Year 2. The delivery of the phonics scheme is inconsistent, with some staff incorrectly pronouncing sounds and not addressing poor letter formation as a routine matter. However, the early reading materials provided this term are appropriately leveled for early readers.
Transition into school life is supported effectively through stay-and-play sessions for two-year-olds, helping children settle quickly into the nursery class. While early years staff are successful in developing children's speech, language, and communication needs, other areas of learning require further attention. The mathematics curriculum is well-established, and pupils enjoy the subject, although they lack immediate recall of multiplication tables.
The curriculum for foundation subjects is still developing, with some subjects like computing only recently introduced. Staff require training to deliver the new curriculum confidently, and there is a need for professional development across all foundation subjects. The school is addressing teachers' workload by distributing curriculum leadership among the federation's schools, which has been positively received by staff.
Pupils with special educational needs are identified quickly, and their needs are regularly reviewed and communicated with parents. However, despite these practices, these pupils are not making the academic progress they are capable of achieving. Overall, pupils are friendly, polite, and demonstrate a strong understanding of right and wrong, treating others with respect. The school ensures that pupils are aware of how to keep themselves safe in various contexts, including online and in their local environment. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, contributing to a secure learning environment for all students.
