Jarrow primary with ‘Outstanding’ leadership and pupil behaviour praised by Ofsted

St Mary's Catholic Primary School on Ayr Drive, Jarrow has been rated ‘Good’ overall, with ‘Outstanding’ leadership and management and ‘Outstanding’ behaviour and attitudes, by the education watchdog.

Lead inspector Jenny Thomas said in her report: “Behaviour around school is superb. Any issues with behaviour are picked up promptly by adults. Pupils rise to leaders’ high expectations for their behaviour in lessons and around school.

“The leadership of the school is outstanding. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the schools. Parents say that leaders and staff ‘go the extra mile’.

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“Leaders have carefully planned an ambitious curriculum. This curriculum starts in early years, building on what children know through the year groups. This ensures that pupils are ready for secondary school. Teaching plans are designed to ensure that pupils build knowledge over time.”

The school leaders’ approach to broadening pupils’ experiences was also praised in the report, for example, children have been learning about water safety in “inventive ways” such as visits to surf school and pupils talk “excitedly about residential trips”.

School leaders’ approach to staff workload and wellbeing was also highlighted in the report with teachers quoted as saying they felt leaders took their workload “seriously”, were well supported and “leaders act to manage their workload and wellbeing carefully”.

Executive headteacher Marie Graham said: “We are absolutely delighted with our Ofsted report, it acknowledges the hard work, energy, commitment and team spirit of our children, staff, governors and our very supportive parents and carers in the family of St Mary’s and Bishop Chadwick Trust.

“The children were amazing, they spoke openly and proudly about their school, and Ofsted commenting on their behaviour as being ‘superb’ reflects what we as leaders see each day. “The children were excited to talk about the ambitious curriculum that starts from Early Years, the enhanced curriculum offer and the residential trips that are offered to them.

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“Myself and Mrs Tumelty, head of school, would like to thank the whole staff team. Day in and day out this wonderful group of people dedicate themselves to motivate, inspire, care for, as well as teach, our children.”

The Ofsted inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, maths, history, and art and design. They discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers and teaching assistants.

They also spoke to pupils about their learning, looked at samples of pupils’ work, listened to pupils at the early stages of reading read with a familiar adult and listened to readers in Key Stage One.