Stanhope Primary School

Overview

Stanhope Primary School is described as a “caring, nurturing school” where pupils feel “happy and safe.” Leaders have established “high expectations for every child,” resulting in “exemplary” behaviour and a “calm, purposeful learning atmosphere.” The report highlights effective teaching in reading and mathematics, alongside strong personal development and community engagement.

Strengths

• Pupils’ behaviour is “exemplary,” with rare incidents of bullying that staff deal with “promptly.”
• Staff teach the basics of reading and mathematics “very effectively,” with pupils achieving well by Year 6.
• The curriculum enhances pupils’ respect for others and their understanding of equality, with pupils making “valuable contributions” to school and community life.
• Staff “promptly identify” the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who succeed both academically and socially.
• Leaders provide useful guidance on education and career pathways, helping to “expand pupils’ horizons and aspirations.”

Areas to improve

• Systems for checking that pupils practise reading regularly are “not consistently applied,” making it difficult for leaders to verify if expectations are met.
• In some subjects, the curriculum does not clearly map out subject-specific knowledge, such as helping pupils “think like a historian.”
• The early years outdoor learning environment does not support the curriculum as effectively as the indoor environment and requires further development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with leaders and staff working “tenaciously” with agencies to secure help for vulnerable pupils and ensuring robust pre-employment checks.