Stannington First School

Overview

Stannington First School continues to be a good school, providing a nurturing environment where pupils are happy and safe. Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum that builds understanding over time, with effective recent changes to mathematics and reading. The school fosters strong community connections and ensures staff feel well supported with manageable workloads.

Strengths

• Pupils are courteous, respectful, and behave well, with bullying being rare and concerns resolved quickly.
• Children in early years get off to a "flying start," encouraged by high levels of staff interaction and active, purposeful lessons.
• The curriculum is enriched by local context, such as geography focusing on the River Wansbeck, and includes engaging out-of-school activities like cycling proficiency.
• Teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding through questioning and tailor lessons to meet individual needs, particularly in reading and mathematics.
• Governors have effective systems to evaluate the school and have overseen successful expansion and accommodation improvements.

Areas to improve

• In some subjects, such as science, learning activities do not always include the intended subject-specific vocabulary, leading to incorrect spelling when pupils write these words. Leaders should ensure teachers match activities to the planned curriculum to enable more effective use of this vocabulary.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff well trained to identify risks and leaders acting quickly to secure help for pupils at risk.