Bedlington Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 December 2023

Pupils attending this school become part of the 'Whitley family'. The school is at the heart of the community. Many of its parents attended as pupils. Everyone receives a warm welcome. Pupils who are new to the school settle quickly and make friends. Children make a positive start to their education in the early years. They are quick to settle into routines. They play and learn happily together. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) play a full part in school life. Pupils enjoy learning to read and quickly become fluent readers. However, their learning in other subjects, such as mathematics, is less effective. Pupils feel safe in school. They know when and how to report any concerns that they may have. If bullying happens, pupils are confident that staff will sort it out. Pupils behave well most of the time. On occasion, their behaviour outside the classroom is less orderly. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs and opportunities that enable them to take on positions of responsibility. Those elected to the 'Whitley parliament' are proud of their role and their positive impact on school life. Some aspects of the personal development curriculum are not as strong. For example, the curriculum does not develop pupils' understanding of different world views and cultures well enough.

What the school should improve

• In subjects such as mathematics and geography, pupils sometimes lack the prior knowledge to successfully complete tasks. This means that they do not learn as well as they should. The school should further enhance training on the new curriculum so that teachers adjust teaching more effectively to address previous gaps in pupils' learning.
• With the exception of the early years, the school does not provide pupils with clear guidance on how to behave. This contributes to variable standards of behaviour, particularly outside the classroom. The school should work with staff to set clear expectations for behaviour, and support pupils to meet these expectations.
• The personal development curriculum does not develop pupils' awareness of different cultures and world views well enough. In addition, pupils do not learn about important issues, such as how to keep mentally healthy, in enough depth. The school should take further action to enhance pupils' personal development so that they have a better understanding in these areas.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)