Pegswood Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 June 2022

Pupils love coming to Pegswood Primary School. They are very enthusiastic in lessons and particularly enjoy practical hands-on experiences in subjects, such as history. Lessons are interesting and interactive, meeting the needs of all pupils. They eagerly join in with rap songs in mathematics, pupils spoken to say these are enjoyable and help them remember their multiplication tables. Pupils delight in visiting the refurbished library and choosing from the wide range of new books. Pupils have excellent behaviour and attitudes towards their learning and respond to the high expectations set by staff. Bullying rarely happens but pupils are confident that staff would sort it out if it did. Pupils show sincere respect for one another. They listen well to each other and are polite in discussion even when they disagree. Pupils relax at lunchtime, choosing from the many activities available. Pupils take part in school clubs and educational visits to places, such as Brinkburn Priory and Beamish. Leaders arrange curriculum and careers theme days to raise pupils' awareness of the world of work. Families regard Pegswood Primary as the 'heart of the community'. Many parents attended the school as a child and relish the continuity of bringing their own children here. The comments from one parent reflect the views of many 'My child loves coming to school and enjoys his day here. All staff are approachable and understanding.'

What the school should improve

• Expectations of what children can achieve by the end of nursery have not yet been fully agreed by all leaders. This means there are some gaps in nursery provision and a few pupils are not well prepared for Reception class. Leaders need to ensure that the most important knowledge and skills to be learned in nursery are identified. This is so staff prioritise acquisition of basic skills for all nursery children, so that they are` prepared for Reception class.
• In subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics, leaders assessment systems to track how well pupils understand their learning are not fully developed. This means that leaders do not have a complete picture of how well pupils know and remember the taught curriculum in all subjects. Leaders should ensure assessment information is used accurately to inform future planning, so that any gaps in learning can be addressed.

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