Shotley Bridge Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 October 2023

Pupils at Shotley Bridge Primary School are being moulded into leaders for the future. The school values, including kindness, honesty and courage, are taught to pupils explicitly. The school recognises and rewards when pupils demonstrate these values. Consequently, pupils throughout school treat each other considerately. They are kind to each other. Older pupils have a keenly developed sense of responsibility. They explain being role models and volunteering to help because 'it's the right thing to do'. Behaviour, in lessons and at social times, is exemplary. Pupils explain that bullying is not a problem in school as people are kind to each other. Leaders are ambitious about the school experience they want pupils to have. They have high aspirations for pupils' academic success. However, the school also ensures that pupils have access to an exciting range of extra-curricular opportunities. Pupils can participate in yoga, American football, boxing and learn Japanese and Spanish. Pupils, parents and carers appreciate, and take advantage, of these opportunities. The school has ensured that there is a strong focus on well-being. There are well-being champions for both staff and pupils. Well-being conversations are an important part of school culture. This is a caring community that ensures all voices are heard.

What the school should improve

• The school has formative assessment systems in place for some foundation subjects. However, these systems do not allow the school to check what pupils have remembered over time. This means that it is difficult for the school to judge the impact of the wider curriculum. The school should ensure that there are assessment systems in place in foundation subjects that allow teachers to check what pupils have remembered over time.

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