West Boldon Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 January 2026

All pupils are welcome at West Boldon. No matter what their previous experience of education or barriers to learning may be. This is because the school's inclusive ethos provides pupils with a strong sense of belonging. Staff greet pupils each day with a warm smile. They care deeply about them. This is shown in the positive working relationships between staff and pupils. As a result, pupils feel safe and confident in expressing any concerns they have to members of staff. Crucially, pupils develop a ‘can-do’ attitude and want to learn. Pupils embrace the school’s ‘gold standards’ for behaviour and learning. They understand and follow the school rules, taking pride in receiving rewards for doing so. As soon as children start in the early years, they quickly learn how to socialise and follow routines. Pupils show genuine care and kindness towards one another, making bullying and unkind behaviour rare. The personal development programme equips pupils very well for life in modern Britain. They are very accepting of differences in opinions and have a deep understanding of fundamental British values, such as democracy and tolerance. The careers programme encourages pupils to become aspirational. It gives them goals to achieve and makes learning more purposeful. Pupils appreciate the school's wider offer. Many are involved in community projects that have a positive impact on others. Leaders encourage all pupils to take part in the broad range of extra-curricular activities. These support pupils in developing their interests and skill set. For example, pupils learn to play musical instruments and perform as part of a rock band. The classrooms are exciting places to be and pupils regard learning as fun. Pupils attend school well. Overall, pupils achieve in line with national expectations by the end of Year 6. They are ready for their next steps.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that staff provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills to write at length to a consistently high standard across all subjects. • Leaders should further improve the implementation of the handwriting curriculum to ensure that all pupils write fluently and accurately. They should ensure that any inaccurate letter formation is addressed swiftly and consistently.

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