Positive start for children at a Newcastle primary school

Children at a Newcastle primary school experience a ‘very positive’ start to their education within a calm, orderly and caring environment, according to a recent Ofsted report.

The English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary in Fenham continues to be rated ‘good’ after inspectors visited last month.

The report said pupils thrive at the school, a member of the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust,  and ‘benefit from the many roles of responsibility, such as librarians, school councillors and house captains.’

Headteacher Maria Elliott said everyone connected to the school, which has 424 pupils, should be very proud of the report.

“Ofsted has highlighted the positivity and ambition we all have for our children and we are all delighted to remain a good school,” she said.

“We provide an environment in which pupils are safeguarded and where they also feel safe. We provide a curriculum that enables our pupils to discover their individual gifts and strengths while developing an enthusiasm for lifelong learning.”

School leadership is also highlighted for praise and the inspectors noted: “Effective leaders value the staff highly and take appropriate action to manage their workload.”

A system of buddying pairs Year 6 children with reception years, and both groups benefit from sitting next to each other during assembly. And students with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in all aspects of school life, the report says.

“The school ensures that effective local, national and global citizenship is learned through activities such as recycling, supporting foodbanks and conserving water. Pupils, from the youngest to the oldest, articulate the difference between right and wrong precisely. They have an extensive knowledge of some of the world religions through attending this multi-cultural school in which everyone’s backgrounds and talents are recognised and celebrated,” the report says.

The good behaviour of children in and around the school is also noted and the inspectors said pupils are enabled to live safely outside school, and they leave fully prepared for the next steps in their educational journey.

The Ofsted inspection was ungraded and is a routine follow-up for schools already graded as being ‘good’. If evidence is found that the school grade should change, a full inspection is carried out at the next visit, deemed not necessary for English Martyrs Catholic Primary.