Setting Shiremoor Primary School
Funding The school's budget in 2010/11 was £1,201,702
Purpose To support children to achieve their potential
Background Shiremoor Primary School is based in a deprived area in Newcastle upon Tyne. A third of pupils are eligible for free school meals and just over half have special educational needs. Yet the school consistently scores top marks in inspections and is currently rated "outstanding" by Ofsted. It also featured in Ofsted's 2009 report Twenty Outstanding Primary Schools - Excelling Against the Odds, which recognised the achievements of highly performing schools in deprived areas.
Helen Clegg has been head teacher for 21 years. In that time the school's approach has evolved but she says its philosophy has stayed much the same. "Our aim really is to do the very best for every child," she says.
Action A key factor in the school's success is its well-established behaviour policy, says Clegg: "Behaviour is the key to most things that go on in the school and we have high expectations of the children. Poor behaviour is not tolerated." Each year families get a copy of the behaviour policy and every term there is a day focused on behaviour and citizenship.
The school does a lot of career development work to make the children aware that they can go on to forge successful careers despite the fact that many come from an underprivileged background. "It's really about breaking that cycle of underachievement and trying to raise aspirations," says Clegg. Another day each term is devoted to pupils hearing from different professionals. Every two years the school hosts a Careers Convention featuring an exhibition by employers who are researched and questioned by the children.
The school has won praise for its innovative use of technology, such as using MP3 players to help children learn their times tables. It also has a full-time ITC classroom support assistant for its computer suite and other facilities include a dedicated French room complete with audio equipment and classic children's books in French.
Classwork is reinforced at every opportunity right down to the badges children wear, which display their learning goals, reminding them and allowing adults to test them at any time. Targeted work with children includes a "taskforce" of classroom assistants offering intensive support to Year 1 pupils struggling with literacy.
Clegg believes the most important factor is a shared vision among staff. "There's an understanding of where the school is now and where it needs to go to," she says. "The school has developed a calm, structured and consistent approach and to ensure consistency we have a very detailed induction programme for new staff." Staff development includes business placements for teachers who spend a day learning from a local firm.
Outcome The school's approach is borne out by its results. In 2009, 91 per cent of pupils attained Level 4 or above in English with half attaining Level 5 in their SATs results compared with a national average of 80 per cent and 29 per cent respectively. In maths, 82 per cent gained Level 4 or higher and in science 94 per cent gained Level 4 or above compared with a national average of 79 per cent and 88 per cent respectively.
Teacher assessments for 2010 - the school boycotted SATs last year - show that 88 per cent gained Level 4 or above in English, 81 per cent attained Level 4 or above in maths with 31 per cent getting Level 5, and in science 94 per cent got Level 4 or above with 31 per cent getting Level 5. Perhaps more importantly, Clegg believes pupils leave Shiremoor with the ability to cope with the difficult choices life throws at them: "They have self-confidence and self-belief and should be able to hold their own in high school among children coming from different backgrounds. We have less influence over what happens when they become teenagers but I hope a lot of what we do gives them a good foundation."
RESULTS AT SHIREMOOR
2009 SAT results*
- Pupils who attained Level 4 or above in English 91% (national average 80%)
- Pupils who attained Level 4 or above in maths 82% (national average 79%)
- Pupils who attained Level 4 or above in science 94% (national average 88%)
SEN and free school meals
- Pupils on SEN register 51% (national average 20%)
- Pupils on free school meals 33% (national average 19%)
Source: Shiremoor Primary School/Oftsed *Shiremoor boycotted the 2010 SAT exams
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