Scarborough’s Northstead Primary School makes significant improvement from previous Ofsted inspection

The Northstead Community Primary School on Maple Drive was given an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’ despite also being rated as ‘good’ in several areas by Ofsted.

Inspectors said pupils were “polite, friendly and eloquent” and commended a “significant improvement in behaviour across the school”.

The school’s headteacher said staff had put “heart and soul into ensuring the school improves”.

Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision were rated ‘good’ while the quality of education and leadership and management were said to ‘require improvement’.

Ofsted said there were “gaps in learning” which led to pupils “not achieving as well as they should” and that leaders’ ambitions for learning were “not consistently realised”.

Shaun Hopper said that since being appointed the school’s headteacher in September 2022 “the whole Northstead community has come together to bring about the necessary changes needed to improve our school since the last inspection in October 2021”.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he added: “Our whole community should be very proud of the development they have all been a part of over the past 18 months.

“Our staff have put their heart and soul into ensuring our school improves, not just for them but for every single child in our school community and each other.”

The inspection report noted that “pupils enjoy lessons… and talk with enthusiasm and understanding about recent learning”.

A review of the wider curriculum was welcomed by Ofsted which also found “robust systems in place to check on attendance for all groups of pupils”.

However, inspectors said that improvements should be made in the use of assessments, ensuring consistent pupil achievement and attendance, as well as ensuring that pupils have “a rich and secure base of knowledge”.

Headteacher, Mr Hopper added: “Our inspection in February 2024 highlighted the many positive areas of our school but also some areas for development.

“Our community will continue on our school improvement journey together to ensure our children can be the very best that they can be.”