Ofsted praises “caring and vibrant” school following recent inspection of South Hylton Primary Academy

Staff and students at South Hylton Primary Academy are celebrating being judged as a good school following their recent Ofsted inspection.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The report highlighted how the children “love to learn”, the “high expectations” adults have of them and the creation of a “caring and vibrant school”.

Inspectors also commended the school on their curriculum – including provision for outdoor education and visits – and the good behaviour of pupils.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In her final report, lead inspector Alison Aitchison said: “Leaders have created a climate where pupils want to learn. They have designed ambitious

curriculum plans in all subjects, for all pupils.

"Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. They emphasise the important facts and ways to learn in lessons to help pupils remember. Teachers and teaching assistants help pupils to make links between previous learning and what they need to know next.”

Read More
Columbia Grange School in Washington celebrates outstanding Ofsted with spooktac...

The report also praised the school for its support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Children at South Hylton Primary Academy give the thumbs up to their recent good judgement by Ofsted.Children at South Hylton Primary Academy give the thumbs up to their recent good judgement by Ofsted.
Children at South Hylton Primary Academy give the thumbs up to their recent good judgement by Ofsted.

Mrs Aitchison stated: “Staff expectations of what pupils with SEND can achieve are high. Pupils benefit from specific resources or additional adult support. Pupils access professional programmes such as speech and language therapy.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was the first inspection undertaken at the school since it converted to an academy and staff and students were delighted with the outcome, particularly after the turmoil caused by the Covid pandemic.

After receiving the report, Head of School Yvonne Moore said: “We are truly delighted with our recent Ofsted report and particularly proud of the lovely comments made by the Inspector who recognised the hard work and amazing contribution our pupils and staff make to our academy.

"The past 20 months have been a difficult time for our academy and we would like to thank our pupils, parents, staff and all at Laidlaw Schools Trust for their continued support and dedication to the success of our school.”

Executive Principal Keeley Wood added: “South Hylton staff, children and parents have continued to work together during this challenging time. This is a very special community school which should be extremely proud of this achievement.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Areas targeted for development includes widening pupil’s vocabulary and ensuring all children recognise the systems by which they report any concerns they may have.

A message from the editor:

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters.

Your support for our journalism means we can continue telling Sunderland’s stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe - and click here to get a snapshot of the Echo’s news and sport to your inbox through our email newsletters.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.