Hartlepool's Golden Flatts Primary School is determined to 'drive forward' after dropping a grade following Ofsted inspection

Golden Flatts Primary School, in Seaton Lane, Hartlepool, is now rated as “requires improvement”, the third highest of four grades, by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted).

It was previously rated “good” in 2013.

Inspectors have released their latest findings following a two-day visit last November.

Their report acknowledges that new teachers have joined and that “leaders are taking purposeful action to improve many aspects of the school’s work”.

They also note the school’s curriculum has been redesigned to “address the needs of mixed-age classes” and that “improvements are gaining momentum”.

Yet the report adds: “However, over time, leaders’ actions have not secured pupils a good quality of education.”

Among areas identified for improvement are ensuring the revised curriculum is “securely in place” in subjects such as history and science as well as better use of assessment to check pupils’ understanding.

"Some tasks are too easy or too hard for some pupils” with the report continuing: “Leaders need to support teachers to adapt their teaching so that it meets the needs of all pupils in mixed-age classes.”

The report did find that “pupils feel safe” and know “that adults take action to resolve rare incidents of bullying”.

It states: “Many pupils describe school as ‘one big family’.”

In response, head of school Kate McIntyre said: “Staff and governors, working closely with parents, are fully committed to providing pupils with an education of the highest possible quality.

“Whilst we accept the Ofsted report and are already addressing areas identified for improvement, we are pleased to note that the inspectors also found many positives, including the ‘purposeful action’ of the leadership team to improve many aspects of the school, the quality of early years provision and the good behaviour and attitudes of pupils.

“I joined the school as head of school in September 2022 and many new teachers have also been appointed in recent times.

"Working in partnership with the executive headteacher, we are all united in our determination to drive the school forward and to build on what we already do well to further improve the education we provide.”

The school had 117 pupils at the time of the report.