Successes and Achievements

In 2024, we were proud to retain the SENDIA award. This award provided a framework for our school to improve classroom practice and outcomes for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

The award recognises that we offer high-quality education for pupils with SEND - removing barriers to learning through early identification, inclusive teaching and effective leadership.

“The Headteacher expresses a strong vision that inclusion is the centre of the Academy’s ethos and practice and this facilitates a strong strategic commitment to excellent provision for SEND pupils”.

“The range of evidence clearly showed how the academy is meeting the key performance indicators with ample evidence of strong leadership. Pupil progress is clearly monitored and interventions are tracked for impact and parents are well-informed”.

Click here to view SENDIA Reassessment Report Atkinson Road Primary Academy

We are very proud of achieving the Rights Respecting School - Gold Award, which was awarded in June 2024.

During the assessment, the accessor noted that: "It was evident that children's rights are embedded across the school and underpin every facet of school life".

"A school with inclusion at his heart , where pupils feel safe and secure and are articulate about the importance of knowing about children's rights, the difference this makes and to their lives, and their desire and determination to help realise these rights for others".

Click here to view Atkinson Road Primary Academy Gold Accreditation Report

In 2024, we were absolutely delighted to achieve the coveted Skills Builder Flagship status. The Skills Builder team congratulated our Academy: "This is a significant achievement! This puts you in a select group of schools and colleges who have demonstrated a commitment to building students essential skills."

This award recognises our school’s commitment to the development of 8 essential skills such as speaking, listening, teamwork, leadership, creativity, problem-solving, aiming high, and staying positive in our daily school life. These skills will prepare pupils for their future study and careers.

We were delighted for Skills Builder to acknowledge that our school has gone 'beyond the best practice gold standard' outlined in the award guide and awarded Flagship status.

Inspiring the next generation of Scientists

In 2023, we were extremely proud to be awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark Award in recognition of the hard work undertaken across the school for teaching and learning in Primary Science.

This award is a celebration of our commitment to excellence in science teaching and learning.  

Click here to view Atkinson Road Primary Academy PSQM Portfolio

In February 2023, the academy achieved the Artsmark Gold Award. Artsmark were pleased to share this feedback:

'You clearly have a long-term commitment to arts and culture which is beginning to have measurable effects on staff and pupils. All pupils can access an established range of arts and cultural provision through work with local arts and cultural organisations, in school and on visits outside the classroom, and through extra-curricular activities. Arts engagement in school is supported by SLT and the Principal is involved with the Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership (NCEP). There is a cross-curricular, topic focused approach. Specialist music staff support weekly instrument lessons for all pupils, and there is a new bought in Kapow art curriculum. Engagement leads to effective showcasing opportunities within school and the local community. Your Elmer project and Wonderwall sound like great projects. You have been very flexible in shifting your plans due to the pandemic, from moving to online lessons using recycled art materials for pupils, accessing museums and galleries through Google Arts and Culture, and showcasing pupil work through social media. We're glad you managed to work closely with Seven Stories on the 'Inspired By' project, even if it was delayed by the pandemic. It sounds like it had positive impacts for all those involved and inspired your school library redevelopments. Your Arts Council is really positive for pupil voice, and it sounds like you are beginning to give pupils real decision-making opportunities over their learning. This is supported by Art Award delivery. You have focused CPD on art delivery through Kapow with art leaders and seen how this has increased staff confidence, and been cascaded within staff meetings. Congratulations on your Artsmark Gold Award!'

In 2021, we were delighted to achieve the Primary Geography Quality Mark Silver Award [PGQA]. This is an important recognition of the great work we do in delivering a rich and varied Geography curriculum that encourages creative and critical thinking, and helps pupils become responsible global citizens.

“[ARPA] have a clear vision for Geography and its place in the wider curriculum which is clearly helping to shape the way that the subject is taught and which acknowledges that we live in a global, interdependent world. A focus on the exploration and celebration of differences and similarities is a key strength”.

Click here to view Silver PGQM Report Atkinson Road Primary Academy

We are delighted to retain the Wellbeing award in 2024, highlighting the excellent pastoral care offered to pupils and staff. 

The Wellbeing Award for Schools acknowledges how we promote emotional wellbeing and mental health, both for staff and pupils. We are very proud of this award as it reflects our own school ethos and culture in which mental health is regarded as the responsibility of all. 

In December 2023, we were delighted to retain this nationally recognised award which has helped us to improve our strategies to engage parents and carer's more fully in every child's learning experience, and is recognition of our commitment to working with parents and carers.

One of the principle criteria of the award is the promotion of, and participation in, life long learning within the school for parents and carers.  Concluding that, “There is a commitment to supporting parent partnership and community links in order to meet the needs of the diverse pupils and their families.”

“Parents are supportive of the school and the way it works with them.” 

Click here to view Atkinson Road Primary Academy LPPA Report

Atkinson Road Primary Academy is very proud to have achieved the School of Sanctuary Award. As a school, we are committed to being a safe and welcoming place for everyone, especially those children and families seeking sanctuary. This could be people whose lives were in danger in their own country, who have troubles at home or are just looking for a place of safety. A School of Sanctuary helps children, staff and the wider community understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary and to extend a welcome to everyone as equal, valued members of the school community.

In 2023, we were proud to retain the 'Investing in Children Award'. This award recognised that our school has ‘imaginative and inclusive practice’, which promotes the human rights of children and young people. 

An assessor came to our school in September to review how we invest in children. Writing: "We would like to say a big thank you and well done to all the staff at Atkinson Road Primary or listening and engaging children and young people in dialogue that has led to change".

This included meeting our School Council; hearing about our school trips; finding out about the awards we give for good attendance; seeing the equipment we have bought for children to play with and discovering the range of clubs we have to offer after school.

We are proud to say that we have been awarded the Investing in Children status for another year.

Click here to view Investing In Children Report Atkinson Road Primary Academy

We successfully achieved Green Flag status in July 2024 and the Eco School Team had some lovely things to say about Atkinson Road Primary Academy.

"Congratulations! Your application truly stood out, and we’re thrilled to award you an Eco-Schools’ Green Flag with Distinction! Keep up the fantastic work next year!"

The Eco-Schools programme provide opportunities to empower pupils to lead change within our school and have a positive impact in our wider community. Our children have worked within our school, community and at the coast to improve our environment. They have also produced artistic and written responses to raise awareness about environmental issues. To read the full report, please click the link below.

Click here to view Atkinson Road Primary Academy Green Flag Report

Atkinson Road Primary Academy was awarded Healthy Schools Plus Status renewal in 2024. This award recognises our school’s dedication to supporting children’s health and the link between good health, behaviour and achievement.

We teach pupils about many health-related topics including healthy eating, first aid training, dental hygiene, effective hand washing, and road safety.

We are proud to hold the Intermediate level of the International School Award. This award recognises our pledge to ‘embed international awareness and understanding’ in order to help pupils become responsible global citizens. The award recognises our school’s

• Strength in teaching a broad and balanced curriculum to increase knowledge, awareness and tolerance about other countries and cultures.
• Links with other schools overseas and have worked on collaborative projects.
• Sharing educational practice with partners overseas.

As an eco-friendly school, we continue to be involved in a wide range of green activities including tree and flower planting, visiting local woodlands, and recycling. The Woodlands Trust’s Green Tree School award is presented to schools that encourage outdoor learning and inspires pupils to learn about trees, woods and wildlife. Our Forest School and tree planting sessions are very popular with children from Nursery to Year 6.

We are delighted to achieve the Early Years Quality Mark. This award recognises the hard work of our Early Years team, and the high level of support they give to children and families, based on individual learner’s needs. This Quality Mark was awarded in recognition of our school's improvements in the way we teach children communication, literacy and mathematics.

“The school’s high standards and pursuit of excellence validates the effectiveness of well-established monitoring procedures.”

“Behaviour management across the school is very effective. Children’s behaviour is exemplary.”

We are delighted to have been awarded the Music Mark in recognition for our commitment to providing high-quality music provision. 

As a Music Mark school, we are part of a wide network of excellent providers.We are committed to providing a high-quality Music education regardless of social or economic factors. We provide free music tuition and instruments to all children in years 3, 4, 5 and 6.

We were delighted to achieve the Heritage School status. Awarded by Historic England, this demonstrates our commitment to embedding local heritage into the curriculum, ensuring young people develop a sense of place, a connection to where they live, and an understanding of the significance of people and places in local, national and world history.