Successes and Achievements

An Outstanding School

We are very proud of our most recent report (October 2024), which judged that Sedgefield Hardwick continued to be an ‘Outstanding’ school.

"Sedgefield Hardwick Primary Academy is aspirational for all pupils. Pupils’ individual contributions to the school community are valued and celebrated. The curriculum is ambitious. The school’s ethos, of ‘Instil, Inspire, Innovate’ is clear to see. This is reflected in pupils’ enthusiasm for learning and their positive attitudes towards school. Pupils achieve exceptionally well from their starting points."

“Children in the early years benefit from the stimulating and engaging environment. Staff expertly guide children through a range of activities that develop their social, emotional and learning skills.”

“Pupil’s behaviour is exemplary. In lessons, pupils are focused, respectful and eager to learn. The school’s approach to behaviour prioritises teaching pupils how to regulate their emotions.”

“The character development of pupils is the cornerstone of the school’s success. Pupils have a mature and comprehensive understanding of mental well-being, managing emotions and treating others fairly."

You can view all of our previous OFSTED reports here.  OFSTED is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. OFSTED regulate and inspect schools and colleges to seek improvement in the service. They carry out large number of inspections and regulatory visits in England and publish their finding on their website.

Department of Education

Many Parents are keen to see how we are performing in relation to other schools.

The Department of Education (Dfe) Performance Tables provide a reliable and accessible source of comparative information on pupil attainment and progress, absence, workforce and finance. The Performance Tables include percentages of pupils attaining in line with age related expectations and those performing at a greater depth in reading, writing and maths and the percentage of expected progress in each subject. You can find the School Performance Tables from the DfE by clicking here.

School is top of the class for innovation in the UK

Sedgefield Hardwick Primary Academy has been recognised by T4 Education’s World’s Best School Prizes as one of the top ten most innovative schools globally - the only school in the UK to be shortlisted in this category.

Headteacher Paul Taylor said: “As part of Laidlaw Schools Trust, innovation is at the heart of everything we do.  An innovative approach to education nurtures a culture of curiosity, exploration, and problem-solving, equipping children with essential skills for their personal, academic, and professional growth.

“Our school was shortlisted as we have eradicated traditional, passive learning styles and ignited a wildfire of academic and character success among our pupils. Our unique approach progressively builds knowledge and skills in a logical, sequenced manner to create independent learners, and has resulted in consistency, high expectations, and innovative thinking.

“I am immensely proud to lead our fantastic team at Sedgefield Hardwick. Each day, I am reminded of the incredible potential within our pupils and the transformative impact our dedicated staff and supportive community have on their lives."

The World’s Best School Prize for innovation was launched by T4 Education to celebrate schools that make a difference. Sedgefield Hardwick, rated by Ofsted as outstanding, was shortlisted in the top ten from thousands of global entries, and could be in line for a prize of $50,000.

Sally Newton, co-CEO of Laidlaw Schools Trust and former head of Sedgefield Hardwick, added: “Combining strong character education with the latest technology has transformed the approach to teaching and learning at Sedgefield Hardwick, putting pupils firmly at the forefront of transformational change.

Winning this award would mean a huge amount, not least in providing a platform to influence schools worldwide in a much-needed change to pedagogical approaches."

T4 Education has four other categories of prizes: Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Overcoming Adversity and Supporting Healthy Lives, with a further five UK schools among those shortlisted.

A judging academy comprising distinguished leaders across the globe including academics, educators, NGOs, social entrepreneurs, government and the private sector will choose a winner from the top ten schools in October. The World’s Best School Prize winner from each category will receive a share of the $250,000 award to expand and enhance their education projects.

To celebrate the announcement, Laidlaw Schools Trust hosted its first Innovation festival with 600 pupils from its academies in Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham. Pupils were set challenges in Innovation Stations to solve real life problems linked to Unicef's Sustainable Development Goals. It also received messages of congratulations from the town’s former MP, Sir Tony Blair, Lord Irvine Laidlaw and the Bishop of Durham.

OPAL Platinum Play Award

In July 2024, we were assessed by the OPAL team for our play provision.  We were delighted to attain the Platinum Award Level - the highest level awarded by OPAL.

"Huge congratulations on achieving your OPAL Platinum Award yesterday afternoon. It was wonderful discussing your transformation of play and seeing your play offer.  It was truly fantastic.

Your school has managed to implement the cultural and practical changes recommended in the OPAL programme and the results are clear to see - Sedgefield Hardwick Primary School is now truly a Platinum Award Level OPAL school. This means that every child has an amazing playtime every day. It also means that play is taken seriously at the school and is given appropriate leadership, planning, evaluation and resources.  Playtimes at Sedgefield Hardwick School are inclusive, joyful and provide a wonderful variety of types of play."