Newbury Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at Newbury Park. They understand and embody the school's values of compassion, curiosity, creativity and courage.

Pupils feel safe and are kept safe at school. Staff build strong relationships with pupils. Pupils feel comfortable at school and thrive as a result.

The school has high expectations of all pupils. This starts in the early years, where activities are carefully designed to ensure that pupils learn the curriculum well. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is very effective.

Most pupils work hard and achieve highly, including in national assessments.

The school teaches pupils to b...e 'ready, respectful and safe'. As a result, pupils typically behave well and show respect to adults and their peers.

From the early years, they play well together, take turns and share. Bullying is rare and quickly resolved if it happens. Pupils are confident to talk to staff about any concerns that they may have.

The school provides pupils with a wide range of leadership opportunities. These include supporting each other as peer mentors, or by taking on a range of ambassador roles. Pupils are excited to take part in 'golden time' every Friday, where they choose from a variety of enrichment activities that help broaden their horizons.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has made some recent changes to the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious for all pupils. They have made sure that what pupils learn is based on the ambition and breadth of the national curriculum and supports pupils in building their knowledge sequentially. The recent changes are already having a positive impact, but the school intends to develop parts of the wider curriculum further.

The school has provided a range of support which helps staff to develop their expertise, for example in the delivery of the phonics curriculum.

The way in which pupils' understanding is checked in the classroom is inconsistent. Sometimes, gaps in learning arise because misconceptions are not addressed.

The delivery of new aspects of the curriculum will be enhanced by providing further support for staff in this area.

The school has high expectations for all pupils to develop as confident, successful learners. The additional needs of pupils with SEND are accurately identified.

Support given by adults in class meets these needs well. This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve well and access the same curriculum as their peers.

The school has made reading a priority.

The phonics curriculum is taught effectively by well-trained staff. The school ensures that any pupils who are at risk of not keeping up in phonics receive appropriate support to catch up. Staff ensure that the books that pupils read closely match the sounds that they know.

This helps pupils to read with increasing fluency. Class reading sessions take place with teachers modelling positive reading behaviours. Year 6 pupils enjoy acting as reading buddies for younger children.

Most pupils concentrate well in class and respond quickly to teachers' instructions. They are excited to share what they have learned and have positive attitudes to their education. Younger children are supported well to settle into school life and quickly understand the daily routines and expectations of them.

As a result, the school is typically calm and orderly. Pupils enjoy chanting their new school mantra, 'learning for life, achieving together'. This develops in them a sense of belonging and pride in their school.

The school has introduced robust systems and procedures for ensuring that pupils attend school regularly. Staff share clear messages with pupils and their parents and carers about the importance of attending well. As a result, attendance is above the national average and improving.

Pupils' personal development is well supported. They are taught how to stay healthy, starting in the Nursery, where children have opportunities to learn about nutritious foods. Across the school, pupils have been taught about healthy and safe relationships.

Pupils are encouraged to stay safe, including online, and to report any concerns to an adult, or via 'bubble time' in classrooms. Pupils are taught to understand and celebrate different faiths and cultures. They enjoy making visits to different places of worship.

The school is intending to ensure that pupils make more use of opportunities to develop their talents and interests.

There have been recent changes to leadership and governance. Leaders have been swift in evaluating the school's strengths and weaknesses.

Many areas have already been addressed, but work is still needed to improve delivery of the new aspects of the curriculum. Parents appreciate the hard work and dedication shown by staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment is not used consistently to check pupils' understanding across the curriculum. As a result, gaps develop in some pupils' knowledge. The school should ensure that support is provided to ensure assessment is used well to identify and address any gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge.

• Opportunities to nurture, develop and stretch pupils' talents and interests are not well developed. Pupils do not always make good use of the opportunities on offer. The school should ensure that opportunities to stretch and develop pupils' talents and interests are well considered.