Newby Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Newby Primary School model the school values of being kind, confident and successful. They enjoy attending this caring school. Pupils trust adults to look after and support them.

As a result, pupils are safe in the school and feel part of the school family.

The school ensures that pupils understand how to behave well in lessons and at social times. For example, adults praise pupils for sensibly walking down the corridors.

When pupils receive a house token reward for this, they are very proud.

Pupils understand that respecting differences is important. They describe the differences between people with understanding and compassion.

P...upils' understanding of the protected characteristics is carefully developed by the school. This helps pupils to be prepared well for life in modern Britain.

The school enables pupils to take on leadership roles.

Some older pupils are lunchtime ambassadors. They help younger children understand how to tidy up after lunch. Pupils are keen to take on these roles.

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

The school ensures that staff understand how pupils learn to read. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading. Pupils engage well with their phonics lessons.

Pupils who are at the early stages of reading are identified quickly. The school puts in place effective support to help pupils to catch up quickly. Reading is a part of pupil's daily lives and is something they enjoy.

Pupils talk passionately about their favourite books.

Pupils benefit from a well-planned curriculum. The curriculum is ambitious and provides pupils with many opportunities to broaden their knowledge and skills.

For example, in art and design, pupils explore how sculpture can be created from different materials, such as foils and recycled materials. The school has identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to understand and remember. However, on occasions, teaching does not consistently check how well pupils have retained this important knowledge.

This means that pupils move on to new learning before they are ready.

The school has improved the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The use of different strategies, such as visual prompts to support writing development, help pupils to access the curriculum.

The school teaches all pupils Makaton. This helps pupils with communication needs to be more able to communicate and be understood.

Attendance is a priority in the school.

There are effective systems in place to help pupils to attend well.

The school has carefully developed the personal development curriculum. Pupils talk excitedly about the range of extra-curricular clubs on offer, including calligraphy, hockey and choir.

Pupils value these experiences and how they expand their interests. The school works closely with the community to develop an appropriate personal, social and health education curriculum. Daily assemblies explore important themes, such as tolerance.

Pupils understand what this means to them and respect the right to hold different beliefs. Some pupils miss out on these important messages as they have catch up sessions during assembly time.

Children in early years benefit from a curriculum that prepares them for the next stage of their learning.

The school provides activities that are purposeful and well considered. The school considers the behaviours that they want children to develop. For example, they deliberately limit the number of resources available to children to learn and play with to encourage them to share and take turns.

Leaders in the school, including governors, are proud of the strong links the school has with the community. There is a determination to give pupils the best start in life. They enjoy working closely with all families.

The school regularly invites parents in to showcase events. Families enjoy speaking to teachers and seeing what has been covered in the term.

Staff feel valued by leaders.

They are happy and feel part of a family. Staff are confident that their workload and well-being are considered.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasions, teaching does not check how well pupils have learned important knowledge. This means that pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. The school needs to ensure that effective strategies for checking pupils' understanding are consistently implemented.

• Some pupils do not regularly attend assemblies that promote their wider development. This means they miss out on valuable opportunities to enhance their understanding of the world. The school should explore ways to ensure that all pupils access this important learning.