Newfield School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming school where pupils are known and celebrated as individuals. From the early years, pupils settle into the routines of school life well when they join the school. Relationships between pupils and staff are caring and strong.

This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

Pupils enjoy their learning, which is designed to stimulate their interests, develop their independence and prepare them well for adulthood. Expectations for their academic and social achievements are high, no matter which pathway they follow.

Pupils make timely progress toward their personal goals.

Pupils, including students in the sixth form, benefit from staff's effe...ctive use of sensory and therapeutic approaches. This gives pupils the tools to regulate their behaviour.

Staff swiftly respond to pupils' individual needs if they struggle with any emotional difficulties. Consequently, pupils' behaviour is calm in lessons and at other times during the day.

The school nurtures pupils' personal development well.

Pupils relish the opportunities on offer to them. These help to develop and broaden their understanding of the world around them. For example, pupils enjoy performing with a visiting theatre production company and regular trips to the swimming pool.

They are proud to compete in a bowling competition with other local schools.

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

The school has raised the bar on what it expects pupils to learn. It has identified the building blocks of knowledge that pupils should know and remember.

Learning is sequenced seamlessly from the early years to sixth form. Importantly, pupils follow a curriculum that is highly personalised to their individual needs. This helps all pupils, including those with profound and complex needs, to learn well.

Staff have benefited from extensive training to support the individual special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) of pupils in their classes. Staff use effective assessment strategies to establish pupils' starting points and to shape their future learning. This helps staff to make sure that pupils' learning builds on the things they already know.

However, in some subjects, including in the sixth form, the activities that staff select are sometimes not the most appropriate tasks to help pupils learn new concepts. This means that, at times, some pupils cannot understand what staff expect them to do and lose focus.

Across the school, there are thoughtful learning environments to suit each learning pathway.

For example, sensory rooms provide calm, safe spaces for pupils receiving therapeutic support. Older pupils benefit from spaces set up to promote independence, for example in switch training and cooking skills. However, in the early years, the school has not considered carefully enough how it uses its indoor and outdoor spaces.

As a result, the quality of opportunities for children to engage in play is variable. This hampers their ability to develop curiosity, to explore and to foster active learning through play.

The school prioritises the development of pupils' reading, language and communication skills.

Staff use a wide range of communication strategies and tools. In the early years, children are immersed in a language-rich environment where they regularly hear songs, rhymes and stories. Students in the sixth form are supported to practise communication skills in the community.

Staff skilfully teach the school's phonics programme. Pupils read from books that are matched to the sounds that they already know. This helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

All pupils who attend the school have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The school has effective strategies in place to identify and support any additional SEND that pupils may have. This includes wraparound provision for pupils' sensory and behavioural needs.

Typically, classrooms are harmonious and purposeful. Pupils are inquisitive and polite. The importance of regular attendance is highlighted to parents, carers and pupils.

Pupils, including those in the sixth form, attend school regularly.

Pupils' personal development is at the heart of all the school does. Pupils learn about the differences between people, and they celebrate them.

They know how to keep physically healthy. Pupils learn what makes relationships safe and positive. Pupils benefit from well-considered enrichment opportunities outside of the classroom.

For example, they enjoy residential trips to the Lake District, visits to the fire station and running a Christmas market stall in the town.

From the outset, pupils benefit from many opportunities to prepare them for adult life. This includes a carefully crafted careers programme that supports pupils to explore the different options available to them when they leave the school.

Students in the sixth form participate in independent living activities and work-related learning. These experiences help prepare them for their next steps.

Since the previous inspection, governance has been significantly strengthened.

Governors now demonstrate a precise understanding of their roles and responsibilities, enabling them to provide effective oversight of the school's work. Staff receive relevant training that helps them to feel confident in their roles. They appreciate the school's consideration of their well-being and workload.

Staff are proud to work at Newfield School.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, staff do not choose the most effective pedagogical activities to deliver the curriculum as intended.

Occasionally, this hinders pupils' learning of new knowledge. This includes students in the sixth form. The school should support staff to design learning that closely reflects the intended curriculum so that all pupils can learn well.

• In the early years, some children have variable opportunities to apply their learning in different contexts. This hinders some children's development of curiosity, concentration and enjoyment through play. The school should support staff to better utilise physical environments and resources to enhance children's learning experiences.