Newlands Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve, especially those with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND), and the most disadvantaged. However, they are aware there is more work to be done to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they could.

The school's five values, 'respect, responsibility, kindness, persevere and honest' are important to staff and pupils. They underpin the new approach to behaviour. As one pupil stated: 'These are the mesh for behaviour.

They pull everything together.' Pupils and staff say behaviour has improved. A parent said: 'I am impressed with how the school has been tackling behaviour in a much more positive way.'
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Pupils are proud of the roles and responsibilities they hold. They say these roles, such as eco-warrior, library monitor, music monitor and leading lights, help improve the school and environment. For example, the eco-warriors organised the 'Big Green Event'.

They encouraged other pupils to explore how they could consider environmental needs.

Leaders are keen to involve parents and carers in their child's learning. 'DEAR – drop everything and read' events are well attended by parents.

However, leaders have not always explained clearly enough the positive changes introduced in school recently.

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

Pupils learn to read as soon as they join the Reception Year. There is a systematic approach to the way staff teach phonics.

Teachers swiftly identify if pupils fall behind or there are any gaps in their phonic knowledge. Pupils receive the support they need to catch up. Pupils regularly practise reading with adults in school.

Leaders ensure that books are prominent throughout the school. Story time is important. Pupils enjoy the way teachers bring the books to life by changing their voices and creating suspense.

Pupils say they enjoy reading. One pupil stated: 'Some books can be funny, and some can be educational. A bit like a TV in your head.'

However, some pupils say they would like to see more books about the topics they like. They would also like to use the library more often.

Leaders have established a new curriculum.

However, the key knowledge and content that pupils need to learn in a few subjects is not sufficiently well considered and structured, including in the early years foundation stage (EYFS). In those subjects where leaders identify key knowledge, for instance mathematics and science, teachers are able to check more closely what pupils know and remember. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to correct misconceptions.

In a few subjects, approaches to checking what pupils know and remember do not identify consistently gaps in pupils' learning. Where teacher's subject knowledge is strong, lessons are are typically well constructed and delivered. For example, in physical education (PE), pupils are active, engaged and listen well to instructions.

Children in the early years are happy. Well-planned activities provide opportunities for children to explore and apply their learning. For instance, children created a living environment for a snail which provided food, water and shelter.

Children work well together. They are inquisitive and keen to share their learning. However, leaders recognise the curriculum requires more structure in a few areas of learning.

Leaders know pupils with SEND well. Leaders set clear and ambitious targets for these pupils to achieve. Leaders train staff so that they know how to support pupils with SEND effectively.

However, not all teachers routinely ensure that pupils with SEND access the curriculum well enough. However, leaders do ensure that teachers adapt learning environments to support these pupils.

Recent changes to the behaviour policy have helped to improve the standard of pupils' behaviour considerably.

Pupils like the new token system. Leaders recognise they need to check that the application of the new behaviour policy is consistent. Pupils say bullying is not tolerated.

Pupils have a good understanding of equality and diversity. They state it is, 'Okay to be different'. Pupils are less clear of the significance of British values.

There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to explore different activities and interests such as tennis, trampolining and drawing. Leaders provide opportunities to learn to play instruments. Pupils perform to their parents the pieces they had learned in the steel pan club.

There have been significant senior leadership changes recently. However, senior leaders have remained resolutely focused on improvement. Support from a multi-academy trust has supported leadership.

Leaders, including subject leaders, have made many changes at the school in recent months but have not yet had the opportunity to check and evaluate the impact these changes have made on the quality of education. Governors have been supportive of leaders. Staff well-being has been a priority throughout the recent changes.

Staff say they feel supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at this school.

Leaders ensure that staff have the knowledge to identify any potential signs of concern or harm. Effective systems help staff to share their concerns swiftly. Leaders scrutinise records and make sure that pupils and families receive the support they need.

Governors rigorously monitor the work of the school regarding safeguarding.

Pupils say they feel safe. They say bullying is rare.

Should it occur they know there are adults they can go to who will deal with it. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe when working online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders, including subject leaders, have made many changes at the school in recent months but have not yet had the opportunity to evaluate the impact these changes have made.

This means that they do not have a full picture of the strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum. Leaders should strengthen their monitoring and evaluation processes. They should do this to gather information that will help them provide more informed strategic direction to secure improvements to the quality of education they provide.

• The key knowledge and content that pupils need to learn in a few subjects is not sufficiently well considered and structured, including in the early years. In a few subjects, it is not yet fully clear what children should learn and by when, to build their knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that curriculum thinking for all subjects sets out the knowledge that all pupils, from Reception to the end of key stage 2, should know and by when.

• Approaches to checking what pupils know and remember do not identify consistently gaps in pupils' learning. In some subjects, where curriculum thinking is less clear, teachers do not check effectively how successfully pupils acquire knowledge. Leaders should ensure that assessment consistently assists teachers in producing clear next steps for pupils without causing unnecessary burdens for staff and pupils.

• Not all teachers routinely ensure that pupils with SEND access the curriculum well enough. As a result, pupils with SEND do not always benefit from a good-quality education. Leaders should make sure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need, so that they achieve as highly as they should.