Newnham Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Newnham Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and cohesive school where everyone gets on. Staff know pupils well. They help pupils to learn, be happy and stay safe.

When asked if they liked school, one pupil said, 'No.' He quickly went on to add, 'I love it.' This was typical.

Behaviour is highly positive in class and around the school. Pupils thrive on the rewards that are available to them, including recognition in celebration assembly, points for positive behaviour and certificates for regular reading and for being 'homework heroes'. Pupils take the 'three strikes' system seriously.

However, they sa...y that the ultimate sanction of 'time out' is rarely used.

Pupils know what bullying is and the different forms that it can take. As one pupil, in common with others, said: 'Bullying is not tolerated here.'

Pupils can get help by putting a message in the school's worry boxes. They say adults check these boxes regularly. Pupils explained how they can use the friendship bench if they need a friend.

Pupils know the school's values of ambition, compassion, courage, integrity and respect. They understand how these values prepare them for the next stage of their education and beyond. Pupils do their best to model these attributes.

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

Leaders are determined that all pupils will be passionate readers. Reading is taught consistently well, including phonics. Leaders provide staff with training and close support.

The school's phonics programme is well structured. Staff know which sounds pupils should learn at each stage of their education. As a result, pupils learn quickly and remember the sounds they are expected to.

On the whole, reading books are matched to the sounds that pupils know. However, in a small number of cases, some pupils have reading books that are too hard for them. They are not able to read as fluently as they could.

After phonics, pupils go on to learn a well-organised reading curriculum. Pupils enjoy the 'talk for reading' lessons. They learn about a wide range of authors and genres.

Pupils read often and widely. They are motivated by the certificates that they can earn for reading. Pupils develop a love of reading.

Across the remaining subjects, the school's curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It is taught well. Teachers regularly check to make sure that pupils remember content.

In some subjects, including English and mathematics, pupils recall what they have learned with ease. However, in a few subjects, their knowledge and recall of the curriculum are less consistent.

Children in the early years engage enthusiastically with the activities on offer.

They work well together. The early years curriculum is systematically planned and sequenced. It is taught well.

However, some senior leaders do not understand the early years curriculum as well as they should. They do not hold staff and other leaders to account precisely enough for how well the curriculum is being taught.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well catered for.

The support plans in place for these pupils are well designed. They take account of these pupils' views. The plans assess these pupils' needs carefully and ensure that the right sort of help is in place.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) regularly checks to make sure that the help these pupils receive is effective. Pupils with SEND are involved fully in all aspects of school life.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

They know what important British values are and their meaning. Pupils learn about a diverse range of beliefs and communities. They know what discrimination is.

They say it is 'simply not tolerated at our school'. Pupils are proud of the roles they take on, including school representatives, eco-warriors and house captains. They make good use of the wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities that are on offer.

Leaders are consistently ambitious for the pupils. Leaders at all levels understand their roles and responsibilities. Work with its partner school ensures that this school has good capacity for continued improvement.

The work of the trust and the academy scrutiny board is systematic and well organised. Both provide school leaders with an effective level of challenge and support.

The views of pupils, parents and carers, and staff are consistently positive.

One parent summed up many when they said: 'Newnham School is a welcoming and wonderful school. My child is happy and excited to attend.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a culture where safeguarding is the highest priority. All staff know their responsibilities and are alert to any signs, no matter how small, that pupils might need help. All concerns are recorded.

However, in a small number of cases, some of the follow-up actions that are taken are not recorded in sufficient detail.

Pupils are taught how to stay safe in a range of situations. They know who to tell if they need help or feel unsafe.

They have a set of 'trusted five' people they know they can talk to.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of foundation subjects, the curriculum is not implemented consistently well. When this is the case, pupils cannot remember what they have learned in sufficient detail.

Leaders should make sure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well across all subjects so that pupils' recall of important knowledge is secure. ? Some senior leaders do not understand the early years curriculum as well as they should. They are unable to hold staff and other leaders to account well enough for the effectiveness of the curriculum in this phase.

Those responsible for governance should ensure that the relevant senior leaders fully understand the early years curriculum and its associated teaching. ? Leaders respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns about pupils. However, in a small number of cases, leaders do not always make sure that records of their actions to keep pupils safe from potential harm are thorough enough.

It is not always clear in pupils' safeguarding records what actions have been taken, when and by whom. Leaders should ensure that all actions taken in relation to safeguarding are documented fully and sufficiently detailed.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2017.