Newton Flotman Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Newton Flotman Church of England Primary Academy. Each day pupils are welcomed into an environment where warmth and a sense of care radiates from everyone.

Pupils feel safe. They trust adults to help them resolve problems. They know that there is always someone to support them if they need help.

The majority of pupils are polite, respectful and behave well. They want to learn. However, too often, their learning is disrupted by the behaviour of a significant minority of pupils.

Pupils know that adults want them to do well. Many pupils try their hardest to achieve the aspirational goals that are set for them. However, the curriculum i...s not taught consistently well enough.

As a result, the learning of some pupils is not as secure as it could be.

Pupils benefit from close links with the village church. This helps them to understand key values such as tolerance.

They understand that other people's views or appearance may be different to their own, but this is not a reason to treat them unkindly. Consequently, everyone, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are fully involved in school life.

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

The school has invested significant time and resources to plan an ambitious curriculum.

A partnership model with another trust school has added valuable capacity for subject leadership. As a result, curriculum plans set out precisely what should be taught and when.

While teachers understand the curriculum aims, there are inconsistencies in its delivery.

Teachers present the key information to pupils as planned. However, their checks on how well it has been understood are not effective. Teachers do not ask questions that accurately pinpoint misconceptions or gaps.

As a result, it is not clear to teachers which pupils have understood what they have been taught. Teachers do not accurately determine who may need support to complete learning. This means that time and resources are not routinely used effectively.

Suitable activities are not given to pupils to deepen their understanding, and some pupils struggle to complete activities. While pupils may be able to answer questions in the lesson, they struggle to remember information over time.

Reading is a key priority.

In the early years, the adopted phonics scheme is taught well. Children start to learn to read at an early stage. As pupils move through the school, they learn and develop the ability to blend sounds together to read new words.

The books they read are well matched to these sounds. As a result, pupils develop fluency and confidence in their reading. Those who struggle are quickly identified and supported to keep up.

Children in the early years access a well-planned curriculum. Learning is reinforced by carefully crafted play opportunities. Children learn important routines that mean they work and play well together.

They are exposed to a rich vocabulary that prepares them well for key stage 1. They are enthusiastic and want to share what they have done with adults.

The school accurately identifies the specific barriers to learning for pupils with SEND.

Precise plans address these barriers with well-considered adjustments. These are easy for teachers to implement. As a result, pupils with SEND successfully learn alongside their peers.

Pupils with SEND achieve well.

Not all adults maintain the school's high expectations in relation to pupils' conduct. This results in learning being interrupted by low-level disruption too often.

Some adults do not act quickly enough to identify and manage disruptive behaviour. Many pupils are frustrated by this, as it stops them from learning.

Well-planned personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education and health education curriculums helps pupils to learn an age-appropriate understanding of what they need to know to be a valued citizen in the future.

They learn tolerance, respect and the importance of making a positive contribution. Carefully chosen books and stories help pupils understand and value difference.

The trust has provided critical support since the school opened.

Valuable expertise has helped the school to develop its curriculum and secure improvements in, for example, the early years. Without this input from experienced leaders these gains would have taken longer to secure. The board and executives work closely with school leaders to ensure that staff are well cared for.

Staff value this.

Parents are happy with the improvements the school has made. They can see how it is better and understand that some elements of provision take longer to catch up.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment strategies are not refined enough for teachers to accurately identify gaps and misconceptions and to determine what pupils know and if they are ready to move on. This means that teachers cannot adapt their approaches to support those who need help and deepen the understanding of others.

Consequently, pupils do not learn as well as they should. The school should ensure that all teachers are trained to understand and use the most effective assessment strategies for individual situations. Not all adults maintain the school's high expectations in relation to pupils' behaviour.

Adults do not consistently apply the systems in place to manage pupils' behaviour. This means that, too often, learning is disrupted by a small number of pupils. The school should ensure that all adults are clear about the expectations and that the behaviour management processes are applied consistently and fairly by everyone at all times.