Newton Poppleford Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like this school and attend regularly.

They are keen to learn and behave well. The shared values of resilience, resourcefulness, reflectiveness, responsibility and readiness are at the heart of the school community. Pupils think highly of staff.

Consequently, relationships are strong.

Leaders have recently changed how the curriculum is organised. Pupils learn some subjects, such as music and religious education, on 'Wow Wednesdays'.

Pupils enjoy this approach.

Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve in English and mathematics. They work hard to support pupils well.

However, the curriculum has not been consiste...ntly strong in every subject in the past. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

Pupils feel safe at the school.

They know who to turn to if they have concerns. They are confident that staff would support them and sort out any difficulties they have. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens.

When it does, they trust staff to deal with it quickly.

The school's ethos encourages pupils to lead healthy lifestyles. The 'Take Ten' challenge encourages pupils to exercise and reduce their stress levels.

The high level of care, including the work of the school mentor and play therapist, helps to support pupils with their social, emotional and mental health needs well.

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

Children get off to a flying start in the early years. Leaders have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn.

Adults help children to grow in confidence. There is a sharp focus on children's language development in the pre-school. This is built on further in Reception.

As a result, children develop a strong understanding of phonics for reading and writing, and see success right from the start.

In key stage 1, the reading curriculum sets out clearly what is to be taught and when. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to teach pupils to use and apply their phonics so that they read well.

Any pupils who fall behind catch up quickly because of the precise support they receive.

Across the school, motivational talks with visiting authors promote the love of reading. Reading is threaded through the curriculum to provide connections with other subjects.

For example, pupils in Year 6 were keen to explain how their class novel, 'Hitler's Canary', is helping them learn about the Second World War before they study it in history.

Leaders' actions to improve the mathematics curriculum are proving effective. In the early years, children learn a lot.

They get the strong foundations they need for Year 1. Across the school, the mathematics curriculum ensures that pupils' learning builds on what they already know. For example, pupils use basic number facts to solve increasingly complex problems.

Nonetheless, there are occasions when pupils do not learn all the mathematical vocabulary they need. This prevents some pupils from explaining their thinking and excelling in mathematics.

The school's approach to writing provides pupils with the knowledge they need to spell, punctuate and use grammar accurately.

However, there are occasions when pupils do not use everything they have learned in English, to organise their writing consistently well. Some older pupils do not consider how to order and make connections between paragraphs. This holds pupils back from achieving their very best.

Pupils develop their knowledge securely over time in some subjects, for example in French. They make connections across sequences of work and this helps them learn more and remember more. However, the curriculum is not as well-structured in every subject.

Many curriculum leaders are new to their roles. They have not checked that teachers are supporting pupils to develop a deep knowledge in their subjects. Consequently, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding.

Teachers make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the curriculum effectively. Staff know pupils' needs well. Pupils receive caring support in class and achieve well.

Pupils enjoy sport and benefit from a well-planned physical education (PE) curriculum. Carefully planned activities make sure that everyone can take part in games. Extra support is available for some pupils with SEND.

This helps to improve their balance and coordination.

Governors understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school and they hold leaders to account for bringing about improvements effectively, for example improving the attendance of disadvantaged pupils. Staff feel that leaders, including governors, value them and support their work.

Lots of worthwhile experiences help pupils to develop personally and socially. For example, pupils enjoy helping to improve the environment through the eco-council. Pupils enjoy learning about Christianity and other religions.

In 'Wow Week', pupils learn about a wide variety of countries, such as Australia and Japan. This helps them to understand about other cultures and customs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know pupils well and take their welfare seriously. They are vigilant to signs that a pupil may be at risk, and act swiftly to report concerns. The designated safeguarding leaders work effectively with external agencies.

They keep detailed records of their work, so they can check on progress and follow up on actions taken to keep pupils safe. This ensures that families and pupils receive support in a timely manner. Leaders make sure that the school's recruitment and training procedures are robust.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The curriculum is not yet planned coherently in every subject. The actions leaders have already taken to train staff in how to plan and deliver the curriculum demonstrate that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transition arrangement has been applied.

Leaders need to ensure the curriculum is well planned and implemented in every subject so that pupils know and remember more across the curriculum. . The school's high expectations of writing are not applied consistently well.

Consequently, a minority of pupils do not use all the writing techniques they have been previously taught, such as paragraphing. Teachers do not routinely expect pupils take to ownership of organising their writing sufficiently well. Leaders need to ensure that teachers enable pupils to use and apply their writing knowledge and skills so that they can excel in their writing in every subject.