Newton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Newton Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone contributes to the calm and purposeful atmosphere at Newton Primary School. Staff have high expectations of all pupils, including children in the early years. Staff ensure that pupils learn how to share and work cooperatively.

Pupils work hard. They have positive attitudes, and lessons are rarely disrupted.

Playtimes are busy, with lots of activities.

Pupils play well together. They say unkindness or bullying occasionally happens, but adults quickly resolve it. Staff consider the reasons behind such behaviour.

Leaders support all pupils involved. Pupils ar...e confident to tell trusted adults about their worries, or they put these in the rainbow post box. Leaders act on the worries raised by pupils.

Pupils are enthusiastic and eager to play an active role in school. They are proud to apply for one of the many 'ambassador' roles. Pupils give speeches to explain their suitability for a role.

Elected safety ambassadors help on the playground, and the eco-ambassadors look after the school's chickens. The house captains prepare and lead assemblies to teach everyone about fundamental British values.

Pupils and staff are proud of their school.

Relationships are strong between school and home. Parents greatly appreciate that Newton Primary is a friendly and nurturing school, where the pupils achieve well.

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

Leaders have prioritised reading.

Children in the early years begin learning to read as soon as they start school. The phonics programme is well established. Well-trained staff make sure that pupils learn all the sounds in an appropriate order.

Pupils have closely matched reading books to practise blending the sounds they are learning. Leaders want every pupil to read fluently. They regularly check how well pupils are doing.

Effective support is quickly provided when pupils find reading difficult. Leaders have instilled a love of reading in pupils. Pupils listen to carefully chosen stories every day.

This helps them to imagine places, cultures, adventures and themes that are far beyond their own experience.

Leaders have carefully constructed a complex and ambitious curriculum. They have considered what knowledge is most important for Newton pupils.

They have put in place plans that build pupils' knowledge in a suitable order. Subject leaders are passionate and determined. They work hard to make sure that teachers share their high expectations.

Teaching is effective in most subjects, and pupils achieve well. For example, in mathematics, teachers clearly explain and model how to work out fractions and percentages. They skilfully question and correct pupils' misconceptions.

Pupils connect their knowledge and can explain in depth what they have learned.

Leaders are implementing more ambitious plans in a few subjects. Teachers' knowledge of these subjects is improving.

However, teachers do not yet have expert knowledge of these subjects. Their expectations of what pupils can achieve are not as high as in the other subjects. As a result, pupils remember less of what they have learned, and their work is not of the same high quality.

Teachers use assessment information well. They adapt teaching for pupils who need more help. Teachers are ambitious that pupils apply new knowledge in different contexts.

Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They accurately identify their needs. Staff provide effective support.

This enables pupils with SEND to access the full curriculum. When they need it, pupils receive effective help to regulate their behaviour and engage with learning.

Pupils' personal development is at the heart of the curriculum.

Leaders make sure that pupils learn the importance of the school values, such as teamwork, resilience and respect. Pupils can explain how these values are important to life in Britain today. Pupils are considerate and show respect for others.

Older pupils talk about the protected characteristics. They know it is important to treat everyone equally, regardless of race or disability for example.

Pupils are able to follow their interests through a range of clubs and activities.

Many pupils enjoy taking part in sports events or the 'rocksteady' band. Exciting trips broaden pupils' perspectives. Year 6 pupils will soon be visiting The Netherlands.

Year 3 and Year 4 pupils visit a school within a culturally diverse locality of Derby. They also enjoy hosting pupils from this other school in their own.

Leaders consider the well-being of staff.

They regularly check and reflect on their expectations of staff. Staff appreciate how leaders make sure that planning, marking and assessment are manageable.

The governing body clearly articulates its vision and aspirations for pupils.

The confident governors have a broad skill-set and challenge leaders effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously.

They make sure that safeguarding is at the forefront of staff practice. Staff receive regular and suitable training. They are knowledgeable about potential risks and report any concerns about pupils appropriately.

Leaders act on concerns without delay. They are insistent about securing the right help for pupils and families. Leaders use support from outside agencies alongside their own extensive pastoral support.

Leaders have carefully planned opportunities for pupils to learn how to stay safe. For example, pupils know how to stay safe when they are communicating online or when they are in the company of dogs.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not have as much subject and pedagogical knowledge as they need in a few recently reviewed subjects.

This means they lack the expertise to teach these subjects consistently to ensure that pupils achieve well across all subjects. Leaders must ensure that staff have the professional development they need to implement their new, ambitious and clearly sequenced plans effectively.

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 November 2017.

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