Newtown CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of this caring and welcoming school. They know that each member of staff cares about them as individuals.

The school's high expectations for all pupils and vision for pupils to 'let your light shine' are being realised. Pupils love coming to school and learning. As a result, most achieve well in many subjects.

Parents agree, with one comment being typical of many when they stated, 'My child enjoys going to school every day; they skip in and skip out.'

The school's values of strength, love and wisdom permeate all aspects of the school's work. The school has worked hard to ensure pupils understand these values.

Pupils say they ...are important and that they 'help us to develop our character'. Pupils understand the school's high expectations of their behaviour. They follow the school's rules of 'ready, respectful, safe'.

They are polite and respectful towards each other and to staff.

Pupils make a positive and tangible contribution to the development of the school. For example, members of the school parliament are 'ministers' for education, sports and charity.

They take these roles seriously. Pupils also enjoy other responsibilities such as being 'buddies' for younger pupils or 'hen pals' looking after the school's chickens.

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

Following the last inspection, new leaders rightly identified the need to invigorate the school's curriculum.

The curriculum is now well thought out and ambitious. It considers the mixed-age classes that many pupils are in. The school has put the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at the centre of the curriculum.

It ensures that the curriculum has a foundation in the early years. As a result, the curriculum now builds logically over time. However, in some subjects, pupils still have gaps in their knowledge due to the curriculum being new.

As a result, their learning does not build on what they already know.

Teachers use the information provided by 'subject ambassadors' from across the federation to deliver the curriculum. They have received training and support in order to do so.

Staff regularly check and review prior learning. However, they are not yet consistently adept enough in using all this information to deliver lessons as intended. This means pupils do not learn as well as they could in some subjects.

The school ensures that staff are well trained to deliver its chosen phonics programme effectively. They provide pupils with books that are well suited to their knowledge of sounds. Pupils who struggle with reading receive swift support to help them keep up with their learning.

As a result of this consistency, current Reception and Year 1 pupils are doing well in phonics and older pupils who need to are catching up quickly. Staff read to pupils daily. Those pupils who do not read regularly at home receive extra attention in school.

As a result, pupils develop a love of reading.

Children get off to a good start to school life in the early years. Staff quickly form positive and productive relationships with them.

Staff know the children well and understand their individual needs. They focus closely on children's language development. Children practise learning that staff have previously delivered.

In this way, children are well prepared for Year 1.

The school is relentless in ensuring pupils with SEND receive the support they need. It accurately identifies pupils' needs and reviews learning plans to ensure they reflect the current needs of individual pupils.

In lessons, teachers use various strategies to adapt tasks so pupils can access their learning. This means that pupils with SEND learn well alongside their peers.

There are high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils learn and play positively together. Those who struggle with their behaviour receive effective support to improve it. This has resulted in fewer serious incidents with regard to pupil behaviour.

The school is committed to securing good attendance for all pupils.

The school considers pupils' personal development to be as important as their academic development. Pupils benefit from experiences which deepen their knowledge.

For example, pupils explained how an experience where they had practised being Roman legionaries had helped them understand the power of the Roman Empire. The school has planned experiences to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. However, pupils' understanding of different faiths and cultures is less well developed.

Staff speak very positively about the school. They praise the support that they receive for their professional development, workload and well-being. Governors support the school well.

Staff and governors are proud to be a part of this inclusive school community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has recently revised its curriculum.

In some subjects, pupils' learning does not build on what they already know. Consequently, they do not learn as well as they could because they have gaps in their learning. The school should ensure that pupils' prior knowledge is secure before they move on to new learning.

• Staff do not always deliver the intended curriculum as well as they could. As a result, some pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they could in lessons and over time. The school should continue to provide support to staff so they can deliver the curriculum well and pupils learn well over time.

• Pupils do not fully understand other cultures and faiths. As a result, they do not have a secure understanding of the breadth of different cultures and faiths in modern Britain. The school should ensure pupils learn effectively about other cultures and faiths so they have a deeper understanding of different cultures and world religions.