Northwood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this school.

They know their teachers want them to work hard and be the best they can be. The school's values, including empathy, responsibility and belonging, help everyone to feel a valued part of the school. This camaraderie between pupils means, as one pupil said, 'Your classmates make you believe you can do it'.

The school has improved aspects of the quality of education since the last inspection. Importantly, the school has embedded an effective and well-delivered phonics programme. All other subjects now have a clear and precisely designed curriculum.

This means pupils are learning more key knowledge. This good curriculum... starts in the Reception Year, where children have an inquisitive enthusiasm to learn. By Year 6, the pupils are in a strong position, ready to start secondary school.

Pupils appreciate all the opportunities, which have notably increased, the school gives them. They can attend yoga, crochet and handbell clubs, to name but a few. Pupils talk excitedly about the opportunities to compete against other schools.

They perform very well in these sporting competitions.

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

The school is ambitious and aims to provide all pupils with a high-quality education. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and other disadvantaged pupils.

The school's curriculum includes the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need to learn at each stage. Teachers deliver this curriculum well. Pupils are achieving more across the curriculum since the previous inspection.

Across the school, pupils enjoy reading and choosing books from the well-stocked library. Staff want to develop every child's love for reading. They ensure that pupils have books they can read and gain confidence from.

Pupils develop their comprehension through carefully chosen texts that the teachers provide. The new phonics scheme is improving pupils' early reading. All staff use the training they have received effectively to teach phonics well.

The school monitors carefully how well pupils learn phonics. This enables the school to provide pupils with additional support, if they need it, in order to catch up.

In all other subjects, the school has implemented a curriculum that enables pupils to build their knowledge over time.

In mathematics, pupils practise and repeat arithmetic and problem-solving skills regularly. This means pupils develop and embed mathematical concepts well. In other subjects, staff deliver lessons that extend pupils' prior learning effectively.

Teachers check pupils' understanding in lessons and provide timely support. In some subjects, however, the school does not always know how well pupils have remembered key knowledge. This means staff training and curriculum adaptations are not always as closely linked to improving pupils' achievement as they could be.

Pupils' behaviour in classrooms is calm and orderly, and their engagement in lessons is generally strong. Pupils are kind and enthusiastic. They work well together in class.

However, occasionally, pupils become disengaged from their learning. Lessons are rarely disrupted by the behaviour of others. When pupils require further support, either academically or for their behaviour, staff work collaboratively with parents and external agencies effectively.

This helps to ensure that all pupils get the precise help and support they need, including those with SEND.

Pupils can choose from a wide variety of activities to develop their personal interests. Staff think creatively to provide different and more bespoke clubs.

The curriculum is also enhanced with a range of different trips and visitors. Pupils' understanding and appreciation of the natural world develop through effective outdoor learning in the beautiful grounds. Pupils have responsibilities through pupil leadership roles such as school councillors, librarians and 'classroom ambassadors'.

Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. This strengthens their understanding of people's differences and similarities.

Governors have been a consistent strength of the school community since the last inspection.

They have supported the staff to make the required improvements. Governors have ensured that key duties in relation to the school's finances and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the education their children receive, with one saying, 'I was told it is like a family and they really want what is best for the children.

I completely agree. I just wish he could stay forever.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school's checks on what pupils have learned are not as effective as in others. As a result, not all pupils achieve as well as they could overall. The school should check how well pupils have learned the key knowledge across the curriculum and use this information to adapt future staff training and curriculum adaptations.

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