Newtons Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the leadership and management of the school by providing training for new middle leaders who have responsibility for raising standards in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• Further improve outcomes for pupils by ensuring:
  • that all teachers set high expectations for the work they require pupils to complete in reading activities
  • the development of pupils’ subject-specific skills across the wider curriculum
  • that pupils are given opportunities to apply their writing skills in other subjects
  • that pupils improve the presentation of their work and develop their handwriting into a more fluent and joined style
  • that there are more opportunities to apply their phonics knowledge to their reading and writing.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• There has been a relentless trend of improvement across all aspects of the school’s work since the previous inspection. The large number of staff who expressed a view were unanimous in saying that the school is much better now, and inspection evidence shows that they are right. The academic and personal development of pupils and staff is at the centre of leaders’ vision of ‘Together we reach our personal best’.
• Since April 2018, the school has worked in a hard federation with a local school, which has played an important role in bringing about improvements in leadership and management. The headteacher has made very good use of the advice, guidance and support she received from the executive headteacher and from the local authority. She has set high expectations for staff and pupils. Staff and governors share her ambitious vision, and they have united to make sure that the improvements are secure and sustainable.
• Leaders and governors are highly ambitious and have high expectations for staff and pupils. They have a clear understanding of what needs to improve and have taken decisive action to bring about the required changes. Regular meetings with class teachers lead to the identification of where pupils could do better and, sometimes, where staff need to improve their practice. This increased accountability has improved teaching and helped staff to flourish, encouraged by increased opportunities for relevant staff training.
• The leaders of both mathematics and English contribute well to school improvement. They lead training, scrutinise planning and observe learning. They have a clear understanding of what actions need to be taken to further develop the teaching in their subjects. The school rightly has plans in place to develop leaders of other subjects to the same standard.
• The curriculum is firmly based on the national curriculum but ranges well beyond this with activities that excite pupils’ interest and strongly support their positive attitudes to learning. There is an appropriate emphasis on developing literacy skills and mathematics, including opportunities for pupils to write in different styles. Music is a strength of the curriculum. For example, all pupils in Years 2 to 6 have the opportunity to learn how to play the violin from specialist music teachers. During the inspection, pupils were seen showing careful observation and skilled manipulation in these lessons.
• Leaders ensure that there is a wide range of extra-curricular activity on offer. Art, times table rockstars, rocket readers, ballroom dancing clubs are just a few examples of the many opportunities the pupils have to extend their interests. The pupils talk excitedly about the range of clubs on offer and say that they are always well attended.
• The school has been effective in providing support for pupils who qualify for pupil premium funding. The school has used some of the additional funding to provide extra support in classrooms, as well as financial support to help them to do the same activities as other pupils. This has helped them to progress well in addition to developing their confidence and positive attitudes to learning.
• Provision for pupils with SEND is well led. The learning support managers have a good knowledge of these pupils and their needs. They have, together with the leaders, used findings from monitoring to improve provision and teaching and, consequently, pupils’ outcomes.
• The success the school has in competitions in different sports and pupils’ enthusiasm for physical education (PE) reflect the good use made of the extra government funding. This has been used successfully to boost staff skills in teaching PE, as well as extending the variety of activities available to pupils.
• Moral and social development is exemplified in pupils’ outstanding behaviour. Parents are positive about the school and value what it does for their children. As one parent commented: ‘There is lots of encouragement for children to excel with learning but at the same time to be happy. All the staff are friendly and always ready to listen if you have concerns.’

Governance of the school

• The newly formed governing body is now at full strength. Governing body members have a wide range of knowledge, skills and expertise. As a result, they provide very effective support and challenge to the headteacher and staff.
• Governors are regular visitors to the school. They have a particular focus when they visit and report their findings back to the relevant committee or the full governing body.
• The headteacher’s reports to governors are succinct and informative. This enables governors to pick out important information, to ask challenging questions or provide follow-up support. Governors are well informed about pupils’ outcomes in regard to their academic achievements.
• School policies are regularly discussed, reviewed and updated with governors. Governors are well informed about the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. They know that this has improved markedly since the last inspection.
• Governors oversee the spending of pupil premium and sport funds and are aware of the positive effect that these have on eligible pupils’ achievement and the positive physical well-being for all.
• Governors ensure that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities for safeguarding.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school is vigilant in checking on pupils’ well-being, and it provides training for staff and governors to ensure that this is done well. Links with parents, and with a range of external agencies, support the school’s good arrangements to promote safety. Documentation is updated regularly and provides a firm foundation for good practice.
• School leaders make sure that staff are familiar with school policies and follow them carefully. Systems in place to keep pupils safe are robust. Staff recruitment procedures are thorough and well-trained school staff are deployed appropriately.
• Systems are reviewed regularly and training on safeguarding issues is up to date for all adults. Risk assessments are thorough, staff are checked as to their suitability and everyone knows what procedures to follow should they have any concerns. Staff are extremely vigilant in keeping pupils safe. They work closely with pupils and their families to ensure that the pupils are safe at all times.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school is good. The work in pupils’ books shows that they make good progress from their different starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. The school’s own data shows that in a range of subjects, well-planned lessons and good teaching leads to good progress. However, pupils would benefit from developing subject-specific skills in the wider curriculum.
• There are good relationships between staff and pupils and, consequently, pupils want to work hard. Teachers make learning interesting, and this motivates pupils to work hard and do their best. Teachers encourage pupils to talk, to share their ideas and ask questions of their own, and this gives them the confidence to take risks in their learning.
• Adults use questions effectively in order to help pupils develop their thinking and express their ideas. For example, in a Year 6 literacy lesson, strong questioning by the teacher encouraged pupils to think more deeply and reflect about reasons for the use of different vocabulary that would enhance their writing. Teachers use pupils’ responses to address any misconceptions they have and take time to deepen knowledge and understanding.
• Teachers build well on pupils’ prior learning, and they use assessment well in lessons and in their feedback for the next steps for improvement. This enables pupils to contextualise new learning and provides them with clarity on how to improve their work.
• The teaching of phonics is good. However, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to apply their knowledge of how words are sounded out and spelled to their everyday reading and writing.
• In the teaching of literacy, good use is made of a number of strategies to encourage pupils to write and to enable teachers to assess children’s needs. However, writing is not as well developed in other subjects as it is in English.
• In mathematics, teachers constantly encourage pupils to use what they already know to reason their answers, deepen their understanding and find the most efficient way to calculate. For example, in a Year 2 lesson on fractions, pupils were able to work out fractions related to shapes and gave reasons for their answers.
• The teaching of handwriting is not consistent throughout the school and, consequently, while pupils take a pride in their work, the presentation in books is not always as good as it could be. School leaders are aware of this and have plans in place to improve in this area.
• Pupils with SEND receive good support from teachers and teaching assistants so they are able to complete work which is matched to their abilities. Teaching assistants liaise very closely with teachers, routinely assessing the effectiveness of their support to promote good standards of achievement. They are often responsible for specific group tuition, using an effective range of strategies to support the learning of pupils who are in danger of falling behind. They are skilled and effective in giving pupils a boost to their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils demonstrate a strong sense of pride in their school. They enjoy taking on roles and responsibilities such as that of ‘school councillor’ or ‘play leader’. Pupils respond well to the high expectations placed on them. They show respect for themselves and for each other.
• Pupils to whom inspectors spoke stated: ‘We are all different but we are special in our own way.’ They say that they respect differences and would be accepting of any pupil who came to the school regardless of gender, race, religion, sexuality or ethnicity. They learn about British values through personal, social and health education lessons as well as in assemblies.
• Pupils feel safe in school, and rightly so. They are able to explain how the school keeps them safe, and also how it teaches them how to keep safe themselves in different situations, such as on the roads or when using the internet.
• Pupils very much enjoy the sports activities available to them at lunchtimes. They feel that these activities contribute greatly to their excellent behaviour because they ‘learn how to get along with pupils from other classes’. Leaders provide a wide range of clubs across sports and the arts for their pupils after school.
• Pupils’ confidence and self-esteem blossoms as they move through the school. They leave school as young adults, well prepared to take their place at secondary school and, ultimately, in the wider world.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils are proud of their school and speak highly of it. They respect the school environment, which is kept tidy. They are very polite and courteous, and treat others respectfully. Pupils encourage and support each other at playtime and lunchtime, making sure that there is always someone for each child to play with.
• Staff model the school’s values of compassion, kindness and peace in daily interactions with the pupils. This results in very positive relationships and mutual respect.
• In lessons, pupils are attentive and respond well to teachers’ instructions. They hold their teachers in high regard. This is because good systems are in place to teach pupils to behave well.
• The attendance of most pupils, including those with SEND, is improving and is now in line with that expected of all pupils nationally. The pupils who are persistently absent are carefully monitored and well supported to encourage better attendance. Some of these pupils have special medical needs or social circumstances that prevent them from arriving at school every day. The positive relationships which pastoral staff build with parents help to improve attendance for some of these pupils.
• Parents with whom inspectors spoke say that there are no issues around behaviour and, if there is a problem, staff always sort it out quickly and to their satisfaction. This view mirrored the opinion of almost all parents who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaire, Parent View.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Across the school, pupils make good progress. Standards have risen securely since the previous inspection. Leaders are constantly analysing the progress that all pupils are making in English and mathematics across the school. Where needed, necessary steps are taken with teachers and learners to ensure that underperformance is quickly addressed.
• Pupils’ outcomes have improved steadily over the last two years due to improvements in teaching, learning and assessment. Current assessment information and work in lessons and in pupils’ books show that they make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• From their different starting points, the majority of pupils in all year groups are making good progress and working at the expected standards for their age in reading, writing and mathematics.
• In 2018, the progress made by Year 6 pupils from their starting points on entry to Year 3 was good in reading and writing and mathematics. As a result, the standards reached by the end of Year 6 were above average in writing and slightly below the average in reading and mathematics.
• At the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics show steady improvement over time but continue to be below average in reading and writing. However, this represents good progress from children’s average starting points when they enter the school.
• The progress of pupils with SEND was slower than that of other pupils from similar starting points. The school’s assessment systems enable staff to identify which pupils have gaps in their learning or need specialist support. Consistent assessment and tracking procedures are helping staff to respond rapidly to identify any pupils at risk of falling behind. Staff make effective provision for these pupils in class, in small groups and individually. Consequently, now there are more pupils who are making good progress because of focused teaching matched to their needs and abilities.
• Effective monitoring and targeted support ensure that the gaps between the achievement of pupils who qualify for pupil premium funding and other pupils are closing throughout the school.

Early years provision Good

• The early years foundation stage benefits from well-organised leadership that provides a welcoming and purposeful learning environment.
• A high proportion of children enter the early years with skills and knowledge below those that are typical for their age. In addition, a larger number of the children are unable to speak English. They make good progress during their time in Nursery and Reception. The number of children achieving a good level of development, although still below average, is increasing each year. As a result, a greater proportion of children are ready for their transition into Year 1.
• Staff in the early years foundation stage work closely as a team. They communicate well together so they understand the learning and social and emotional needs of the children. They all observe children and record their learning and development. This information is used to plan next steps for children to enable them to make good progress across all areas of learning.
• Staff are vigilant in promoting children’s health, safety and well-being. As a result, children settle quickly and develop good social skills. They listen to adults and to each other, respond to instructions and follow well-established routines. They readily share equipment, take turns and help each other. Their behaviour is outstanding and they are eager to learn.
• Consistently effective teaching in all classes in this key stage enables children to make good progress, both personally and academically. Adults are good role models, and they promote the development of personal skills such as collaboration, sharing and daily courtesy that help children throughout their education.
• Good emphasis is placed on developing early reading, writing and number skills. Staff help children to use the correct mathematical language as they count or explore different shapes. They teach phonics well, so that children begin to develop their ability to sound and read simple words and to write and spell.
• Children enter the school from a wide range of settings and the school invests significant time and energy to ensure transition is smooth for all children. A number of visits are made to homes and families, and this ensures that home school partnerships are strong.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102319 Havering 10052832 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 374 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mrs Julie Lamb Mrs Lynn Lowe 01708 558 613 www.newtons.havering.sch.uk office@newtons.havering.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 15 to 16 June 2016

Information about this school

• Since April 2018, the school has become part of ‘The Growing Together’ Federation.
• Newtons Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The majority of pupils are from a White British background, with pupils from any other White background forming the next sizeable ethnic group.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is also above the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classrooms alongside school leaders, and, additionally, observed intervention groups.
• Meetings were held with school leaders, teachers and groups of pupils. Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the chair of the governing body and the school improvement adviser from the local authority.
• The inspectors worked in partnership with the school’s senior leaders when analysing information about the school. The inspectors looked at pupils’ outcomes, the school’s evaluation of its own performance, minutes from governing body meetings, the school development plan, and monitoring and evaluation records. Behaviour and attendance records and information relating to safeguarding were also checked.
• The inspectors walked around the school with pupils to find out more about their work from displays and extra-curricular activities. Inspectors interviewed groups of children from across the school to determine their views on behaviour and safety.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in the playground at playtime and in the lunch hall. They listened to pupils read and looked at work in pupils’ books alongside senior leaders.
• Inspectors took into account the views of parents by analysing the 33 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, as well as speaking informally to parents during the inspection.
• Inspectors took into account the views of 25 staff who responded to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Danvir Visvanathan, lead inspector Sarah Lack Jeffery Quaye Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector