Northwood Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that:
  • planned learning takes into account pupils’ previous learning so that work is not too easy for most-able pupils in mathematics
  • opportunities for writing across the curriculum are more effective
  • pupils have more opportunities to act on feedback from teachers.
• Improve leadership of the early years by sharply monitoring the progress of groups of pupils and the impact of any actions taken to improve outcomes.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has successfully developed a school community based on caring and inclusive values. Relationships in the school are exceptionally positive. All leaders and staff, including governors, share a clear vision for a continually improving school with high aspirations for all pupils.
• The headteacher took decisive action after the last inspection to improve the school. A staffing restructure of the school has taken place and leadership at all levels is more effective. As a result, teaching has strengthened and pupils’ outcomes have improved.
• Management of staff performance is highly effective and teachers are held to account for the progress of pupils. Staff report that they are well supported and morale is high. Staff have access to good training and hone their skills. They are deeply committed to providing a good education to pupils. One member of staff said, ‘It feels like a family with everyone supporting each other and showing their respect for every individual.’
• Leaders have developed effective training and moderation opportunities with other schools, both locally and further afield. As a result, they share good practice and have improved the reliability of teachers’ judgments about pupils’ progress.
• Leaders are supported well by a national leader of education. Leaders and the national leader of education have worked together on specific areas of improvement, such as teaching and learning in Year 6. This support has resulted in improved outcomes for pupils.
• The curriculum is developed well, with opportunities that effectively inspire pupils. The wider curriculum builds on pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills well. The school has developed the school site so that learning opportunities are enriched by regular outdoor sessions. These enable pupils to learn effectively about ecology, including the life cycle of newts and other pond creatures. Pupils engage well in such opportunities.
• Leaders have developed plentiful opportunities for trips and visits. Pupils enjoy visiting areas of interest, both on the island and the mainland. Pupils excitedly explained that they visited a castle; a supermarket, to learn about the supply of fruit and vegetables; and an outdoor activity centre. Pupils reflected on an exchange visit with their pen pals in London and how they learned about life in a big city compared to their own. Trips and visits enable pupils to learn well about the wider community and life in modern Britain.
• Leaders ensure that pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural aspects of learning are developed well. Displays around the school show a sense of family and community and are valued by all. Leaders promote kindness, celebrating pupils’ positive actions. Music plays in public areas of the school, effectively instilling calm and reflection.
• Leaders have used extra funding provided for disadvantaged pupils well. Leaders and governors regularly review the impact of spending plans. Funding is used well to provide extra support should a pupil fall behind. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make good progress, sometimes at a greater rate than their peers.
• Sports premium funding, to encourage participation in sporting and physical activity, is used well. Specialised coaches support regular sessions of physical education in the curriculum. In addition, numerous sporting activities take place after school and are attended well. These include tae kwon do, street dance, football for girls and boys, tag rugby, netball, basketball and indoor athletics.

Governance of the school

• A review of governance took place after the last inspection. As a result, new governors were recruited and an improved committee structure put in place. Governors are now highly skilled, with relevant experience. All governors undertake training so that they understand their responsibilities well. They fulfil their statutory roles effectively.
• Governors visit the school regularly to understand the work of the school. In a recent visit, a governor reviewed the impact of the pupil premium funding on the few pupils who are eligible for this extra resource. Governors know the school well.
• Governors know the strengths of the school and what needs to be done to improve any relative weaknesses. They rigorously challenge the headteacher and leaders by asking searching questions. Governors ensure that performance management of staff is rigorous. As a result, governance contributes well to improving the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders promote a strong culture of safeguarding. Teachers know their pupils well and are vigilant about safeguarding matters. Teachers have regular training and keep up to date with the latest national guidelines about safeguarding children. All staff are trained in how to keep pupils safe from extremism.
• Leaders and governors have undertaken training in safer recruitment. Statutory checks on personnel are made prior to appointment, recorded clearly and kept up to date.
• Pupils say they feel safe in the school. Parents agree that their children are well looked after and safe at the school. The physical environment is secured well with locks and padlocks on external doors and gates.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Staff have higher expectations of pupils than was the case at the last inspection. They plan their learning carefully, using their good subject knowledge across a range of subjects so that they inspire pupils to do well. As a result, pupils make good progress.
• Leaders have developed a strong focus on the teaching of literacy. The leader of English gives clear guidance and support to teachers to help them plan learning activities that provide opportunities for pupils to make good progress. For example, a framework for extended writing has been developed so that pupils can achieve higher standards. Displays in classrooms remind pupils of these steps. Pupils, while writing about the water cycle, reported that this was helpful and that they would not have made as much progress without it.
• The teaching of reading has improved and is reflected in pupils’ improved fluency and comprehension skills. Phonics teaching is structured well and supports pupils in improving their knowledge of letters and sounds in key stage 1. Pupils become confident readers in key stage 2 and develop their skills further, readily discussing together the meanings of passages from books. Pupils read widely.
• The new leadership of mathematics is embedding the approach that pupils are required to master new concepts before they move on. Practical equipment and visual resources, often chosen by the pupils, are used well to aid understanding. Pupils are encouraged to use their mathematical knowledge when solving problems, often talking to their peers to tease out their understanding.
• Learning is best when the teaching pinpoints gaps in pupils’ learning. For example, in Year 1 pupils’ gaps in phonics knowledge are accurately determined and remedial action taken, often with the help of a teaching assistant. As a result, pupils make fast rates of progress in their reading.
• Teachers meet the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities well. Pupils have work adjusted for them if necessary and have effective support from the teacher or teaching assistant. Leaders make good use of external support to help devise strategies for those pupils with more complex needs. This has resulted in, for example, a positive impact in word recognition for pupils with literacy difficulties.
• Teachers have developed good strategies to extend the most able pupils. Teachers plan so that the most able pupils are challenged to tackle harder work. Teachers’ effective questioning throughout most year groups promotes deep thinking, ensuring pupils’ good progress.
• Very occasionally, for example in a mathematics lesson, the most able pupils are held back as they repeat questions that they can already do.
• Leaders have developed a concise and effective way to give pupils written feedback on their work. This is applied consistently in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils report that teachers’ feedback is helpful. Pupils, however, would also welcome more time to explore why work was good or how to improve even further.
• Feedback to pupils is less effective when pupils are working in subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics. As a consequence, standards of writing in, for example, history are not as high as in pupils’ literacy books.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• This is an exceptionally caring school. Pupils are supported extremely well. Pupils spoke of particularly effective support and reassurance when they are anxious. Pupils’ emotional needs are met very well.
• Pupils are self-confident and eager to learn. They show resilience and are happy to have a go at difficult work. Pupils are kind, considerate and respectful of their peers. Adults are exemplary role models to pupils. Older pupils support younger pupils well.
• Parents report a strong community feel to the school. School staff know pupils and their families well. Parents paid tribute to the excellent care their children received. Support is given to families to help them encourage their children to engage well in school.
• Pupils and parents report that there is no bullying. They understand who to seek support from, should they have a problem. Working relationships are strong in this school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Teachers have high expectations of behaviour and consistently reward pupils for positive attitudes. Consequently, pupils are self-disciplined and behave well in lessons. Pupils, parents and teachers responding to the online questionnaire all agree that pupils are well behaved.
• Outside play areas are well resourced with equipment. Pupils cooperate with each other and initiate their own games. Very occasionally, younger pupils may be boisterous, but the adults on hand correct this excitable behaviour.
• Overall, attendance has improved and is above the national average for primary schools. Improvement in attendance has come about because of strong links with families to help overcome any barriers preventing good attendance. The number of pupils who are persistently absent from school is below the national average in primary schools.
• The attendance of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has declined since September. Leaders are taking effective action to support the specific needs of these pupils and improve their attendance. Disadvantaged pupils’ attendance is improving and is close to that of their peers.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils join the school in Reception class with skills and knowledge that are typical for their age. Pupils currently in the school make good progress across year groups. Observations in lessons, pupils’ work and the school’s information show that they achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics as well as across other areas of the curriculum. Most are on track to achieve at least the standards expected for their age group by the end of the year.
• The published progress information has been strong since the last inspection, apart from a dip for Year 6 in 2016. Standards were broadly average in 2016. Leaders have acted quickly to ensure that current pupils make better progress.
• Boys’ achievement and progress have improved since the last inspection. Leaders have implemented effective strategies to improve boys’ engagement in learning. In reading, for example, boys have made strides in their reading skills as they are provided with more stimulating texts than previously.
• Leaders have identified that a few boys at key stage 1 are less well motivated than their peers. Consequently, boys’ achievement in Year 2 is not as good as that of girls. Leaders and teachers are now intervening effectively to improve these pupils’ skills.
• Pupils’ progress in mathematics across all year groups is strong. They use their mathematical knowledge and reasoning skills to solve problems. They are confident to tackle difficult concepts and learn from mistakes. Their understanding of mathematics is deepening and their attainment is improving.
• Pupils enjoy reading. The updated library has a good selection of texts that pupils readily select for reading, including to each other. They develop a range of strategies to help them read with confidence and fluency. Weaker readers show resilience and use their phonics skills to decode any unknown words.
• Pupils make good progress in writing. They are articulate and share ideas for writing with each other. They develop a good understanding of grammatical techniques so that they write accurately, or redraft if necessary. Pupils write for a variety of purposes. Pupils in key stage 1 show progress in handwriting skills and presentation.
• The phonics checks for pupils at the end of Year 1 and Year 2 showed a dip in results in 2016. Pupils who did not meet the required level have now improved their understanding of letters and sounds and have become confident readers. Current pupils in Year 1 show a good understanding of phonics and apply it well.
• Extra support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well planned and effective. Teachers accurately identify pupils’ needs and provide support so that they can overcome difficulties. As a result, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress.
• Pupils make good progress across the curriculum, but particularly in science and physical education. Pupils’ natural curiosity in science topics is harnessed through motivating activities, often in the outside environment. As a result, pupils achieve well.
• Disadvantaged pupils currently in the school, including those that are the most able, make good progress and sometimes exceed the progress of their peers. Their good attitudes to learning and focused support from their teachers support this progress.
• The most able pupils make good progress overall. However, some of the most able pupils do not make rates of progress in mathematics which are as fast as the rates seen in reading and writing. This is because they do not move on quickly enough from work they have already mastered.
• Pupils are prepared well for secondary school. They are resilient, confident learners.

Early years provision Good

• Pupils make a good start to school in the Reception class. Staff have high expectations and know the children well. They provide a nurturing, caring environment where pupils thrive.
• Pupils, including those that are disadvantaged, make good progress because they are provided with well-planned learning activities. Pupils enjoy exploring through play and achieve well. In a session where pupils were introduced to measuring activities, pupils used equipment well to begin to explore the concepts of length and mass.
• Staff communicate well with parents. Parents explained that they appreciated being able to share, and contribute to, achievement records on the web portal. Parents were overwhelmingly positive about their child’s experience in the Reception class. One parent said: ‘My child enjoys going to school and is made to feel confident in herself, has opportunities to take responsibility, explore the world around her, and to express herself’.
• The learning environment is bright, vibrant and stimulating. It inspires pupils and they learn well. The outside space is large, with numerous interesting activities and equipment. The use of the school allotment enables pupils to learn effectively about science-related topics such as plant growth.
• Children play cooperatively together. Adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and provide firm boundaries so that pupils behave well. Adults reward pupils’ positive behaviour effectively.
• Safeguarding procedures are developed well. The Reception area is well secured with locks on doors and gates. Leaders have ensured that risk assessments are in place for procedures, activities and equipment.
• Leaders have ensured that the start in Reception is effective so that pupils get off to a good start. Parents said that the home visits by the leader of the early years were particularly helpful to their child. At the end of Reception, most pupils have achieved a good level of development and are ready to start Year 1.
• Leaders, while they monitor individual pupils’ progress well, do not always use progress information sharply enough to find reasons for patterns of performance of different groups of pupils.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139454 Isle of Wight 10032838 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 Academy converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 188 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Viv Garrett Sarah Hussey 01983 293392 www.northwoodpri.co.uk sbm@northwoodpri.co.uk Date of previous inspection 10–11 March 2015

Information about this school

• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Northwood primary school is a smaller than average-sized primary academy. There are seven classes from Reception to Year 6.
• Northwood Primary Academy was inspected in March 2015. At that time, it was judged to require improvement.
• The current headteacher joined the academy in 2010.
• Most pupils are White British. There are more boys than girls in key stage 2.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average.
• Children attend the early years full time.
• The school met the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum attainment and progress figures, in 2015 and 2016. This school is not a coasting school.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 14 lessons. Three observations were undertaken jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors listened to a number of pupils read.
• Inspectors carried out a scrutiny of disadvantaged and other pupils’ work across year groups and subjects.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, and a teacher and teaching assistant. Inspectors also considered responses from 24 members of staff.
• The lead inspector met with the chair and vice-chair of the governing body and the national leader of education who is supporting the school.
• Inspectors considered 46 responses from the online parent questionnaire and spoke with a number of parents at the school gate.
• Inspectors met with two groups of pupils, from across the age range, and talked to pupils in lessons. Inspector observed pupils at break and lunchtime. Responses from 40 pupils who completed the online questionnaire were also considered.
• Inspectors looked at a number of documents including: the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s plans for improvement, analysis of the school’s performance data, and information on the progress of particular pupil groups. Information relating to the attendance and behaviour of pupils, safeguarding records and minutes from governors’ meetings were also scrutinised.

Inspection team

Susan Child, lead inspector Krista Dawkins Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector