Newlands Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Secure stronger outcomes for most-able pupils by ensuring that teachers offer appropriate levels of challenge.
• Develop the skills of middle leaders so that their monitoring and evaluation are more precisely checking that their work is improving the outcomes of pupils.
• Improve attendance by reducing the number of pupils who are persistently absent.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders are passionate about their school community and are determined to improve outcomes further for all pupils. They are very clear about the strengths of the school and robust in tackling any weaknesses.
• After disappointing results, especially at the end of key stage 2, in summer 2017, the headteacher and the senior leadership team have worked successfully to ensure that pupils’ outcomes improve.
• Leaders, including governors, share a strong moral purpose to ensure that pupils are given opportunities to improve academically and emotionally. They are aware of the challenges that some pupils face and act quickly to support them when required.
• School leaders have an accurate understanding of where teaching is strongest and where additional support is required. They use this information to improve teachers’ practice and provide good support to staff. Consequently, current pupils now make good progress in English, mathematics and the wider curriculum.
• A number of middle leaders are new to their roles. They are enthusiastic, care deeply about the school, and have implemented a number of successful strategies. Leaders’ monitoring focuses on checking that actions have taken place, but does not yet evaluate precisely the impact of the actions on pupils’ achievement.
• The majority of parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, or who spoke to inspectors were very positive about the school and agreed that the school is well led and managed. One parent said, ‘This is an amazing school. My son has progressed so well and, if he has struggled, they do everything in their power to help him. Amazing school!’
• Pupils benefit from a wide curriculum with opportunities to develop a broad range of skills. The curriculum is enriched by a specialist physical education teacher, who drives a passion for sports across the school. The curriculum contributes well to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• Effective use is made of special educational needs funding. Well-targeted support is provided for those pupils who need help catching up, including pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. As a result, these pupils make good progress from their different starting points.
• Leaders use pupil premium funding effectively. Personalised and targeted provision ensures that specific barriers to learning are reduced for this group of pupils, and overall the funding has a positive impact on their achievement.
• The physical education (PE) and sports funding is used very well. It provides opportunities for pupils to experience different sporting activities in PE lessons and in extra-curricular clubs. The funding has also helped increase the number of sporting competitions in which the school participates.
• The support from the local authority has been timely and well targeted. The school also works successfully with a group of other local schools. This has enabled staff to benefit from sharing good practice and developing expertise in areas such as assessment and moderating standards.

Governance of the school

• The governance of the school has seen a number of changes since the previous inspection. A new chair of governors has been appointed this year and new members have joined the governing body. As a result, the governing body has the collective skills and expertise to hold school leaders to account.
• Governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are securing further improvements at the school. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They make regular checks to ensure that the information they receive from school leaders is accurate. There are clear records of challenge and support being offered to leaders, and monitoring reports are clear and precise.
• Governors meet their statutory duty to ensure that safeguarding is effective.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school has a strong safeguarding culture. Staff at all levels receive regular safeguarding training and know how to identify pupils who are potentially at risk.
• Staff understand the clear protocols for the reporting of any safeguarding concerns, which are then acted on swiftly by the designated safeguarding leads. They are vigilant and effective in this vital area of their work.
• Leaders ensure that concerns, no matter how minor, are reported straight away. Senior leaders make sure that child protection referrals are dealt with quickly and appropriately, and work closely with outside agencies to ensure the safety of their pupils.
• Secure checks are made on the suitability of staff and other adults to work with children across the school.
• Importantly, pupils say that they feel safe at Newlands Primary School. The majority of parents also share this view.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders identify any weaknesses in the quality of teaching and put in place support and challenge to ensure effective improvement. Coaching of staff by colleagues has enhanced practice to ensure that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. This has focused on better planning, ensuring that the less able pupils make sufficient progress, and developing probing questioning skills. However, leaders are aware that not enough is done to challenge the most able pupils.
• Teachers establish positive relationships with pupils and expect good behaviour. Pupils respond well to their teachers and their good attitudes contribute strongly to the progress that they make.
• There is a positive learning culture across the school. Pupils are confident to ask for help if they do not understand. They are not afraid to make mistakes because they know that classmates will be supportive and that teachers will help them.
• Pupils who need support, particularly those who have SEN and/or disabilities, receive this through effective learning support assistants and the use of a variety of good-quality resources. They work well within the class, sometimes in a small group or on a one-to-one basis. For example, when learning about telling the time, a range of interesting resources were used and this was backed up by going outside to play ‘What’s the time, Mr Wolf’. These pupils are able to make good progress because their needs are met well.
• The teaching of phonics is systematic and helps pupils to get off to a good start in reading. Pupils use their phonic skills across the wider curriculum. Where pupils struggle in developing these skills, additional support is quickly put in place. Consequently, pupils are making positive gains in phonics.
• Pupils make good progress in reading and writing. This is because teachers provide pupils with a wide range of quality books to read and give them clear structures to develop their written skills. Teachers’ improved questioning ensures that comprehension skills are taught consistently well and pupils have better understanding of what they are reading.
• Effective teaching of mathematics helps pupils have a good understanding of the subject. Teachers increasingly expect pupils to solve problems and develop reasoning skills. However, teaching does not consistently challenge pupils to think deeply enough. This is a particular issue for most-able pupils.
• The wider curriculum develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the world around them successfully. It is well planned and implemented. Pupils are inquisitive and enjoy improving their skills as a geographer, scientist, artist or musician. They enjoy the opportunities provided for them and they respond accordingly.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Leaders ensure that this area of the school’s work is at the heart of everything they do. Staff know their pupils very well and have developed effective relationships with them and their families.
• Leaders have put a variety of support in place to ensure that pupils are emotionally and socially ready for the next stage in their learning. This means that all pupils are able to learn effectively.
• Pupils feel safe in their school. They are confident and articulate and were eager to share their views with the inspection team. Their discussions with inspectors and their responses to the online questionnaire were positive.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet. They are very confident that the headteacher or deputy headteacher will help them with any concerns they have.
• Pupils know about the different types of bullying. They say that bullying rarely happens, and that teachers tackle problems effectively.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. They are very friendly, courteous and well mannered. They follow their teachers’ instructions closely and have positive attitudes to learning, particularly where the work planned by teachers is exciting and meets their needs.
• Pupils behave well at break and lunchtimes. They are supervised safely when outside, where they play well together and meet up with their friends.
• Pupils’ conduct around school is good. They line up quickly and move sensibly to different areas of the school building. They are polite and welcoming to visitors. Pupils get on well with each other and treat each other with respect.
• Pupils behave well in the school’s breakfast club. This provides a positive start to the school day.
• Despite pupils’ and parents’ overall positive views of the school, some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Leaders work hard to encourage regular attendance and to resolve any barriers to this. Attendance is improving. However, some pupils are still absent too often.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. After some disappointing results in 2017, they have worked tirelessly to ensure better outcomes, securing good teaching that is eradicating historical underachievement. Consequently, progress for the majority of current pupils is improving in English and mathematics, and in the wider curriculum. However, progress for the most able pupils is not yet consistent.
• Most children start in the early years with a range of skills, knowledge and understanding that is well below what is typical for their age. Due to the effective use of assessment in the early years, leaders ensure that children’s specific needs are met. Therefore, children make good progress. 
• In 2017, the number of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check was below national average for the first time in three years. Inspection evidence shows that phonics outcomes for current Year 1 pupils have improved. Pupils make good progress and enter Year 2 with the necessary phonics awareness. These positive outcomes reflect the improved phonics teaching across the school. 
• At the end of key stage 1 in 2017, attainment in reading at the greater depth standard declined from the previous year. Inspection evidence shows that current pupils now make good progress. This demonstrates the positive impact of leaders’ plans to secure good teaching and improve outcomes. 
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. Progress for this group of pupils is equal to or better than that of their peers in school. 
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities receive appropriate support linked to their specific needs. The school’s assessment information, which was verified by other inspection evidence, shows that these pupils make good progress over time from their different starting points. 
• Outcomes declined at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 and progress was not strong enough. Leaders quickly implemented a plan of action to stem this decline. As a result, teaching is now more effective than in the past, and key stage 2 pupils are now making sustained progress. Although attainment in key stage 2 is now improving, some of the most able pupils still do not achieve to their full potential.

Early years provision Good

• Most children enter early years with skills and abilities that are well below those typical for their age. Because of good teaching, children make strong progress by the end of Reception Year. This means that they are well prepared for the transfer to Year 1.
• Staff establish clear expectations and form very positive relationships with children. This helps children settle quickly into Reception. Children show familiarity with routines and a strong sense of security in their surroundings.
• Children grow in independence as they confidently select their own activities. They develop appropriate skills when using scissors and glue. They display a keen interest in early writing as they use slips of paper to write questions to a caterpillar. They can explain their learning when discussing what would go into a healthy lunchbox.
• Teachers plan exciting activities for children and provide good opportunities for exploring and learning. They use questioning well. This enables children to think more deeply about what they are learning. Where learning is less well planned, a small number of children are not as focused. The outdoor environment is good, allowing children to explore, take risks and be guided when appropriate.
• Early phonic skills are developed well. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and are precise with their teaching. A wide range of techniques are used to ensure that children make good progress with their phonics.
• The early years provision is led well. Leaders are improving outcomes. They carefully track children’s progress. Adults put in place timely support to make sure that children who may be falling behind are able to catch up. Leaders have a good awareness of the strengths of the provision and areas to develop further.
• Staff establish positive relationships with parents. Parents attend a weekly ‘SMASH’ morning where they can stay, meet and share in their children’s learning.
• Disadvantaged children make good progress from their different starting points. This is because leaders provide effective support for them if they fall behind in their learning, such as by enhancing their speech and language development through targeted specialist support. Therefore, pupil premium funding is spent effectively.

• Safeguarding is effective and statutory responsibilities are met.

School details

Unique reference number 133704 Local authority Inspection number Southampton 10046059 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 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 413 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Paul Court Karen Mellor 023807 73363 www.newlandsprimary.co.uk head@newlandsprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection 1–2 October 2014

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. 
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average. 
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is in line with the national average, and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average. 
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is above the national average. 
• The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations set by the government for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in every class and attended an assembly. The majority of the observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher or a member of the leadership team.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders, the coordinator for special educational needs, key stage 1 and 2 assistant headteachers, the early years leader, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils informally in class and around the school at break and lunchtimes to seek their views about the school. The lead inspector also held a meeting with members of the school council. Inspectors listened to individual pupils read.
• Together with leaders, inspectors carried out a scrutiny of a range of work in pupils’ books. Inspectors also examined the school’s assessment information.
• Inspectors examined a range of documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, child protection and safeguarding records, school policies and records of teachers’ appraisals.
• The lead inspector took into consideration 23 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including the accompanying texts. Inspectors also considered 59 responses to the pupil questionnaire and 40 responses to the staff questionnaire. Inspectors also talked to parents at the start of the school day.
• Inspectors scrutinised documentation relating to how governing board members hold school leaders to account.

Inspection team

Felix Rayner, lead inspector Kate Redman Becky Greenhalgh

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector