Newlands Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning so that it is consistently good or better so that achievement improves for all pupils by: ꟷ making sure that all teachers have high expectations of what individual pupils can achieve in lessons ꟷ ensuring that the most able pupils are challenged to work at greater depth

ꟷ

further developing careful use of teaching assistants within the classroom to help pupils of all abilities.

• Improve pupils’ attendance, including for disadvantaged pupils, so that it at least matches the national average.
• Further develop the effectiveness of leadership and management at all levels by embedding systems to track the progress pupils are making.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Since the last inspection, there has been major staffing changes including a number of interim headteachers before the very recent appointment of a permanent headteacher. The current headteacher is now very ably supported by a deputy headteacher, senior leadership team and a strong governing body.
• The headteacher and governing body have a very accurate understanding of the school’s position and actions are being taken to ensure that teaching and pupils’ progress improve at a quicker pace. The impact of these actions is already being seen by pupils and parents. They are ambitious for the school and speak strongly about it becoming the ‘school of choice’ for the community.
• Standards are currently improving for all year groups, and Year 6 pupils in 2016 met the floor standards (the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics). However, all pupils in every year group are not yet meeting the appropriate standards for their age and therefore still require improvement.
• Pupil premium spending has a variable impact on speeding up progress for disadvantaged pupils. In 2016, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils who achieved the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 was low. Levels of absence for disadvantaged pupils have been too high and, despite leaders’ efforts, still require improvement. Spending to support the social and emotional needs of disadvantaged pupils, however, is used to greater effect.
• The headteacher has accurately identified the need to improve the impact of pupil premium funding. She has completed a review of the impact of these resources and has already put in place appropriate actions to ensure that the funding is used for the greatest effect.
• The government’s funding for school sport and physical education (PE) is spent appropriately and pupils have access to a range of sporting activities including external competitions. Staff have taken part in training with sports coaches to further develop the quality of teaching in PE.
• The curriculum is being continuously reviewed to make sure that it always meets the needs of all pupils in school. Pupils are given the opportunity to suggest topics to explore reflecting their interests while still covering the national curriculum. Pupils benefit from access to after-school clubs which enrich the curriculum. However, leaders know that this is an area that requires improvement.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides committed leadership of the provision for this group of pupils. Effective use is made of special educational needs funding. These pupils succeed socially and more are beginning to make progress at least like that seen nationally.
• Arrangements for the management of staff performance are in place and these make explicit reference to improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. Staff receive effective training and this has led to improvements in the quality of teaching. For example, the teaching of mathematics is increasingly more effective but still requires improvement.
• The local authority has had a good impact on the school through supporting leaders in self-evaluation and identifying areas of weakness. Its continued work is supporting the new headteacher to take swift actions.
• Staff indicate that they have ‘faith’ in the headteacher and are ‘proud’ to work in Newlands Primary School. This is equally supported by pupils who are happy here.

Governance of the school

• The governing body has substantially changed since the last inspection, including the appointment of a new chair of governors.
• Governors are honest about their own strengths and weaknesses. They have sought to strengthen the governing body by developing their own skills and by seeking to appoint additional governors whose expertise supports the needs of the school.
• Governors have an accurate view and good understanding of the school’s current strengths and weaknesses. They are active in supporting the headteacher on decisions on finance, staffing and the structure of the school.
• Governors are ambitious for the school and have a clear vision of it being at the centre of the community that it serves.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• A culture of safeguarding has been established throughout the school and is a real strength. The work of the deputy headteacher and learning mentor impacts positively on pupils as well as their families. The school works proactively with outside agencies to support individual pupils and families. Detailed records are kept of any incidents. The school is tenacious in ensuring that any support needed for pupils or families is provided and accessed. Staff in school know their pupils and their individual needs very well. All leaders are vigilant in carrying out all appropriate checks when employing staff to work with children in school and keep accurate records.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Staffing changes have resulted in inconsistency in teaching. Over time, this has led to rates of progress that are not good enough for some pupils. The standards reached by pupils last year in Year 2 were below the national average for mathematics and writing.
• As a further consequence of inconsistency in teaching, pupils have gaps in their learning. Teachers are now addressing this across all subjects.
• In the past, teachers have not had high enough expectations of the standards individual pupils can achieve in lessons and by the end of the key stage. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 are still ‘playing catch-up’ and although their rates of progress are increasing, the standards they reach do not reflect their ability.
• Pupils at Newlands Primary School speak clearly about a desire to achieve but for some they are still lacking the skills to do this. However, the leaders of the school are taking focused action to raise teachers’ understanding of the need to equip pupils with the skills they need to tackle new challenges.
• Leaders have introduced revised arrangements and systems to record pupils’ progress, which are better linked to the national curriculum. Although not fully embedded, these systems are beginning to provide teachers with useful tools to support better planning and provide leaders with more accurate information to check on pupils’ progress.
• The teaching of mathematics is improving. For example, in Year 4, pupils are given challenging learning experiences and equipped with the skills to tackle them. Younger pupils within school are given a range of hands-on experiences to support their learning. For example, in Year 2, pupils explored subtraction using a wide variety of resources including blocks, number squares and pictures.
• Where teaching assistants are used appropriately, pupils benefit from their support and this impacts positively on their progress in lessons. However, in some classes, the focus is on managing resources rather than on supporting pupils’ learning.
• Changes to the teaching of phonics are strengthening what the school offers in this area. The school’s assessments indicate that better teaching is having a positive impact upon pupils’ phonic skills. Even so, there is still further work to do to ensure that the teaching of phonics is consistently effective across the whole school, particularly for less-able pupils.
• Some teaching is clearly having a positive impact on the progress pupils are making. Teachers closely observe the pace of learning and shape the next part of the lesson or planning accordingly. Some teachers spark the imagination of the pupils and capitalise on this by further developing pupils’ basic skills. Pupils enjoy the different learning opportunities in these lessons, including group work, paired work and opportunities to work independently.
• The quality of teaching across the school is improving. In key stage 1, teaching has recognisably improved. Some teaching at key stage 2 is good and is helping pupils to catch up and raise their standards. The headteacher, governors and senior leaders are aware of the weaknesses in teaching and are working resolutely to improve them. Current staffing in school is supporting this improvement.
• On occasions, teachers provide the most able pupils with questions and tasks that require them to practise skills they have already mastered. This takes time away from looking at more challenging learning opportunities.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pastoral support for pupils at the school is good. Precise and timely support for vulnerable pupils helps to minimise barriers to their learning and ensure their safety and well-being. The school works proactively with a range of agencies to help support the needs of these pupils and families. Staff, including the learning mentor, deputy headteacher and SENCo, provide strong support for pupils and parents.
• Pupils feel secure and understand how to keep safe in school and when working online. Pupils say quite confidently that they can talk to any adult in school for support and help.
• Pupils understand the different forms of bullying, and while they report that incidents are rare, they acknowledge that staff address these promptly. Staff record any forms of poor behaviour carefully and follow up quickly to address them.
• Pupils are given opportunities to develop leadership skills and contribute to the school community through the active school council. School council members speak confidently ‘for the greater good of everyone in school’ when suggesting changes and new ideas, for example by reorganising playground use to make access to the dining hall run smoothly for all pupils.
• Pupils listen to each other and are appreciative of each other’s successes. They also recognise that some pupils have greater needs in school requiring a higher level of support not just from their teachers but also from their fellow pupils.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Overall, most pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. However, where teachers’ expectations are not high enough or pupils receive work that is not suited to their needs, some pupils become distracted.
• Attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, is too low and persistent absence is still too high. The headteacher has started to address this. There are some early signs that work with families is beginning to have a positive impact, especially for those pupils who are persistently absent. The appointment of an additional member of staff to support attendance procedures and systems is impacting well, particularly on pupils’ punctuality.
• During playtimes and lunchtimes, pupils behave well. They socialise sensibly and take part in lively, friendly activities. Pupils move around school in an orderly fashion and demonstrate good manners. Pupils appreciate the work the school has done to develop structured play during lunchtimes and are eager to see this extended to their playtimes.
• The recently introduced behaviour system is having an impact on the reduction of sanctions. There is still work to be done with pupils who have very particular behavioural needs. However, pupils are able to recognise the difference the new system is making and that ‘around school and in the majority of lessons everyone is calmer’.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Although improving, pupils in some year groups are not making consistently good progress over time. The quality of teaching has not been good enough and has resulted in a mixed picture across key stages and so outcomes for pupils require improvement.
• The results of national tests at the end of 2016 for pupils in key stage 2 were in line with the national average for all subjects. However, results for younger pupils in key stage 1 in writing and mathematics were below the national average.
• In key stage 1, the school’s information currently shows that an increasing number of pupils are now making stronger progress in relation to their starting points across all subjects. In particular, an increasing number of pupils are achieving at greater depth in mathematics and reading. This is the result of targeted teaching in upper key stage 1.
• Progress and standards across key stage 2 are currently more variable because of previous instability in teaching. Pupils make good progress in reading and are beginning to in mathematics. However, progress is lower in writing.
• Current school information shows that disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2 are doing better than other pupils. Leaders and governors are using the school’s pupil premium funding more precisely and programmes of support introduced are helping pupils to catch up.
• In 2016, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check dipped and was below the national average. There are early signs that changes to the teaching of phonics are impacting on overall standards. This year, pupils are doing much better. The school is on target to continue to raise standards and exceed those of 2016 for all pupils, as well as disadvantaged pupils.
• The most able pupils do not reach their full potential. Pupils are not regularly provided with work that challenges them appropriately. This is because teacher expectations of what these pupils can achieve are not always high enough.
• In 2016, the most able disadvantaged pupils exceeded the national standards in mathematics. However, the number was only small.
• Pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to read across the school in a variety of subjects. Pupils are confident when reading aloud and say they generally enjoy the books teachers provide for them. Pupils can use a range of different strategies to help them understand the books they are reading. However, for the most able pupils, the choice of books provided does not challenge them enough. As a result, these pupils are less enthusiastic about their reading.
• By the end of Year 6, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making progress which broadly matches national standards. Appropriate plans and support are in place to make sure that teaching fulfils their needs.

Early years provision Good

• The early years is the one area in school that has not experienced instability in staffing and the resulting inconsistency in the quality of teaching and learning seen elsewhere in the school. The leader of the early years has developed over time a unified teaching team who share the leader’s vision to ‘make provision as good as it can be’. All staff in the early years are having a positive impact on the learning and development of the children.
• Children benefit from a stimulating, well-resourced and attractive environment indoors and out. Throughout, children’s work is well displayed to celebrate success and encourage others to achieve.
• Children start in the Nursery with skills and abilities that are often below those typical for their age. From their starting points, children leave Reception having made at least typical progress and an increasing number of children are making even stronger progress.
• Children in receipt of support funded by the pupil premium monies and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make similar progress to their peers.
• Teachers get to know the children quickly at the start of the year. They use ongoing assessments effectively to gauge how well children are learning and to plan activities that build well on children’s needs. The ‘learning journey profiles’ provide teachers with good evidence about children’s progress.
• A wide range of carefully planned activities ensures that children have many opportunities to engage in deep and sustained learning of their own choice. For example, during the inspection, children in Reception could explore how plants grow and then think about what is needed to help them grow. They could record their thinking in sentences that teachers immediately displayed for everyone to see.
• Teachers provide many interesting and engaging opportunities, reflecting all areas of the early years curriculum. Children clearly enjoy playing and learning and are guided effectively by adults. On occasion, opportunities to challenge children are missed. However, the leader of the early years is aware of this and is putting in place a programme of training for staff to help to increase their expectations of all children.
• Children display a sense of wonder and fascination in learning about things around them. For example, children in Nursery showed delight in creating bubbles and watching them float away. They were sensible in reminding each other not to breath in so as not to swallow the bubble liquid!
• Adults support children with a good balance of instruction and questioning.
• Staff manage children’s behaviour effectively. The warm manner in which staff engage with children encourages good behaviour. Children have a good understanding of right and wrong and are able to explain why they may have been ‘naughty’ and what they have done to put it right.
• Routines are well established and children are attentive to staff instructions and behave sensibly as they explore and learn. Safeguarding is a high priority and all necessary procedures to keep children safe are implemented. Staff carry out daily checks on all aspects of the environment that can present a risk.
• The teaching of phonics in early years is effective and several children have exceeded the early learning goals in reading.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 133318 Wakefield 10031090 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. 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 273 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Andrew Eastell Tammie Prince 01924 302 585 www.newlands.wakefield.sch.uk headteacher@newlands.wakefield.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 July 2013

Information about this school

• The headteacher has been in post since April 2017.
• The headteacher is a National Leader of Education.
• Since the last inspection, the school has experienced a large number of staffing and leadership changes including five interim headteachers.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The majority of pupils are of White British backgrounds. A very small minority come from ethnic minority groups.
• The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is well above that found nationally
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning in a range of lessons and part-lessons in all classes. The headteacher joined the lead inspector for all observations in lessons on the first day of the inspection.
• The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around school and reviewed the school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The inspectors observed pupils in the playground and during lunchtime.
• The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, SENCo, a group of representative teachers and the leader of the early years. The lead inspector met with governors including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority and the last interim headteacher.
• Inspectors took account of the eight responses to Ofsted’s online parent survey, Parent View, five responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire and nine responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised a range of documentation including the school’s view of its own performance, monitoring records, information about pupils’ progress, improvement planning, pupils’ work in books, and records of behaviour and attendance. They looked closely at records relating to safeguarding and child protection, and at policies, including those published on the school’s website.
• A range of other evidence was considered, including displays of pupils’ work, the school website, and evidence representing the school’s wider achievements beyond the classroom.

Inspection team

Anne Vernon, lead inspector Heather Mensah Mary Lanovy-Taylor Linda Clay

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector