Newport Primary School

Newport Primary School St Paul's Road, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, TS1 5NQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils’ achievement in English is not high enough. Weaknesses in teachers’ marking of written work and their teaching of handwriting skills slow pupils’ progress. Sometimes, activities during daily reading sessions and pupils’ use of letters and the sounds they make (phonics), when reading and spelling, do not help them enough to reach higher standards in English.  Although the school has an effective system to check on pupils’ progress through their own assessment records, sometimes opportunities are missed to check the progress of different groups of pupils in lessons and in work in their books.  Teaching is not consistently good or better. In lessons, time and targets are not always used effectively. Pupils do not always know how to be successful so they can accelerate their own progress. They are also not given enough opportunities to be independent in their learning.  Governors do not always hold the school

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

sufficiently to account for standards and the progress of different groups of pupils.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children get a good start across the Early Years Foundation Stage. They settle in well and the staff’s good focus on pupils’ personal development and their speaking and listening skills speeds up children’s progress.  Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn. Their behaviour and their understanding of how to keep safe are good and sometimes better as the school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development through a good programme of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  In the best lessons, good questioning skills by the teacher and the use of well-planned partner-work promote good progress.  The school engages well with parents and uses its partnerships effectively to support pupils’ learning and progress.  The headteacher provides strong and determined leadership. She is well-supported by a developing leadership team and a skilful deputy headteacher. They have ensured that the school has addressed the issues from the

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The school has the following strengths

previous inspection and the school is now improving rapidly.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 31 lessons or parts of lessons, of which four were joint observations with the headteacher.  Inspectors observed groups of pupils working with teaching assistants and listened to individual Year 2 pupils read, and other year groups in lessons.  Inspectors talked to a range of pupils, including the school council, about their work and play in school.  Meetings were held with six governors as well as teaching staff, including senior and subject leaders. Discussions were held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors were unable to take account of responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) as there was only one response. They did, however, consider staff questionnaires and parental and pupil surveys completed by the school this term.  Inspectors observed the overall work of the school and looked at a number of documents including the school’s data about pupils’ current progress. They also looked at documents

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Information about this inspection

relating to safeguarding, governance, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors looked at a range of other evidence including school displays, its website, and work representing the school’s wider achievements beyond the classroom.

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Inspection team

David Shearsmith, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lesley Richardson Additional Inspector Anne Firth Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  A well above average proportion of pupils is eligible for the pupil premium which is additional funding for pupils eligible for free school meals, children in the care of the local authority and children of service families.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well above average. A below average number of pupils is supported at school action. A well above average number of pupils is supported at school action plus and has a statement of special educational needs.  The school has an above average proportion of pupils from ethnic groups and an increasing number of pupils whose first language is not English. A wide range of different languages is represented across the school.  Very many pupils leave or enter the school at different times throughout the year and for varying periods of time.  The school has the Primary Science Silver Quality Mark, Healthy Excellence and Every Child

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Information about this school

Counts awards.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is taught as a unit with two outdoor areas.  The school has a breakfast-club managed by The Extended Schools Team.  The school has experienced a number of staffing changes since the last inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in English by:  ensuring that marking provides more focussed points for improvement, based on the type of writing pupils are working on, and giving more time for pupils to improve their work so that they reach the next level in their writing  giving pupils tasks that reflect the weaknesses in their reading skills in their daily reading sessions so they reach higher standards in their reading  improving pupils’ efficiency in their handwriting skills so they can improve their progress and reach higher standards  ensuring that pupils are encouraged to use phonic skills more effectively in their reading and spelling.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is consistently good or better by:  using existing good and outstanding practice to improve everyone’s teaching  giving more opportunities for problem-solving and investigations in lessons so pupils are more independent in their learning and make faster progress  using time more effectively in lessons to improve the pace of learning for all pupils  ensuring that pupils know how to be successful in lessons so they can assess their own learning and accelerate their own progress to reach higher standards  using pupils’ individual targets more effectively in lessons to improve their progress further and reach higher standards.  Improve the checking of progress of specific groups of pupils by:  ensuring that, when looking at lessons and pupils’ books, leaders at all levels check on how much progress pupils have made and that it is good enough  making sure governors understand national and school data applicable to different groups, in

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

order to make the school more accountable.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement as progress over time is too variable. Although standards are beginning to rise, particularly in mathematics, they are not improving at the same rate in English. The school is increasingly effective at checking pupils’ progress as the school’s system for using assessments to check progress is robust, reliable and used effectively. The number of pupils joining the school and leaving other than at the usual times, however, still presents an on- going challenge in the school’s drive to raise the attainment of all pupils.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are well below those typical for their age. They have particular weaknesses in their literacy and personal skills. They make a good start because their learning is organised well. Good and sometimes outstanding teaching improves their personal development and literacy skills well.  By the time they leave the school in Year 6, pupils reach standards in English that are typically

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

well below average overall. Progress across the school is uneven because teaching is not consistently good or better. The school’s own records show that standards in mathematics are improving quickly across the school and are now just below average, whereas standards in English remain stubbornly well below average.  Standards in English are not as high as they could be because pupils have to struggle with their handwriting and this slows their progress. Teachers’ marking of written work does not do enough to help pupils achieve a better standard.  Standards in reading are improving as seen in the Year 1 national reading test where the school exceeded the national average. Standards in reading, over time, are typically well below average at both key stages. The school’s assessment recording systems shows that progress is improving particularly at Key Stage 1. However, some daily reading sessions are not effective enough to

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

improve standards in reading.  Pupils who are entitled to free school meals and others entitled to the pupil premium are beginning to make better progress. The school has used the extra money effectively to target pupils individually and as a group. They are beginning to reach standards close to those of similar pupils nationally.  Pupils who are disabled and those who have a special educational need are also making increasingly better progress. The leader of this area carefully checks on the progress of pupils in order to judge the effectiveness of planned interventions. Skilled teaching assistants deliver a wide range of activities to support pupils’ varying needs.  Pupils whose first language is not English are making better progress. The school is increasingly effective at settling in the high proportion of pupils who enter the school at different times during the school year. Those who are at an early stage of learning English make good progress

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

in learning to speak English because they are given good support at this stage.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Over time, teaching ranges from requiring improvement to good. An increasing proportion of teaching is good with a small proportion that is outstanding.  Across the school, pupils’ personal targets are not always used well enough in lessons for pupils to improve the standard of their work.  Teaching across the Early Years Foundation Stage is stronger than in much of the rest of the school. Children make better progress because they are more engaged in problem-solving and investigations. In a Reception lesson, children were challenged to use their counting skills when they went off to learn for themselves. This accelerated their progress. In some lessons teachers do not give pupils enough opportunities to problem-solve through investigations to improve their own progress.  Where teaching is good, questioning is used well and drives faster progress. This is particularly noticeable in mathematics teaching. In a Years 3/4 mathematics lesson, the teacher used time

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

efficiently and ensured that pupils knew how to be successful so they made better progress. This is not always the case. The pace of learning slows where time is not used effectively or where pupils are not sure how to be successful in order to accelerate their own progress.  The school has implemented its own method of teaching phonics. This has had a positive impact across the school and is generally meeting pupils’ needs. However, on occasions, it is not used well by staff in activities designed to improve pupils’ reading and spelling skills, so pupils are not reaching the next level in their learning.  Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ progress, particularly those with specific needs. They are particularly effective at meeting the needs of pupils who have limited English when they join the school. They deliver a wide range of small-group activities across the school, both in and out of class, and support the school’s drive for improved progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work. This is making a difference to some pupils’ progress. However, points for improvement, particularly in writing, do not make a big enough contribution to pupils’ understanding of what they need to do to improve. Also, once work is marked, not enough time is given for pupils to make improvements, in order to speed up their progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils have good attitudes to learning as the school is proactive in engaging all pupils through a stimulating range of activities in lessons. Pupils say they enjoy coming to school. They are well-mannered and courteous. Relationships across the school are good. The school’s breakfast-club makes a positive start to the pupils’ day.  Children get a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The Nursery settles children into the school well through strong support for their welfare and personal development. This continues as pupils from varying backgrounds enter the school at different times during the year. They are quickly settled in and have good support from all staff and a range of agencies.  The school has a strong commitment to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and this is instrumental in supporting pupils’ personal development. As a result, pupils make

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

good progress in their personal development from the moment they enter school. ‘Five Golden Rules’ are displayed in every classroom as a reminder to pupils of the school’s high expectations.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe in a range of contexts. They have an understanding of overall safety through a partnership ‘Peer Kids’ that promotes community safety. A lesson on Internet safety was effective in developing pupils’ understanding of whom you can trust on the Internet.  The school uses its curriculum well to promote pupils’ personal development. Pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes bullying. They say it is a very rare occurrence as they get on well with each other and any concerns are dealt with quickly by staff.  Attendance has improved significantly over time and is now just below average overall. It is continuing to improve because the school has implemented a wide range of strategies to ensure

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has been instrumental in improving the school since the last inspection. She is well-supported by a strong deputy headteacher and an increasingly effective team of leaders who are determined that pupils will make good progress in their learning. The school has been particularly effective in improving attendance and behaviour. The teaching of phonics has improved reading at Key Stage 1 and this is beginning to have a positive impact across the school.  There are strong systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching, including the use of performance management to reward those teachers who improve pupils’ achievement. Although teaching is improving, improvement has been hindered by a number of staffing changes. The staff team now appears more stable and all are keen to raise standards and improve the progress pupils make. Good and outstanding practice is becoming more the norm and has been

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The leadership and management are good

used well to improve the quality of teaching in mathematics, and this is now needed in English.  Checks on the quality of teaching are effective, especially through the use of the school’s robust tracking system that helps leaders keep an eye on the progress of every pupil. However, leaders do not sufficiently check on the progress of different groups of pupils when observing lessons or looking at work in books.  Subject leaders are effective at improving teaching in their area of responsibility. Consequently teachers receive good quality training and support to improve their teaching.  The school gives due regard to ensuring that everyone is safe and secure with safeguarding meeting requirements.  The school is particularly effective at working with parents. Parenting programmes, including termly workshops about homework and teaching mathematics and reading, enable parents to engage well with the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 A wide range of partnerships support the work of the school. Partnerships with local primary and secondary schools improve teaching and learning. Pupils from very diverse backgrounds are assisted well through partnerships with support services.  The local authority provides good support to this rapidly improving school.  The school’s curriculum is developing well and engages pupils in their learning. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is a strength of the school. Links between subjects have been forged to support improvement in mathematics and English. These are beginning to have some impact on pupils’ progress. The curriculum is increasingly meeting pupils’ needs, but has not yet had sufficient impact on standards in English, despite the school’s commitment to ensuring that pupils having equality of opportunity.  The governance of the school:  The new chair of governors knows the school well. She and other governors are very

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The leadership and management are good

supportive of the school and visit on a regular basis. They make themselves aware of the quality of teaching and learning when they visit lessons. The governing body understands the school’s strengths and areas for development through contact with subject leaders. It knows about the school’s data. However, it does not use this well enough to challenge the school regarding the progress of different groups in relation to national standards. The school uses its finances well, including the pupil premium, and those pupils for whom it is intended are making better progress.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 111580 Local authority Middlesbrough Inspection number 401190

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 273 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Susan Carter Headteacher Julie Sutton Date of previous school inspection 30 November 2009 Telephone number 01642 861911 Fax number 01642 861933 Email address julie.sutton@middlesbrough.gov.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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