Newburgh Primary School

Newburgh Primary School Kipling Avenue, Warwick, CV34 6LD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Good leadership and management have ensured that achievement has risen despite major changes to the school roll and to staffing.  Governors work well with the headteacher and other leaders to help staff to provide a high quality of education for all pupils.  Pupils are happy in school, behave well and enjoy learning. They get on well with each other and with staff, and their skills in working together strongly support their progress.  All pupils, regardless of their abilities or background, make good progress because of good teaching.  Teachers are very successful in generating enthusiasm for learning, so pupils concentrate well and work hard in class.  Teachers generally prepare tasks that take account of pupils’ ability, so that work is challenging but manageable.  Good use is made of information about pupils’ progress to ensure that action is taken to help any pupil who is in danger of falling behind.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 A concerted approach by the school to improve pupils’ writing skills is proving very successful.  Good provision in the Reception Year means children settle quickly and happily into school and make good progress from the start.  Pupils are looked after well. They feel safe and secure in school, and parents confirm this view.  The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and pervades all aspects of the curriculum.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are some inconsistencies in aspects of teaching, particularly with regard to challenging the more able, checking pupils’ progress during lessons, and marking the work in their books.  Despite the improvements made in writing, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to write at length in different subjects. Teachers do not always insist that older pupils join their handwriting in line with school policy.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed substantial parts of 15 lessons, several of these jointly with the headteacher.  Formal discussions were held with staff, groups of pupils, and three representatives of the governing body. A representative of the local authority spoke to an inspector by telephone. Many informal discussions were also held with staff and pupils.  Inspectors took note of the 71 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. A few parents also contacted the team by telephone or email. The team examined the 51 responses to a staff survey.  The inspection team examined a range of documentation, particularly that related to keeping pupils’ safe, and checking their progress. The school’s evaluation of its own effectiveness was examined, as were minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors checked a range of pupils’ work in their books and on display. They listened to several pupils reading in Years 1 and 6.

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Inspection team

Steven Hill, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is above average in size for a primary school and has grown very rapidly since the last inspection. There are now two classes in each year group, including two full-time classes for Reception- aged children.  The very large majority of pupils are White British, with the rest coming from a wide range of minority ethnic heritages. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average, at around one in five.  The proportion of pupils who are entitled to support from the pupil premium is about one in five, which is a little below average. The pupil premium is extra government funding provided to support the education of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations set for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  There is a children’s centre on the school site, as well as ‘wrap-around care’ provided for pupils before and after school. These provisions are not managed by the school, and are inspected and reported upon separately.  The school’s growth in numbers has led to new building on the site, and an increase in staff. Many of the pupils who are new to the school have joined in different year groups at various times during the school year.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching in order to further accelerate pupils’ progress by:  ensuring that the more-able pupils always have suitably demanding tasks throughout lessons  checking systematically on pupils’ progress during lessons, so that any misunderstandings can be identified quickly and pupils helped to make more consistent progress  consistently showing pupils how to improve when marking their work in all subjects, and always ensuring that pupils act on their teachers’ advice.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Consolidate the improvements made in writing, particularly by:  giving pupils more opportunities to write at length in different subjects  ensuring that pupils improve their handwriting, particularly by checking that older pupils consistently join their writing, as set out in the school’s policy.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has led colleagues very effectively in ensuring that a good quality of education has been maintained at a time of substantial changes. The staff, together with governors, form a team that has stayed focused on ensuring that all pupils make good progress, while successfully promoting the pupils’ good personal development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The role of other leaders, particularly those who lead particular subjects, and other ‘middle leaders’, has developed well since the last inspection. They check and support planning and progress, and provide useful advice to colleagues, as well as updating their own expertise. The school has provided good opportunities for English and mathematics leaders to share their expertise by working alongside colleagues in the classroom. The leaders for the Early Years Foundation Stage and for special educational needs lead their areas of responsibility well.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching is led well. Teachers are given targets that link to the progress of pupils, the school’s priorities and their own professional needs. They are provided with training to help them meet these targets.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has made good use of assessment systems to keep a careful check on how individual pupils and different groups are making progress. Results are analysed thoroughly and action taken to help address any problems, so that all pupils can achieve well. This ensures that all have equal opportunities to succeed. The school has made good progress in introducing new assessment procedures in line with the new National Curriculum, whilst ensuring that staff can still check on everyone’s progress effectively. The headteacher has taken a major lead in this area.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is wide ranging and interesting, and meets the new national requirements well. Subjects are linked together in a meaningful way that engages pupils’ enthusiasm. For example, in a lesson on art and history, pupils drew on their literacy, mathematical and computer skills when they researched, sketched and constructed models of Aztec shields.

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The leadership and management are good

 Opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are extensive, in specific lessons on personal development, and in assemblies, religious education and other lessons. These, along with practical experience of democracy in electing a school council and house captains, and an emphasis on tolerance through the curriculum, prepare them well for life in modern Britain. Relationships are good between pupils, regardless of background, and discrimination is not tolerated. As one pupil said, ‘We’re all the same!’

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The leadership and management are good

 A focus on improving writing, a relative weakness in previous years, has been successful in accelerating progress. This is evident in pupils’ books, as well as in the school’s assessment data. A new whole-school approach is enthusing pupils and raising standards. Pupils are given much better chances to write at length in English lessons, although they do not have the same good opportunities to practise these skills in other subjects. Handwriting remains inconsistent for some pupils, with some older pupils switching from joined handwriting to print on a seemingly random basis.

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The leadership and management are good

 The pupil premium has been used well to support eligible pupils in their academic progress, so that they achieve as well as their classmates. The funding has also successfully ensured that these pupils are able to take a full part in all aspects of school life, such as music lessons and residential visits.

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The leadership and management are good

 The support provided by the local authority has been ‘light-touch’ in many ways, as the school is rightly identified as being successful. However, the school has valued the help given by the finance department in dealing with the budgetary issues arising from a rapidly increasing roll, as well as support in dealing with disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who have joined the school recently at different junctures.

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The leadership and management are good

 Arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements. Training is updated regularly, so staff are aware of issues and recent changes in procedures.  The primary school physical education and sport premium is used effectively. The facilities and equipment for sports have been increased, and staff have had extra training which has improved their confidence. There is a much wider range of sports clubs, with higher participation rates. The school has also greatly increased its participation, and its success, in a range of inter-school sports competitions.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors have a good overview of teaching quality and a secure understanding of how teachers’ performance is managed. This enables them to reward good performance and ensure that any shortcomings are tackled. They ensure that money is spent well and understand its impact; for example, they check on the impact of sports funding and the pupil premium. They are knowledgeable about data, and this gives them a clear understanding of pupils’ progress. Their good knowledge means they are well able to support the staff with advice, but also to question and challenge senior leaders about the decisions that are made.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are interested in their work and they try hard in lessons. They listen attentively to their teachers and to each other, and concentrate well. They work very well collaboratively, right from their start in Reception, cooperating well, sharing ideas and helping each other when required.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are polite, friendly and cheerful. They talk positively about school, say that lessons are fun and they clearly like and respect their teachers. Their enjoyment of school is reflected in their above-average attendance.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are keen to learn and they take a pride in their success. They are also patient and persistent when they have difficulties. They are usually confident in asking for help if they are puzzled, because they know they will get a positive response.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are tolerant of each other’s differences and get on well together at work and at play. In the playground, boys and girls from different background play together happily. Their play is often energetic, but they are careful of each other and play safely.

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Behaviour

 Pupils themselves are positive about behaviour. They acknowledge that there is some misbehaviour, but say that teachers deal with it quickly and firmly, although ‘They are never shouty.’ They say that sometimes people have arguments but, again, teachers help pupils resolve difficulties amicably. Older pupils are proud that they often contribute to helping their friends to resolve any quarrels.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe in school and they are confident that the adults will look after them. They know how they can contribute to their own and others safety; for example, by not running in school, although sometimes this can slip their memory.

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Safety

 Pupils have learned how to keep safe; for example, when using the internet and when crossing roads. Their good behaviour and consideration for each other, even in lively play, contributes to the school as a safe environment.

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Safety

 Pupils have a good understanding of bullying and its different forms. They understand the seriousness of this, but say incidents are very rare at school. They say they would immediately inform an adult if they were worried, and are confident that any issues would be dealt with quickly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good across the school, so all pupils make good progress. A key strength is the way that teachers engage pupils’ enthusiasm. They prepare interesting activities that enhance pupils’ understanding and keep them fully involved. Pupils say that lessons are fun.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers explain ideas clearly to pupils, often using the interactive whiteboard to clarify things, or showing them, through example, just what is involved in a particular task. This means that time is not wasted as pupils know just what to do from the start. Regular use of opportunities to discuss their work together ensures that pupils develop good skills in speaking and listening.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Expectations are high of work and behaviour, and pupils respond positively. Only gentle reminders are usually needed if pupils’ concentration drifts.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In most lessons, teachers prepare work at different levels of difficulty to match pupils’ different abilities. This means that tasks are generally challenging but manageable. Extra help from skilled adults helps pupils who might otherwise struggle to cope with their work, and they are challenged to do the best they can. At times, the most able spend parts of the lesson listening to explanations of things they already understand, or tackle work that is too easy for them before going on to more difficult tasks. This can slow their progress for this part of the lesson.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and other adults usually keep a close eye on pupils’ progress during lessons. This means that they can challenge those who are doing well to refine their work, or to move on to something more difficult. In general, it also means that any pupils who are confused are identified quickly and helped to get back on track. However, occasionally, teachers and support staff do not monitor progress systematically enough, so do not spot pupils’ misconceptions early enough. At such times, these pupils’ progress is very limited until an adult does identify their confusion and provides extra help.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work is marked regularly. Their strengths are clearly identified, and they are often given advice on how to improve, or given extra examples to do to consolidate their learning. However, the consistency of this practice is variable between classes and between subjects. It is strongest in English and mathematics books. There is also variation in how rigorously teachers ensure that pupils act on their advice and complete the extra tasks they are given.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of mathematics is good and pupils are making good progress as a result. Pupils are successfully helped to overcome their difficulties. One pupil in Year 6 told an inspector, ‘I used to be worried by fractions, but I enjoy them now. I can’t believe I’m saying that!’

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is taught well. Younger pupils are helped to use their skills in phonics (letters and sounds) to tackle unfamiliar words, and adults also ensure that they learn more ‘tricky’ words by heart. By Year 6, pupils are fluent readers with clear preferences for different genres. They are helped to use their reading skills well to support their work across the curriculum.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are making good use of a new scheme which the school has adopted to improve pupils’ achievement in writing. Rates of progress are improving and pupils’ skills and enthusiasm for writing are increasing, particularly for boys. Teachers have enabled pupils to write at greater length and with more sophistication in their English books. However, pupils are given relatively few opportunities to write at length in other subjects, and so consolidate their writing skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school has adopted a joined style of handwriting. However, teachers are not all making sure that all pupils keep to this style. Some alternate between joined writing and printing from week to week, which has a negative impact on their progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in Reception with skills that are varied but are generally typical for their age. They make good progress and go into Year 1 with attainment that is somewhat better than the national average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress is good throughout the rest of the school. Previous variations in rates of progress, particularly in Key Stage 2, have been largely eliminated because of action by the school. The school’s records show that all groups of pupils made similarly good progress during the last school year, and continue to do so this year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The good progress last year was not reflected in all published data for pupils in Year 6. This is partly because some pupils had made weak progress in previous years, and had not made up all the ground lost in the past. This effect was increased by the arrival of pupils from other schools during Years 5 and 6, several of whom had special educational needs. Pupils currently in Year 6 are on track to reach above- average standards and many have already exceeded expected levels of progress for the key stage.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress across the school. In relation to their starting points, they make the same good progress as their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to their classmates. Their good progress was reflected in disadvantaged pupils’ similar levels of attainment to the classmates at the end of Year 6 in 2013, and throughout the school currently. However, results in 2014 gave a misleading picture because many of the eligible pupils had special educational needs and, despite their good progress over the year, their attainment was low. In 2014, results in Year 6 showed disadvantaged pupils’ attainment was seven terms behind their classmates in mathematics, five terms behind in reading and two terms behind in writing. Compared to other pupils nationally, disadvantaged pupils lagged behind by five terms in mathematics, four terms in reading, and three terms in writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although the most-able pupils’ progress sometimes slows for parts of some lessons, overall they do particularly well. They make slightly more progress than their classmates, and achieve high standards, with a good proportion reaching the higher Levels 5 and 6 in national tests by the end of Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop good skills in a range of subjects, with high-quality artwork on display, for example, and good standards of singing heard from both boys’ and girls’ choirs in assembly. Their skills in using computers are good, enhanced by their many opportunities to use tablet computers in a variety of subjects.

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The early years provision is good

 Children make a good start to their schooling in the Reception classes. Good teaching means they make good progress in all areas of learning. A focus on early reading, writing and mathematics means that some early gaps in their understanding are overcome, so that an above-average proportion of children reach a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year. Children are well prepared for the move into Year 1.

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The early years provision is good

 Teachers maintain a balance between adult-led and child initiated activities. Adults teach children well in both cases. They explain things clearly to children in specific teaching sessions, matching the tasks they give to children’s different learning needs. They intervene effectively in children’s play to develop the children’s understanding and extend their vocabulary; for example, when talking to children in the ‘animal hospital’ who were bandaging a dog’s tail.

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The early years provision is good

 Children behave well. They respond quickly to adults’ instructions, and get on well together. They have very good collaborative skills for their age, and share materials and discuss their ideas together well; for example, when working together to build a ‘rocket’ in the outdoor area.

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The early years provision is good

 Progress in children’s physical development, while good, is not quite as strong as other areas of learning. To some extent this reflects the current absence of equipment in the outdoor area for children to ride vehicles or to climb.

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The early years provision is good

 The early years setting is managed well. Good links are established with parents, who are very positive about what is provided for the children. One wrote a glowing note to the inspectors, exemplified by her comment that, ‘I have been so impressed with how the school has worked in partnership with parents in lots of interesting ways, and on a variety of areas of work.’

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 125561 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 456292

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 367 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ron Binnie Headteacher Andrew Smith Date of previous school inspection 13 June 2012 Telephone number 01926 775453 Fax number 01926 775438 Email address admin2325@welearn365.com 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 and 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

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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