Newsome Junior School

Inspection of Newsome Junior School Castle Avenue, Newsome, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD4 6JN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 9–10 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is very welcoming. Diversity is seen as something positive. Pupils say that it is good to be different. They believe it would be boring if we were all the same.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff care about all the pupils. However, over time, leaders have not had high enough expectations for what pupils can achieve. Some staff do not insist that pupils try hard. They allow them to produce work that is less than their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they feel safe and happy in school. Parents and carers agree with this view. There is a small amount of bullying in school, but it is dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils know whom to talk to if they have any worries. They know adults will listen to their concerns and act appropriately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show a good understanding of the behaviour policy. However, behaviour in school is variable. At breaktimes, pupils are well supervised and generally well behaved. However, the poor behaviour of some pupils in lessons stops the learning of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to play sports and to make music. They look forward to the annual, ‘Newsome’s Got Talent’ show. The breakfast club gives many pupils a very positive start to the school day.

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better?

The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects. Plans show the topics to be covered in each subject. However, the curriculum is not planned in enough detail. Plans do not show the knowledge and skills pupils should gain. It is not clear how pupils will build on their learning in each subject, year on year. Progress in reading, writing and mathematics has remained significantly below average.

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better?

Leaders have made some improvements to the teaching of mathematics. Pupils are able to use their knowledge and skills to solve mathematical problems. However, their ability to reason is not well developed. Pupils have opportunities to write for many different purposes. The quality of this work varies. Some teachers do not make sure that pupils pay enough attention to basic skills such as spelling, punctuation and handwriting.

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better?

Leaders have made sure that there are lots of books in school to interest pupils of all abilities. Teachers and teaching assistants regularly read to pupils. This helps pupils to see reading as an enjoyable thing to do. A lot of work is being done to help pupils to understand the meaning of new words and phrases. However, attainment and progress in reading remain poor.

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better?

Some pupils are not fluent readers when they come to the school. These pupils need to do more work on phonics. However, most teachers and teaching assistants are 9–10 October 2019

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not well trained to teach phonics. This means that these pupils do not receive the support they need to help them to catch up.

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Lots of small-group work is done outside the classroom. The effectiveness of this work varies. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Some pupils visit the neighbouring special school each week to take part in singing and signing. This helps them to develop their communication skills.

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Attendance and behaviour have improved over time. Most pupils enjoy school. However, many pupils do not have a positive attitude to learning. They do not take pride in their work. They are quickly put off if they find that their work is tricky.

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Work on personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils learn about how their rights and responsibilities link together. They enjoy learning about different religions and cultures. The ‘Carry My Story’ project has been especially useful in helping pupils to understand the lives of others. Pupils are supported to reflect on their feelings and behaviour.

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Leaders have positive relationships with most parents. However, they are keen to develop this further. Leaders know the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have made some significant improvements since the last inspection. However, there remains much work to do. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils receive a high-quality curriculum that enables them to achieve highly and make effective progress. Governors have the skills they need to support and challenge leaders to do this work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have made sure that all staff know what to do if they have any worries about a pupil. Records show that all concerns are thoroughly followed up. Staff who work in ‘The Thrive Room’ give vulnerable pupils very effective support. All pupils learn how to recognise risks they may face in different situations. They understand the importance of reporting any concerns to a trusted adult.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not well sequenced. Current outline plans need to be expanded upon so that they give more detail. They need to include the skills and knowledge that pupils need to gain in each year group. They need to show teachers what to teach and when to teach it. Plans need to ensure that pupils build knowledge sequentially in all subjects.  Subject leaders are not able to offer appropriate challenge and support to their colleagues to ensure that academic standards continue to rise. All subject leaders 9–10 October 2019

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need to have opportunities to develop their subject knowledge and to keep up to date with new developments. They need to have regular opportunities to identify strengths and weaknesses in their subjects across the school. They then need to use this knowledge effectively.  The behaviour of some pupils is having a negative impact on their learning and that of their peers. This is because some teachers do not have the skills they need to manage behaviour effectively. They need training and support so that they are able to implement the new behaviour policy consistently. Some pupils need to know that disruptive behaviour is not acceptable.  Many pupils do not try hard and do their best. They do not have positive attitudes to learning. Teachers need to have higher expectations for what the pupils can achieve. They need to make sure that pupils know that only their best is good enough. They need to make sure that errors in basic skills are picked up and

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addressed.  Some pupils do not have the support they need to become fluent readers. This is because most teachers and teaching assistants do not have the skills and knowledge they need. They do not know how to teach phonics effectively. They need training and resources to make sure that they can deliver effective lessons to the pupils who need to develop their phonics knowledge.  Intervention work designed to help pupils to catch up with their peers is not always effective. Leaders need to assess the value of this work and only use interventions that are having a strong impact. They also need to strengthen class teaching so that fewer interventions are needed.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 9–10 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110557 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27–28 June 2017

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Information about this school

 Newsome Junior School federated with Berry Brow Infant School in September 2017.  The current headteacher of the federation took up post in September 2019.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, SEND coordinator and some subject leaders.  An inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  The subjects considered as part of this inspection were reading, mathematics, history and physical education. Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects. This entailed: meeting with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers; looking at curriculum plans; visiting lessons; speaking to pupils about their learning; and scrutinising pupils’ work. An inspector also observed teaching assistants listening to pupils read. 9–10 October 2019

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 The arrangements for safeguarding were checked. This included checks on the single central record, staff training and safeguarding records.  An inspector discussed the school’s records on attendance and behaviour with leaders.  An inspector analysed the school’s self-evaluation document and plans for improvement.  Inspectors looked at curriculum planning for a wide range of subjects.  An inspector met with four members of the governing body and looked at the minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils in lessons and at breaktimes. They also took account of the 42 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire.  Inspectors talked to a number of parents as they dropped their children off at the start of the school day. They also took account of the 22 responses to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View.  Inspectors met with a number of staff and took account of the 13 responses to

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Inspection team

Chris Cook, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Janet Keefe Ofsted Inspector 9–10 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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