Newborough CofE Primary School

Inspection of Newborough CofE Primary School School Road, Newborough, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE6 7RG

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 1–2 October 2019

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is part of a caring and nurturing community. Pupils enjoy the wide curriculum on offer, such as the interesting topics that they study and the variety of extra-curricular clubs. Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. This includes opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, such as in peer mediator roles, when pupils can reflect on their actions to make things better. Staff value and respect the pupils, supporting them with both work and life skills, such as independence and perseverance.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The headteacher and her deputy have clear and appropriate plans in place to improve the school’s effectiveness. The behaviour of pupils, however, needs further improvement. Some staff do not have high expectations for pupils to behave well in class. At times, pupils’ inappropriate behaviour stops the learning of others. This is because the school’s behaviour policy is not consistently applied by staff. Inspectors saw some positive behaviour, for example in assembly and around the school. Responses to Ofsted’s online surveys show that some parents, carers, staff and pupils have concerns about behaviour. However, bullying is not seen as an issue because pupils are confident that staff deal with any that does happen. Pupils told inspectors that they are happy at school and feel safe.

p.2

better?

The headteacher and her new deputy are starting to raise expectations for all pupils at the school. This is working well in mathematics and English. In reading and mathematics, pupils learn new skills and build their knowledge well as they move up the school. Teachers teach phonics well, and pupils can apply their skills to reading and writing. Pupils value and enjoy reading, and leaders provide a range of activities to encourage pupils and their parents to read together. Boys’ writing has been a focus since the previous inspection. Inspectors found evidence of improvements in this area, such as in topic writing. In mathematics, pupils can apply their knowledge to solve problems. Pupils work on harder mathematics challenges, where appropriate, in most classes.

p.2

better?

The development of pupils’ knowledge and skills in other subjects, such as history and art, is a focus for teachers. This is because there are historical gaps in pupils’ learning in the wider curriculum. In foundation subjects, such as art, planning is new, and its impact on pupils’ learning is not yet evident.

p.2

better?

Work on pupils’ social, emotional and personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils do well at Newborough. Adults support them to be able to access learning and succeed.

p.2

better?

Governors are supportive of school leaders and value their vision. However, they do not effectively check the work of school leaders, and have an inaccurate perception of the views of staff and parents. Expectations of staff, and governors’ roles in holding 1–2 October 2019

p.2

3

them to account, lack clarity. School leaders are therefore not supported as well as they should be. A local authority improvement partner and diocesan advisers have provided effective support for the headteacher. Despite this, improvements have not been implemented quickly enough. Staff are not clear about their roles, responsibilities and accountability for school improvement, and some are reluctant to change and develop. For example, in some classes, the way activities are organised and the checking of pupils’ understanding by teachers are not good enough. Valuable learning time is then wasted. Some pupils make mistakes or do not know what to do. Those pupils who need further challenge do not always receive this. Often, they work without the support of adults. This slows their progress. In some classes, behaviour interferes with learning, which means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

p.3

3

Some parents have been resistant to much-needed change, such as raised expectations around attendance.

p.3

3

Children start in the Reception class with skills and abilities typical for their age. Classroom activities, inside and out, provide a range of interesting opportunities. However, these sometimes lack purpose, which means that children flit from one activity to another. When adults focus on working with small groups, those who are selecting their own activities receive too little guidance. Children do not learn as much as they could. Although phonics is well taught, at times, teachers do not check that all children are involved in the learning. Some children lose focus and miss out. Important routines which support learning, such as listening well and tidying up, are not yet developed. This means that children are not well prepared for Year 1.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The record of checks made on adults working with children is complete and up to date. Staff receive regular training on safeguarding and child protection. Staff know how to report any concerns. Records of cases and incidents are well organised and secure. Pupils say they feel safe. Parents and staff agree.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Improve planning in English and the wider curriculum to better consider the different needs of pupils. By building on what they already know and can do, all pupils can be challenged to achieve well.  Clarify the roles, responsibilities and accountability of staff members, especially those holding subject leader responsibilities, so that all play a part in the school’s improvement by both supporting colleagues and holding them to account.  Improve the organisation and management of classroom activities and routines so that pupils know what to do and swiftly receive any help they need. This includes the early years.  Ensure that the school’s behaviour policy is understood by parents and is 1–2 October 2019

p.3

4

consistently applied by all staff.  Develop communication with parents to increase understanding about improvements being made in key areas of the school’s work, such as expectations around attendance and behaviour.  Review the early years provision and planning so that they build on what children already know and can do to better prepare them for Year 1. Develop the role of adults during child-initiated activities.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 1–2 October 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10110227 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Reverend Colin Hurst

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 19 September 2018

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2017.  Since the last inspection, a new deputy headteacher has been appointed.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke with school leaders, including the headteacher and deputy headteacher, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, governors, including the chair of the governing body, the local authority improvement partner and a representative from the diocese.  Discussions were held with subject leaders, teachers, support staff, parents and pupils. The responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, pupils and staff were considered. These included 39 responses to Parent View and 38 free-text comments.  Inspectors looked in depth at mathematics, reading, writing and art. Cross- curricular writing was also considered. This involved discussions with subject leaders, visits to lessons and scrutiny of pupils’ work and curriculum planning, 1–2 October 2019

p.5

6

plus discussions with pupils and class teachers.  Safeguarding records and documentation were looked at, and records of checks and incidents scrutinised. Discussions were held with the school’s safeguarding leaders and other staff. Pupils were asked for their views. Professional development opportunities and expectations for staff training were checked. Day- to-day safeguarding practice was observed by inspectors.

p.6

Inspection team

Jacqueline Bell-Cook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Nick Butt Ofsted Inspector 1–2 October 2019

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7