New Close Primary School

Inspection of New Close Primary School 30 Imber Road, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 9JJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 22 and 23 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Teachers expect pupils to always do their best and show pride in their work. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Special events such as reading in their pyjamas for World Book Day make school fun.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is proud of its links with the regiments serving on the nearby military base. Pupils join with the regiments at special ceremonies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in their lessons and on the playground. They respect the school rules. Pupils enjoy receiving rewards such as house points. They trust adults to help them if they have problems with their friends. Pupils say that bullying does not happen. If it did, they would use the ‘worry box’ to alert an adult. There is well- planned support for the small number of pupils who need help to manage their emotions and feelings. The school is a calm place to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff in early years understand children’s development well. Staff guide and support pupils effectively. They encourage them to be independent and self-reliant learners. This prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.

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better?

Leaders have implemented a curriculum that shows their ambition for all to succeed. In many subjects, teachers have secure subject knowledge. Teachers prioritise the core knowledge that underpins pupils’ future learning. In art, for example, staff in Reception Year guided children to use brushes of different sizes to design and paint Mother’s Day cards. In Years 5 and 6, pupils can explain perspective and draw faces in proportion. Pupils build well on their knowledge of art techniques and artists over time.

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better?

In mathematics, leaders have ensured that there is precision and consistency in how pupils learn mathematics. They have guided teachers in how to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils in the mixed-age classes. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not fully developed teachers’ subject knowledge. As a result, pupils do not know and remember the curriculum as well as they could across all subjects.

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better?

Leaders rightly prioritise reading. Children in Reception are taught the sounds they need to read successfully. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds they are learning. Teachers model well what reading with accuracy and fluency sounds like. Pupils learn to read with expression to support their comprehension. Teachers strengthen pupils’ knowledge of reading across a range of subjects. Some pupils, including some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), need additional support with reading. Teachers and teaching assistants skilfully provide extra help. However, the assessment of pupils’ phonic and reading knowledge is not precise for this group of pupils. This makes it difficult for teachers 22 and 23 March 2022

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to identify accurately the next step for pupils’ reading development. This limits their ability to catch up quickly.

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Leaders are developing ways of assessing pupils’ knowledge across the wider curriculum. In history, for example, teachers ask pupils to reflect on their learning and form opinions. For instance, some pupils in key stage 2 formed the opinion that the Anglo-Saxons were a skilled and creative society. They based this on their knowledge of metalwork and jewellery from the period. In some other subjects, assessment is at an early stage.

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The school’s values teach pupils to show respect and take responsibility. Pupils are taught to be the best they can be. They understand democracy and how this is an important British value. House captains and junior leaders take their roles seriously. Pupils are taught about the world’s variety of cultures and beliefs. The school teaches pupils good habits for a healthy life. Older pupils know what having good mental health means. Younger pupils learn about the importance of good sleep as well as healthy food. Staff in early years emphasise the importance of washing one’s hands. The school has recently strengthened the pastoral support it offers pupils. This includes support for pupils when members of their family are away on military service. The school is inclusive. In particular, the well-being of pupils with SEND has a high priority.

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Leaders work well with parents and carers to overcome any issues stopping pupils from attending school. This swift support has improved attendance.

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Leaders benefit from working with colleagues from across the trust to share good practice. Senior leaders in the trust hold leaders to account for the effectiveness of the school. Trustees and school leaders prioritise staff well-being and workload. Staff appreciate this support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ recruitment checks are thorough. This ensures that all adults who work with pupils are safe to do so. The trust oversees the school’s arrangements for safeguarding. This supports school leaders in their role.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils well and are vigilant for their well-being. Staff receive regular updates to their training. They are swift to report any concerns they may have that a pupil is at risk. Leaders act on concerns and seek help for families from a range of agencies.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. 22 and 23 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have still to strengthen teachers’ subject knowledge so that the curriculum is delivered as they intend. As a result, pupils do not learn as well in some subjects as others. Leaders should continue the professional development of teachers’ subject knowledge so that pupils learn equally well in all subjects.  In some subjects, assessment is not used effectively to identify pupils’ next steps. Therefore, teachers do not have a full picture of what pupils know and need to learn next. Leaders should ensure that assessment is used effectively.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 22 and 23 March 2022

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Date of previous inspection

5 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Acorn Education Trust.  Many pupils come from military families.  There is a breakfast club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not use alternative provision.  New Close Primary School converted to become an academy school in November 2017. When its predecessor school, New Close Community School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 22 and 23 March 2022

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the early years leader, subject leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  The lead inspector met with several representatives of the trust over the course of the inspection, including the chair of trustees and the chief executive officer. She also met with a member of staff from the trust’s alternative provision.  Inspectors considered leaders’ plans to improve the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also spoke to pupils and looked at samples of work in a number of other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from key stage 1 read to an adult.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their personal development.

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 Inspectors looked at the school’s arrangements for safeguarding and discussed safeguarding with a number of staff. They also looked at the school’s recruitment checks.  Inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the free-text comments made by parents. They also took account of the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Wendy Marriott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Emma Jelley Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 March 2022

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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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