New Chapter Primary School

Inspection of New Chapter Primary School Chapter, Coffee Hall, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK6 5EA

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 29 and 30 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

New Chapter school is a safe, happy and welcoming community. Pupils appreciate the warm welcome they receive from leaders and staff every morning. Staff know pupils and their families very well. If there is ever any bullying, staff deal with any incidents quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of ‘learning, love and laughter’ weave through all aspects of everyday life. Leaders have high expectations. Pupils who consistently live up to the school values celebrate their achievements by enjoying ‘hot chocolate with the headteacher’ every Friday. The ethos around school is calm. Playtimes are sociable occasions. Pupils look forward to catching up with their friends. They relish setting up games they enjoy on the trim trail and the adventure playground. Pupils are proud of the jobs they do, these include play leaders and library monitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils look forward to the after-school clubs. These include the ever-popular choir, multi sports, dancing, dodge ball, the apprentice and gardening clubs. Pupils look forward to the trips which help bring their learning to life. They enjoy visits to Silverstone, Warwick Castle and the local leisure centre. Children in early years are excited about their trip to the farm.

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better?

Leaders have crafted an ambitious and interesting curriculum. They have set out clearly the important knowledge they want pupils to learn in all subjects and areas of learning. Leaders have made sure that staff are trained to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND). Staff provide for the needs of pupils with SEND to ensure that they have the correct resources and support. Leaders work well with a range of external specialists. This means, for example, that children in early years have the additional support they need for speech and language development.

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better?

Overall, pupils look forward to lessons and enjoy learning. Teachers explain information clearly. They provide pupils with work that helps them to understand the important ideas they need to learn well. Resources, such as books and displays are carefully selected and used to encourage pupils to become even more interested in their work. However, sometimes teachers do not check that pupils make links with what they know already. This means that some pupils, do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders are addressing this.

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better?

Leaders prioritise pupils’ reading. There is a strong love of reading in all areas. Children in early years look forward to listening to the stories staff read and share with them. Older pupils enjoy visiting the well-stocked library. They are keen to discuss the plot and characters of books they read. The phonics programme is well sequenced. Staff deliver it effectively. The books pupils read are well matched to the sounds they 29 and 30 June 2022

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learn in lessons. Teachers carefully check how well pupils are doing and help them to catch up quickly if needed. This means that all pupils learn to read quickly, confidently and with comprehension.

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Children in early years work well with others. They are interested and curious about the activities that are planned for them. They delight in sharing and explaining their ideas with the adults who work with them. Pupils across the school routinely discuss and debate ‘big questions’. They listen to the views of others in a thoughtful and considerate manner. When things go wrong, staff support pupils effectively. They help pupils to reflect on their actions and make changes accordingly.

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Leaders take every opportunity to promote and encourage good attendance. Despite their efforts, however, there remains a significant minority of pupils who do not attend regularly. Therefore, some pupils do not learn as well as they could or take full advantage of all that the school has to offer. Leaders are working hard to improve attendance.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders ensure that pupils learn about different cultures and religious traditions. Pupils work with a wide range of visitors, religious leaders and professionals who visit school often. Pupils consider topics such as food poverty, immigration and democracy. They are knowledgeable about protected characteristics and individual liberty. Pupils know what it means to be a good friend. They respect others and do not accept any form of discrimination or unfairness. As one pupil said, ‘We are all equal and important at New Chapter.’

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Governors and trustees are knowledgeable and experienced. They challenge leaders about the impact of their actions to improve the quality of education. Staff feel well supported by leaders who consider their workload and well-being. Leaders make effective use of the training and support provided by the trust.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff are well trained and knowledgeable about the signs to be alert to that something is wrong or a pupil is worried. For instance, staff are vigilant and alert to the slightest changes which indicate that a pupil may be at risk. Leaders work well with external agencies to refer concerns about pupil welfare and safety. They make sure that pupils have the help and support they need. Leaders ensure that staff who work at school are eligible to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep safe in different situations, including when online. 29 and 30 June 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A small proportion of pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Therefore, they do not learn as well as they could, and they miss out on important experiences. Leaders should continue their work in this area to improve attendance.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is variable in some foundation subjects and some areas of learning in early years. Therefore, pupils do not achieve as well as they could across all subjects. Leaders should ensure that all teachers receive the support they need to develop their expertise.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 29 and 30 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10210994 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 and 2 November 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2019.  The school currently uses one alternative provision.

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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

 Inspectors met with the headteacher and senior leaders. The lead inspector held meetings with members of the governing body, the board of trustees and the chief executive officer of the Milton Keynes Education Trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. They met with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, spoke with pupils and staff, and listened to pupils reading to a trusted adult. Inspectors also looked at pupils’ work in a range of other subjects.  To check the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including school policies, procedures and records. An inspector met with the headteacher to discuss his work as the designated safeguarding lead 29 and 30 June 2022

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and review examples of the actions taken to keep pupils safe. Inspectors spoke to pupils and checked staff members’ understanding of how to keep pupils safe from harm.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation and policies, including records of governors’ and trustees’ meetings and information relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views by speaking to groups of pupils and speaking to pupils at lunchtime and in lessons. There were no responses to the pupil survey.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day and considered the six responses submitted to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors also spoke to teaching and non-teaching staff and took account of 29 responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Lizzie Jeanes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lucy Hillyard Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 June 2022

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