The Newton Community Primary School

Inspection of The Newton Community Primary School Caxton End, Eltisley, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 6TL

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 September 2023

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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 Good 26 and 27 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils blossom at this small school with a ‘family feel’. There are many opportunities, starting in the early years, for pupils to play and learn together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between adults and pupils are kind. Pupils trust adults to care for them and to help them when they need it. This means pupils feel safe at school and are confident to try new things.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that their teachers expect them to do their best with their work. From the start of the early years, children learn to listen carefully. Older pupils concentrate well on detailed tasks.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Around the school, the atmosphere is calm. Older and younger pupils sit together in ‘family groups’ at lunchtime. At breaktimes, everyone is included. Pupils enjoy the expansive grounds together. There are imaginative games, sports and time to relax and chat.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Mölkky (skittles) and breakfast clubs get the day off to a relaxed start, as pupils play happily together. Choir gives pupils opportunities to take part in concerts outside of the school. Clubs such as table tennis and sensory circuits enable pupils to develop their skills.

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better?

Leaders have carefully considered how to ensure that pupils can develop and remember their learning over time. As a result, they have made recent changes to some subjects in the curriculum. Curriculum plans in all subjects now set out the most important learning and how pupils will secure this over time.

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better?

Teachers introduce new ideas clearly. They model new skills and give pupils time to practise these independently. Teachers provide extra help for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), so they can join in lessons. From the early years, adults check that pupils understand what they are learning. They give extra explanations or practice straight away, for pupils who need it

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better?

In subjects where the curriculum is well established, teachers regularly review and reinforce what pupils have learned before. They make links between what pupils already know and the new ideas they introduce. Teachers check how well pupils remember what they have been taught. In these subjects, teachers adjust their plans to address any gaps or misunderstandings. As a result, in these subjects, pupils achieve well.

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better?

In subjects where the curriculum is less well established, ways to check what pupils already know are evolving. This makes it harder for teachers to build on previous learning and pupils achieve less well. 26 and 27 September 2023

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Pupils with SEND get the extra help they need. Adults provide extra equipment, explanations, or adjustments. This helps pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers. With help, pupils with SEND gain confidence and independence as they move through the school. The school is improving at setting and reviewing precise targets for pupils with SEND.

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In the early years, adults weave lots of songs and rhymes into the day. Teachers introduce new words and help children to develop correct sentence structures. Children in Reception start to learn to read straight away. They practise their new skills in class and with carefully matched books. They apply their phonics knowledge in their writing. Regular checks ensure that adults swiftly spot pupils who need extra help to develop their reading. This is put in place straight away. Pupils learn to read confidently. Older pupils enjoy reading from a wide selection of books at the right levels. They fondly recall the high-quality books, which their teachers read aloud to them regularly.

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Teachers expect good behaviour in class, so that everyone can focus on their learning. In the early years, adults help children to learn to take turns and play together kindly. Teachers provide plenty of praise and encouragement. This enables all pupils, including those with SEND, to share their ideas in lessons. A range of extra help with behaviour is available for the few pupils who need it.

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Pupils have many opportunities to develop as caring members of the community. They collect items for a local food bank and celebrate harvest in the village church. They learn about different world religions and ways of life. They are respectful of difference and make new pupils welcome. Regular outdoor sessions help pupils to develop their resilience and teamwork skills.

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Following a period of change, staff and parents have confidence in school leaders. Staff feel part of a supportive team, ambitious for continued improvement. Governors know the school well and carry out their statutory responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has recently introduced new curriculum plans. These have not been in place long enough for leaders to evaluate and adjust them. As pupils are adapting to these changes, there is a need to fill the knowledge gaps left by the old plans. The school should ensure that new curriculum plans are implemented effectively and adjusted to meet the needs of all pupils. 26 and 27 September 2023

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 In some curriculum subjects and for pupils with SEND, assessment systems are not well established. This makes it hard for leaders at all levels to know what is working well and what needs improvement. The school should develop the precision of assessment systems, so that they can identify what is effective or where changes are required, enabling quick implementation of any improvements necessary.

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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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 26 and 27 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Sarah Hellary & Sue Kearsey

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 November 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Forest Federation.  The head teacher was appointed in April 2023  The school uses one unregistered, off-site alternative provider.  The school provides before- and after-school care clubs.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 and 27 September 2023

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 Inspectors met with senior staff in the school, including the head teacher, executive head teacher, chair of governors, and the designated leads for safeguarding. Inspectors also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at some samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Lynne Williams, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rob della-Spina Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 September 2023

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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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