Newchurch Primary School

Inspection of Newchurch Primary School School Lane, Newchurch, Sandown, Isle of Wight PO36 0NL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 2 and 3 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and staff proudly describe Newchurch as a family. The school seeks excellence in ‘making it happen’ for its pupils. Pupils are cherished and supported and the school prides itself on its inclusive approach. Pupils thrive in the outstanding personal development curriculum that is underpinned by the five ‘mission possibles’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave impressively, have wonderful manners and are caring and respectful. They keenly recognise and develop superb character attributes. The oldest pupils eagerly apply for leadership roles, such as ‘young governors’ and mental health ambassadors. Pupils really do make a difference, not only to their fellow peers but to the community on the island. Pupils speak maturely about issues and have an aspirational outlook on life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Academically, the school has high aims for pupils in learning a broad and enriching curriculum. Pupils follow routines and work diligently in class. They have a thirst to learn more.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School experiences, such as a storytelling festival, key stage 2 performing ‘The Jungle Book’, sporting competitions and the offer to learn a musical instrument, truly enhance pupils’ memories and talents. Pupils also learn important information about life on the island, including how to stay safe in water. They also passionately give back to their community through whole-school fundraising events.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and bespoke to the school’s context. It is built around five ‘mission possibles’, which are carefully woven through all subjects. These character-led qualities drive pupils’ learning and attitudes impressively. The school has worked effectively on outlining the key knowledge that pupils should learn within units of work and ordering this in a clear way to build pupils’ understanding gradually.

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better?

The most recent published outcomes showed that pupils achieved well in reading and broadly in line with other pupils nationally in mathematics. However, writing at the end of key stage 2 declined significantly. The school has acted rapidly to address weaknesses in writing and ensure that pupils in key stage 2 acquire the writing skills they need to succeed. Consequently, staff now utilise appropriate writing tasks across the curriculum. Here, teachers design well-chosen tasks to develop older pupils’ writing knowledge in different subjects, such as in science and geography. However for younger pupils, leaders recognise there is more to do to ensure pupils can practise their early writing skills. Currently, some learning activities are not always ambitious enough to ensure pupils acquire the writing foundations skills that they need in readiness for the next stage of their education.

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better?

There is a strong commitment to pupils learning to read quickly and widely. Older pupils benefit from a rich and diverse selection of books. The school’s phonics 2 and 3 July 2024

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programme is highly ambitious and sets out a clear pathway for staff to follow. Pupils learn to read accurately and staff are skilled in teaching pupils how to blend sounds together. Additional ‘catch-up’ sessions serve those pupils well who require further repeated practice to ensure that they can learn to read with increasing fluency.

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The school’s learning environment is deliberate in its excellent design to support all pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Furthermore, in early years, highly effective staff promote and enhance children’s learning and experiences in the prime areas of learning. Children are naturally curious and they demonstrate this strongly in their play and response to adult direction. A strength of the school is how it quickly identifies pupils with SEND. In addition, teachers adapt tasks in a way that ensures all pupils can learn and access the school’s curriculum.

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Teachers are effective in developing pupils’ vocabulary and revising previously taught content. Where pupils may become stuck, teachers know to address this to help pupils better understand an idea. Although assessment practice is embedded in the school, sometimes pupils are moved on to new concepts before they are securely fluent. This impacts on their ability to link and apply what they have previously learned.

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Pupils’ personal development at Newchurch is exceptional. Nothing is left to chance in the school’s design of wider opportunities. From online safety to fundamental British values, to financial management and mental health, pupils are exceptionally well prepared for secondary school. The school recognises the need to develop pupils’ understanding of the world, both about and beyond the island they live on. Pupils value this support and the opportunities they are given.

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Pupils attend school regularly and demonstrate exemplary attitudes and behaviour both in lessons and outside when playing. These attributes are also wonderfully modelled and lived out by the oldest pupils to ensure pupils across the school can learn and achieve well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some work set within different year groups is not always as ambitious as it could be. This includes the opportunities to practise the taught writing knowledge for younger pupils. The school should continue with its improvement plans to enable work set across the whole school to be of the highest quality. 2 and 3 July 2024

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 In some subjects, staff do not always identify where pupils need further practice before teaching new content. This impacts on how well pupils embed knowledge into their long-term memory. The school should ensure that teachers have the support they need to check what pupils know and remember before moving on to new learning.

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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 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). 2 and 3 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Mick Day and Ian Watterson (co-chairs)

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School details

Headteacher Kirsty Howarth (executive headteacher) Louise Parkin (head of school) Website www.newchurchprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Newchurch is federated with another primary school on the Isle of Wight.  The school is currently using one alternative provider.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, head of school and staff. The lead inspector met with five governors, including the co-chairs. He held telephone calls 2 and 3 July 2024

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with representatives from the two local authorities of Hampshire and Isle of Wight.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, design and technology and physical education. To do this, they met with teachers, looked at curriculum plans, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons, listened to pupils read and looked at 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.  The views of staff and parents were gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors talked to pupils from different year groups about their learning and experiences at school.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation provided by the school. This

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included the school’s self-evaluation and school improvement priorities, policies, curriculum documents, behaviour and attendance records, minutes of governors’ meetings, visit reports from the two local authorities and published outcomes.

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Inspection team

James Broadbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Howie Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 July 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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