Nine Acres Primary School

Inspection of Nine Acres Primary School South View, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1QP

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils blossom at Nine Acres. They are inspired and enthusiastic learners. They thrive in this exceptional school where disadvantaged pupils flourish. The ambitious curriculum is intertwined with an extensive personal development offer. The school’s aspirational values underpin everything. The school expects its pupils to be ‘articulate’, ‘passionate’, ‘persuasive’ and ‘positively influencing the world around us’. Pupils unquestionably rise to meet these high expectations. They are keen to explain the ways that they uphold these values in how they act and speak.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to excel. As a result, pupils develop a rich body of knowledge across the full range of subjects. The unique transition programme in July each year is well established. It prepares pupils excellently in all year groups to hit the ground running in September.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s offer goes far beyond the academic. Everyone is ‘striving for excellence’ in all areas of school life. Across the school, pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils’ wider development is at the heart of the curriculum. There are rich opportunities, both inside and outside of the classroom, for pupils to grow their personal skills, including in leadership, and cultural capital.

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better?

The expertly delivered curriculum embeds and deepens pupils’ subject-specific knowledge and skills. The school invests in training for staff and ensures that they are confident across the full range of subjects. Pupils are articulate and use precise vocabulary confidently in their explanations. Staff use their strong subject knowledge to provide stimulating activities designed to help pupils apply what they know to new concepts. Any uncertainty for pupils is quickly spotted and discussed by teachers through their effective checks on pupils’ understanding. Overall, pupils’ learning is very strong across the full curriculum.

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better?

Reading is a strength of the school. The school is awash with quiet reading areas furnished with carefully chosen texts. Expert staff ensure that children in the Reception Year and pupils in key stage 1 learn phonics quickly and securely. Staff make sure that the books that pupils read are carefully matched to the sounds that they already know. Over time, pupils develop into confident and highly competent readers. Teachers use a wide range of texts from established authors, diverse cultures and different forms, such as song lyrics, very effectively.

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better?

No matter how complex a pupil’s needs are, staff explore all opportunities to overcome any barriers to learning. They utilise appropriate expertise or seek advice from external specialists. It enables pupils, including those with SEND, to shine in each subject. Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life and achieve very well. 10 and 11 July 2024

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The exceptionally strong start to school that pupils experience in the Reception Year is impressive. Adults interact with children with enthusiasm and encouragement to build children's skills. The curriculum is designed to provide a firm foundation for all children. The key early knowledge that children need to be successful with reading, writing and mathematics is secured in Reception. The early years environment is stimulating and there are rich opportunities for children’s physical development.

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Pupils are incredibly polite and courteous. They show tremendous care and respect. Their admirable behaviour contributes to the intensely positive atmosphere throughout school. The school places great importance on pupils’ attendance and punctuality. The school supports pupils and their families when their attendance falls below the expected high levels. This work helps to bring about swift and sustained improvements in pupils’ attendance.

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Pupils have a deep understanding of the school’s values and others that are important in the wider world. Pupils respect everyone’s right to their own views and beliefs even if different to their own. Pupils are excellent ambassadors for their school. They are active citizens in their school and make a tangible difference. The impressive range of opportunities that are available help to nurture pupils’ talents and interests. Pupils benefit from such activities as residential visits, skateboarding and sailing alongside a range of sporting and arts-based clubs.

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The school benefits from highly effective leadership. It continually strives to be the best that it can be. Governors use their wide range of relevant skills and knowledge to ask probing questions and to hold the school to account. Staff speak of the high- quality training that they receive, which supports them in developing their practice even further. They also describe how working as part of a close-knit team helps to ease their workload. The vast majority of parents and carers recognise and appreciate everything the school does for their children. Pupils leave the school as well-rounded and responsible young people ready to make their mark in their next schools and beyond.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 10 and 11 July 2024

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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). 10 and 11 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 May 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school offers morning and after-school care, led by an external provider.  The number of pupils on roll at the school has increased significantly since the previous graded inspection.  The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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.  This was the second routine inspection the school has 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, religious education (RE) and physical education (PE). For each deep dive, 10 and 11 July 2024

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders within the school. The lead inspector also met with members of the local governing board, including the chair, and an educational representative from the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation including self- evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent

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View and inspectors also spoke with parents on the first day of the inspection.  The views of staff were gathered through interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection, as well as the staff survey.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including through the classroom visits, group discussions as well as at playtimes and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Chris Parker, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Owen McColgan Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 July 2024

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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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