Newstead Primary Academy

Inspection of Newstead Primary Academy Waterside Drive, Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST3 3LQ

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The head of school is Emma Meakin. This school is part of The Inspirational Learning Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Helen Stocking, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Rev. Ann Ballard. Helen Stocking is also the executive headteacher, who is responsible for this school and two others.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Newstead Primary Academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Newstead Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as Newstead Primary Academy as a result of conversion to academy status. The school received a monitoring visit under section 8 of the Act on 29 September 2020. 2 and 3 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are incredibly proud of their school and rightly so. They thrive at this nurturing and caring school. There are mutually respectful relationships among pupils and staff. Pupils feel safe and know that adults will help them if they have a worry or concern.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave impeccably and treat each other with unwavering kindness and respect. They are incredibly polite and welcoming. They talk with pride about their learning and the extraordinary experiences they have at this school. This includes the wide and varied educational visits available for pupils, including a range of residential opportunities and international visits. This helps develop resilience and confidence. Pupils also benefit from an extensive programme of after-school clubs that go beyond the expected, to enable pupils to develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils learn to horse ride, be young farmers or play golf, to name but a few activities available at these clubs. Pupils receive awards for participation, which encourages them to broaden their horizons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The quality of education the pupils receive is exceptional. Pupils are curious and keen to learn. They progress extremely well through the curriculum and achieve highly in all aspects of their learning. This means pupils are very well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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better?

This is a school that is aspirational for all pupils. This is summed up by one child who said, ‘Teachers don’t have favourites. They want us all to do well and be celebrated.’

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better?

Beginning in the early years, the school has meticulously designed an aspirational curriculum that goes beyond the core knowledge and skills that need to be taught. The curriculum helps pupils to make links between things they have learned. For example, in history, pupils discuss articulately how historical events have shaped the fundamental British values of today. Pupils also talked excitedly about how they use the knowledge and skills learned in art lessons, to create a virtual gallery in computing lessons.

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better?

The strength in the school’s curriculum design enables teachers to know precisely what pupils should learn, and how it connects to their previous knowledge. Staff routinely check what pupils know and remember. High-quality training for staff is made a priority. This enables teachers to design consistently effective learning activities that help to deepen pupils’ understanding of concepts.

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better?

The school has cultivated a love of reading in its pupils. Reading is front and centre in the curriculum. Staff deliver the phonics programme with precision. Pupils regularly practise their reading using suitable texts that match their phonics knowledge. Staff regularly check the sounds that pupils know. Pupils keep up with 2 and 3 July 2024

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their learning because of highly effective support that is put in place where needed. This enables pupils to rapidly develop into confident and enthusiastic readers.

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The school makes sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly so that they receive the help they need to access the curriculum and thrive. Staff successfully adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND so that they progress through the curriculum exceptionally well.

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Pupils’ thirst for learning and exemplary behaviour begins in the early years. Children are taught the expectations as soon as they join the school. They listen attentively and engage in a wide range of activities that stimulate their learning, both independently and alongside their peers.

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The depth and scope of the curriculum for personal development is exceptional. Staff carefully weave spiritual, moral, social and cultural development throughout all aspects of the curriculum. Staff go beyond the expected to provide pupils with a rich set of experiences. The school develops the character and resilience of pupils through pupil leadership roles that enable them to make a tangible contribution to the life of the school. Pupils have a strong understanding of how to keep physically and mentally healthy. From the Nursery onwards, children learn about how to look after themselves as they grow older and make healthy choices.

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Parents and carers are highly supportive of the school. The school has effective systems in place to support families to ensure their children attend school regularly and on time. One parent summed up the views of many others by saying, ‘This is such a welcoming and happy place. Amazing staff, fantastic opportunities, my child is thriving!’

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Trustees and local governors have established robust systems and processes to ensure the school is providing the very best education for all pupils. The combined approach of the trust on the development of the curriculum has had a positive impact on staff workload and well-being.

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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. 2 and 3 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 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

Dates of previous inspection 29 September 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined with two other local schools to establish the Inspirational Learning Academies Trust in November 2013.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the executive headteacher, deputy executive headteacher, the head of school and senior leaders. 2 and 3 July 2024

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 The lead inspector met with trustees and representatives from the local governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art. 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 a sample of pupils’ work. The inspectors also talked to pupils and examined their work in computing and science.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  Minutes of trustee and local governing body meetings were also scrutinised.  The inspectors looked at records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors talked to parents at the start of the school day and considered the Ofsted Parent View survey and free-text comments. The inspectors also reviewed the responses to the staff survey and gathered the views of staff and pupils through discussion.

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Inspection team

Cathy Young, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Dukes 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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