Newtown Primary School

Inspection of Newtown Primary School Anne Close, Off Dunkirk Avenue, West Bromwich B70 0ES

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Simone Chesney-Ly. This school is part of Stour Vale Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rachel Salter, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Joanne Williams. There is also an executive leader, Lara Stone, who is responsible for this school and others. 16 and 17 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Newtown is a warm and welcoming school. Pupils benefit from the positive relationships that they have with other pupils and with staff, who care deeply for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are kind and respectful. This makes the school a calm and happy place where everyone can focus on learning. Pupils were eager to share their knowledge with inspectors and said that they enjoy learning new things each day. Pupils say that everyone is treated fairly. They feel safe at school. If pupils are worried about something, they know that adults will help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school recognised that the ambition for all pupils to achieve to the best of their ability had to be raised. In most subjects, the high ambition is realised and most pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a variety of clubs, including a range of different sports, a choir and a mental health club. Pupils enjoy taking on leadership opportunities, including the school’s junior leadership team, whose members help to plan events such as a magic show. Pastoral support for pupils is a strength of the school, ensuring that they receive tailored support as and when they need it.

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better?

In recent years, there have been many improvements made across all aspects of school life. This includes putting in place a curriculum that is ambitious and well organised. Historically, achievement for pupils at the end of key stage 2 was low. However, the impact of the improved curriculum and higher expectations has led to most pupils achieving outcomes that are at least consistent with national expectations by the end of key stage 2.

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better?

Children make a strong start to school in the Nursery and Reception classes. They settle quickly into routines. Children become curious learners who can concentrate for extended periods. Teachers plan activities that prepare children well for later learning. Staff identify swiftly any gaps that children may have and put in place effective programmes of support that help develop children’s language and personal and social skills.

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better?

In almost all subjects, the school has carefully considered the important knowledge that pupils should learn. High-quality training enables teachers to deliver the curriculum consistently well. Teachers use assessment skilfully, checking pupils’ understanding and addressing any misconceptions. They routinely help pupils recall what they already know, so they can make connections with new learning. This results in most pupils developing a deep understanding of the concepts taught. For example, pupils talked in great depth about their understanding of climate change. They also described, with precision, the many different techniques they have learned in art lessons, inspired by a range of artists. 16 and 17 July 2024

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly and accurately. Pupils’ support plans have appropriate and manageable targets that are reviewed daily with pupils. Pupils with SEND benefit from a rich curriculum and are well supported to achieve well alongside their peers and within the Hive base that the school has set up to offer more tailored support.

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Children learn phonics and early mathematics as soon as they join the school. All staff are trained well to deliver the programmes. The school has invested in high- quality books for pupils to use as they learn to read. Over time, most pupils become fluent, confident and enthusiastic readers. However, the school has not done enough to ensure that the support provided for pupils who are falling behind in reading and mathematics is helping them to achieve as well as they should.

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The attendance of pupils has improved immensely, particularly for pupils with SEND and other disadvantaged pupils. The school has precise monitoring systems that alert leaders when a pupil’s absence becomes a concern. All staff have a relentless drive to ensure that pupils attend well. They provide effective support to help them to do so and, as a result, most pupils attend well.

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The school supports pupils’ personal development effectively. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to stay safe online. Pupils accept each other’s differences and respect each other. Activities beyond the classroom are carefully considered and an ambitious programme of enrichment and wider development is in place. This includes a range of after-school clubs that help pupils to develop their talents and interests. However, the full programme of enrichment is in the early stages of implementation and some pupils have not fully benefited from the offer.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They are grateful for the training and opportunities that they are provided with. The trust staff who collaborate with the school know the school well and provide effective training and support for the school. The best interests of pupils are always at the top of the agenda. Regular meetings with leaders across all levels, both in school and beyond, have contributed to a strong support network for the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has developed a plan for pupils’ wider development, including enrichment experiences, educational visits and pupil leadership opportunities. However, this has not been fully implemented. Some pupils have not been provided with a rich set of experiences that help support their broader 16 and 17 July 2024

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development. The school should ensure that pupils benefit from a rich range of experiences to help support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Some pupils who have fallen behind with their reading and mathematics are not catching up quickly enough. They have gaps in their learning. The school should ensure that the quality of additional support pupils receive is effective to enable pupils to gain the skills they need to be well prepared for their next steps.

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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). 16 and 17 July 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Stour Vale Academy Trust in April 2020.  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.  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.  The inspectors met with the executive leader, the headteacher and senior leaders.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer, the chair of trustees and the chair of the governing body. 16 and 17 July 2024

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, English and geography. 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 examined pupils’ work in art and history and talked to pupils about their work in art.  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 considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors talked to parents and carers at the start of the school day and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the 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

Helen Forrest His Majesty’s Inspector 16 and 17 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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