Newtons Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Newtons Primary School Lowen Road, Rainham, Essex RM13 8QR

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Outcome

Newtons Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school sits at the heart of the community it serves. Everyone is welcomed and celebrated here. Relationships across the school are highly respectful. The school does all it can to ensure that every pupil can be ‘GREAT’. Pupils try their best to be generous, resilient, enthusiastic, aspirational and thoughtful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for all pupils’ achievement and behaviour. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those who join the school midway through the academic year and those pupils who speak English as an additional language. All pupils are supported well to be successful. Pupils work hard in their lessons and behave well in classrooms and around the school. They meet the high expectations staff have of them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff take bullying concerns very seriously. Incidents are dealt with robustly and resolved quickly. Pupils know what to do if they have any worries. They are happy and safe. Pupils are supported effectively to attend school regularly and to arrive on time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their responsibilities, such as being school councillors, well-being ambassadors and prefects. They appreciate the wide range of extra-curricular activities the school offers that help them build confidence and independence including karate, gardening and Languages club.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has developed an ambitious knowledge-rich curriculum that is well considered and carefully arranged. Knowledge and skills have been clearly identified across the curriculum so that all staff know what pupils should learn and when they should learn it. 8 and 9 October 2024

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Beginning in the early years and throughout key stages 1 and 2, subject curriculums are carefully ordered so that pupils build and make connections as they progress. Since the last inspection, leaders have introduced a new curriculum for the teaching of phonics and created more opportunities to develop pupils’ early writing skills. This has ensured that pupils gain more experience in practising their writing across all curriculum areas.

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Teachers have secure subject knowledge due to the effective training and support they receive. They deliver the curriculum skilfully and explain concepts clearly. Pupils are given opportunities to practise what they have been taught. They remember a great deal about what they have learned. Teachers are skilled at checking pupils’ understanding and adapting teaching accordingly. However, sometimes, opportunities for pupils to deepen, and reflect on, their learning are not secure. This limits pupils’ readiness for future learning.

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Children get off to a positive start in the early years. Adults develop warm and supportive relationships with children, who quickly develop independence. Children are immersed in rhymes, songs and stories. This helps them to build an understanding of new vocabulary and sounds quickly. Staff focus on developing children’s early reading, writing and mathematics skills. Activities are carefully designed to ensure that children develop well in all areas of learning.

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Learning to read is a priority as soon as children start at the school. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. This helps them develop fluency and confidence. The school provides additional support for pupils who need help to catch up or keep up with their peers.

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The school makes sure that pupils with SEND are identified quickly. Pupils with SEND are supported effectively in the school. The school makes sure staff can access and implement detailed plans that outline clearly the individual needs and strategies to support pupils. Staff meet the needs of pupils with SEND consistently. As a result, pupils with SEND engage well in their learning and progress well.

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The personal development programme is woven through school life. It teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe and well. Pupils are confident how to stay safe online and learn strategies to help their own mental health. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how their bodies change in an age-appropriate way. They place a high importance on physical fitness and know what constitutes a healthy diet. Pupils have an impressive understanding of fundamental British values such as democracy and tolerance. The curriculum helps pupils to understand important issues, such as diversity and equality. They have a strong understanding of different faiths and cultures. Pupils attend well. Staff work positively to support families and pupils who need further help to improve their attendance.

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Those responsible for governance have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are passionate about maintaining the school’s caring ethos and striving for excellence in all that the school does. Leaders and governors 8 and 9 October 2024

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are considerate of the workload and well-being of staff. There is a very positive work environment where staff’s well-being is taken seriously.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the school does not provide pupils with enough opportunities to deepen, and reflect on, their learning. This hinders pupils from learning the intended curriculum effectively. The school should ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding so that they are fully ready for future subject content.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 8 and 9 October 2024

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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). 8 and 9 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Alicia Argire (headteacher) Hayley McClenaghan (executive headteacher) Website www.newtons.havering.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 23 and 24 January 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Growing Together Federation. This comprises two schools in the local area with a shared governing body.  There have been changes to the school’s leadership since the school was last inspected. The headteacher was appointed in September 2023.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision for pupils.  The school provides a breakfast club on the school site.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school. 8 and 9 October 2024

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 The inspector met with the headteacher, executive headteacher, other senior leaders, school staff and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. The inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, he met with pupils, formally and informally, to hear their views.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

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responses. He also took into consideration the responses to the Ofsted online surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Chris Birtles, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 October 2024

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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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