Newport School

Inspection of Newport School Newport Road, London E10 6PJ

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Inspection dates: 29 and 30 October 2024

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since June 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 29 and 30 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a nurturing and inclusive school community. It values and celebrates each pupil as a unique individual. The school holds high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is broad and highly ambitious. It helps pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding. As a result, pupils are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The wider curriculum provides many opportunities for pupils to develop as independent, confident and successful learners. The school carefully and thoughtfully plans each activity. It places particular emphasis on building pupils’ confidence and communication skills. Through this approach, pupils express themselves fluently, share their views clearly and listen attentively to others’ opinions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are kind, responsible and considerate, demonstrating high levels of self-control. This begins in early years, where children quickly learn and follow daily routines. Inclusivity is a core focus. This approach ensures that all pupils feel represented and valued. The school’s ethos is reflected in the calm, purposeful atmosphere across lessons and the school. This creates an environment where pupils feel safe, fostering caring relationships between pupils and adults.

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

The school promotes a culture of aspiration with the highest expectations for all pupils. Dedicated, caring leaders and staff collectively share a commitment to excellence. Together, they have carefully developed a rich and ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. In each subject, the school clearly identifies knowledge so that teaching staff know precisely what pupils should learn. Teachers make purposeful links between subjects to enrich pupils’ understanding. For example, Year 5 pupils use their knowledge of coordinates from mathematics when learning about longitude and latitude in geography.

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

The school ensures that teachers develop detailed subject knowledge through high- quality, subject-specific training and coaching. This enables them to model learning effectively and challenge pupils to extend their thinking. Teachers consistently check pupils’ understanding, addressing misconceptions. They also revisit prior learning and connect it to new subject content. As a result, pupils remember what they have learned and deepen their understanding over time. For instance, in physical education, children in early years learn to move safely and manage space by designing an obstacle course. By Year 4, they have further developed these skills, using equipment such as hockey sticks to navigate space effectively. They learn to move in one direction while passing the ball behind them.

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

A love of reading is evident across the school because it is given a high priority. Pupils are enthusiastic about books and enjoy both reading and being read to. Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme with precision from the moment children enter the school. Books used for teaching reading are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils know, 29 and 30 October 2024

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providing the practice needed to build accuracy and confidence. This approach helps to ensure that pupils decode and read fluently. The school, together with its pupil reading ambassadors, selects ambitious texts to ensure that each year group experiences a broad and rich range of literature.

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The school works tenaciously to make sure that pupils with SEND are identified and their needs are well supported through bespoke and timely extra help. Working in partnership with external agencies and families plays a key part in the school’s approach.

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The school integrates its personal development offer into every aspect of the curriculum. It is committed in its efforts to develop pupils into responsible global citizens. Pupils demonstrate an excellent understanding of equality and diversity. The school uses a whole-school approach to teach resilience, aiming for these skills to be transferable for life. Pupils take on various leadership roles, including as playground leaders and pupil parliament members, who engage in projects such as creating hampers for the community. This fosters helpfulness and social responsibility. Pupils learn about democracy through the selection processes for these roles. This includes voting activities held in the school polling station. The school’s approach to promoting personal development prepares pupils exceptionally well for life in modern Britain.

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Pupils demonstrate exemplary behaviour. This begins in early years, where children are highly motivated and engaged across all areas of learning. Staff explicitly teach routines from the moment children enter the school. As a result, pupils move independently and sensibly from one activity to the next. They work diligently and collaboratively in class, eager to achieve their best. These positive attitudes make a strong contribution to their high achievements. The school works closely with families to prioritise attendance and punctuality. As a result, pupils attend school regularly and on time.

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Leaders, including the governing body, have established an ambitious culture that places pupils’ learning at the heart of everything that the school does. Staff take pride in working here and value the extensive training provided for them. They appreciate how the school supports their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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.

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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. 29 and 30 October 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). 29 and 30 October 2024

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School details

Local authority London Borough of Waltham Forest

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Debbie Strowbridge

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School details

Headteacher Lisa McIntyre (Executive headteacher), Ashley Perridge (Headteacher) Prue Barnes-Kemp (Chief executive officer) Website www.newport.waltham.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 June 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has been part of the Opossum Federation since September 2015. There are four schools in the Opossum Federation, overseen by a chief executive officer.  The school runs its own breakfast and after-school club.  The school uses one registered 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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 29 and 30 October 2024

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 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 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 all senior leaders, a number of teaching staff and governors.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, art and design, and physical education. 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 samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for school improvement.

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 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 took account of the views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Karen Kent, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Newby Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 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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