Needwood CofE Primary School

Inspection of Needwood CofE Primary School Yoxall Road, Newborough, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE13 8SU

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 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

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The head of school of this school is Donna Preston. This school is part of John Taylor Multi 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, Mike Donoghue, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Colin Hopkins. There is also an executive headteacher, Matthew Baxter, who is responsible for this school and two others.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Needwood CofE Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Needwood CofE VA Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as Needwood CofE Primary School as a result of conversion to academy status. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 19 and 20 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this unique school that is at the heart of the community. The school’s motto 'hand in hand with God, we love, learn and achieve' is lived and breathed by all pupils irrespective of their beliefs. The 'fruits of the spirit' values are embedded in all aspects of school life. Pupils are kind, well-mannered and have high levels of self-control. As a result, pupils flourish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils live up to these expectations. They all behave and achieve exceptionally well. There are strong and positive relationships between pupils and staff and between pupils of all ages. Pupils want their peers to be just as successful as them. They rejoice in each other’s achievements in class and in celebration assemblies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The way the school develops pupils’ character is exceptional. Helping those in need and giving back to the community is an integral part to school life. The school raffle and bake sales raise money for charities close to the pupils’ hearts. Donating food and visiting elders with handmade Christmas cards is important to them. The 'school parliament' and the 'prime minister' are positive role models for their younger peers. Older pupils listen to younger pupils read during 'buddy time'. All of this helps pupils to be independent, compassionate and active members of the community.

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

The whole school experience is centred around nurture, inclusivity, celebrating differences and developing pupils to be the best they can be. Staff invest time in getting to know the pupils. This starts in the early years where children build trusted relationships with the adults and are cared for by their older peers in the mixed-age classes. As a result, pupils feel a sense of belonging and are proud to be a part of the school.

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

All pupils, irrespective of their backgrounds or need, receive a high-quality education. Staff are equipped with effective professional development and there is frequent collaboration with other schools in the trust. They share expertise and resources to ensure that every child meets or exceeds expectations.

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

The school identifies, assesses and reviews pupils with SEND accurately. The school work closely with families, class teachers and external agencies to create 'pupil passports'. Staff are given bespoke training to help them cater to the needs of all pupils. This means that all pupils have their needs met and they thrive in all aspects of school life.

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

The ambitious curriculum is meticulously planned with cross-curricular links to other subjects. This includes links to fundamental British values, enrichment opportunities, educational visits and protected characteristics. The approach to develop the whole child is achieved wholeheartedly and staff make every interaction a learning opportunity. There are a broad range of subjects for pupils to learn. Careful consideration has been given to what pupils will learn, when they will learn it and how they will learn it. In lessons, staff use a range of strategies, from repetition to rhymes to physical actions to help pupils 19 and 20 November 2024

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remember this ‘sticky knowledge.’ This means pupils build on knowledge over time and gain a deep understanding.

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As soon as children start in Reception, they begin to learn the basic sounds letters and combinations of letters make. Staff are reading experts. They routinely monitor, assess and track pupils’ progress through the reading curriculum. Pupils who struggle to read are given bespoke support. This helps them to catch up. There are a diverse range of books for pupils to read for pleasure. The bookshelf "take a look in a history book" has books ranging from The Vikings to Martin Luther King. Parents and carers attend reading workshops to give them tips when listening to their child reading at home. Pupils leave Year 6 as proficient and confident readers. This prepares them well for secondary school.

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Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times is exceptional. The ‘nurture provision’ offers bespoke support for pupils who may encounter difficulties. They receive a range of strategies depending on what nurture they require. All of this develops pupils’ resilience and independence, and boosts their self-esteem.

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Pupils’ personal development is excellent. Staff are astute at making adaptations to meet the diverse needs of pupils. Pupils learn a range of topics from healthy eating, healthy relationships and how to stay safe. In ‘careers week’ pupils focus on future aspirations and delve into their potential career choices. Pupils are enriched further through the range of clubs on offer such as tag rugby and the ‘toot’ music club where pupils perform to their families at Christmas.

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Leaders at all levels understand their role and carry this out adeptly. Governors ask the right questions to ensure that the best interests of pupils and their families are at the heart of what the school does. Staff are proud to be a part of the school and feel highly regarded by the school.

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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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 19 and 20 November 2024

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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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision.  The school has a Church of England religious character. The last section 48 inspection was in January 2018. The next section 48 is due within two years.  The school is part of the John Taylor Multi Academy Trust. It converted to become an academy in December 2018. When its predecessor school, Needwood CofE VA Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness.  The school is one of three schools in ‘The Forest Family’ federation.  The school has three mixed-age classes. Class 1 has Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils. Class 2 has Year 3 and Year 4 pupils. Class 3 has Year 5 and Year 6 pupils.

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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 19 and 20 November 2024

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(quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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. 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: reading, mathematics 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 discussed the curriculum in some other subjects and reviewed the impact of these.  Inspectors held discussions with the executive headteacher, head of school, other leaders including in the early years, the chair of trustees, the chief executive officer, the chair of the governing body, and other governors.

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 Inspectors held meetings with leaders of these areas: behaviour, attendance, SEND, personal development, pupil premium and nurture provision.  Inspectors met with early years leaders and visited the early years provision.  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.  Inspectors met with pupil leaders and spoke to pupils informally at social times. Inspectors considered the views of parents submitted via Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also spoke with parents before and after school. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for school staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Sultanat Yunus, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Nadeem Bhatti Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 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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