Newtown CofE Primary School

Inspection of Newtown CofE Primary School Newtown, Wem, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 5NU

p.1

Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

p.1

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

p.1

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding 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 October 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 14 and 15 January 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of this caring and welcoming school. They know that each member of staff cares about them as individuals. The school’s high expectations for all pupils and vision for pupils to ‘let your light shine’ are being realised. Pupils love coming to school and learning. As a result, most achieve well in many subjects. Parents agree, with one comment being typical of many when they stated, ‘My child enjoys going to school every day; they skip in and skip out.’

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of strength, love and wisdom permeate all aspects of the school’s work. The school has worked hard to ensure pupils understand these values. Pupils say they are important and that they ‘help us to develop our character’. Pupils understand the school’s high expectations of their behaviour. They follow the school’s rules of ‘ready, respectful, safe’. They are polite and respectful towards each other and to staff.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a positive and tangible contribution to the development of the school. For example, members of the school parliament are ‘ministers’ for education, sports and charity. They take these roles seriously. Pupils also enjoy other responsibilities such as being ‘buddies’ for younger pupils or ‘hen pals’ looking after the school’s chickens.

p.2

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

Following the last inspection, new leaders rightly identified the need to invigorate the school’s curriculum. The curriculum is now well thought out and ambitious. It considers the mixed-age classes that many pupils are in. The school has put the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at the centre of the curriculum. It ensures that the curriculum has a foundation in the early years. As a result, the curriculum now builds logically over time. However, in some subjects, pupils still have gaps in their knowledge due to the curriculum being new. As a result, their learning does not build on what they already know.

p.2

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

Teachers use the information provided by ‘subject ambassadors’ from across the federation to deliver the curriculum. They have received training and support in order to do so. Staff regularly check and review prior learning. However, they are not yet consistently adept enough in using all this information to deliver lessons as intended. This means pupils do not learn as well as they could in some subjects.

p.2

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

The school ensures that staff are well trained to deliver its chosen phonics programme effectively. They provide pupils with books that are well suited to their knowledge of sounds. Pupils who struggle with reading receive swift support to help them keep up with their learning. As a result of this consistency, current Reception and Year 1 pupils are doing well in phonics and older pupils who need to are catching up quickly. Staff read to pupils daily. Those pupils who do not read regularly at home receive extra attention in school. As a result, pupils develop a love of reading.

p.2

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

Children get off to a good start to school life in the early years. Staff quickly form positive and productive relationships with them. Staff know the children well and understand their 14 and 15 January 2025

p.2

3

individual needs. They focus closely on children’s language development. Children practise learning that staff have previously delivered. In this way, children are well prepared for Year 1.

p.3

3

The school is relentless in ensuring pupils with SEND receive the support they need. It accurately identifies pupils’ needs and reviews learning plans to ensure they reflect the current needs of individual pupils. In lessons, teachers use various strategies to adapt tasks so pupils can access their learning. This means that pupils with SEND learn well alongside their peers.

p.3

3

There are high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils learn and play positively together. Those who struggle with their behaviour receive effective support to improve it. This has resulted in fewer serious incidents with regard to pupil behaviour. The school is committed to securing good attendance for all pupils.

p.3

3

The school considers pupils’ personal development to be as important as their academic development. Pupils benefit from experiences which deepen their knowledge. For example, pupils explained how an experience where they had practised being Roman legionaries had helped them understand the power of the Roman Empire. The school has planned experiences to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. However, pupils’ understanding of different faiths and cultures is less well developed.

p.3

3

Staff speak very positively about the school. They praise the support that they receive for their professional development, workload and well-being. Governors support the school well. Staff and governors are proud to be a part of this inclusive school community.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has recently revised its curriculum. In some subjects, pupils’ learning does not build on what they already know. Consequently, they do not learn as well as they could because they have gaps in their learning. The school should ensure that pupils’ prior knowledge is secure before they move on to new learning.  Staff do not always deliver the intended curriculum as well as they could. As a result, some pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they could in lessons and over time. The school should continue to provide support to staff so they can deliver the curriculum well and pupils learn well over time.  Pupils do not fully understand other cultures and faiths. As a result, they do not have a secure understanding of the breadth of different cultures and faiths in modern Britain. The school should ensure pupils learn effectively about other cultures and faiths so they have a deeper understanding of different cultures and world religions.

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 14 and 15 January 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Headteacher Ben Crompton (Executive Headteacher)

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 October 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new executive headteacher has taken up post.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is in the Diocese of Lichfield. Its most recent section 48 inspection took place in February 2017. The next section 48 inspection will be within eight years of the most recent one.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 14 and 15 January 2025

p.5

6

 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 this into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, groups of staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector held a meeting with a representative of the local authority. He also held a telephone conversation with a representative of the diocese.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.

p.6

6

 The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, geography and art and design. They met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and viewed examples of pupils’ work.  An inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to a familiar adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys. An inspector spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day.

p.6

Inspection team

Barry Yeardsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Su Plant His Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7