Newbarns Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Newbarns Primary and Nursery School Rising Side, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA13 9ET

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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

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The headteacher of this school is Gary Birkett. The school is part of South Cumbria 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 (CEO), Andrew Wren, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Phil Huck.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Newbarns Primary and Nursery School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Newbarns Primary and Nursery School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 29 and 30 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is inclusive. It has high expectations for pupils and wants the best for them, regardless of their starting points. Together with the trust, the school has designed a rich curriculum for all pupils from the Nursery class to Year 6. It places the best interests of pupils and their needs at the heart of the decisions that are made to develop the curriculum. Pupils progress well in their learning and build a broad body of knowledge.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. They are respectful of others and enjoy interacting with their peers in lessons and at playtimes. Pupils know that staff will listen and support them if they have any concerns. The school has embedded routines and expectations that pupils understand and live up to. Pupils behave well and their learning is rarely disrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides effective opportunities for pupils to become active citizens. For example, considered leadership roles, such as librarians and members of the school council, allow pupils to develop responsibility and a sense of democracy. The school broadens pupils’ understanding of future opportunities and the world of work effectively through visitors such as artists, musicians and local businesses. A wide array of interesting extra-curricular activities, such as basketball, first-aid and radio clubs, help pupils build on their talents and interests.

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

The school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. It has recently revised aspects of the curriculum to further strengthen pupils’ learning, with great effect. In some curriculum subjects that the school is still refining, the important knowledge that pupils should know is not defined clearly. This makes it difficult for the school to ensure that pupils’ learning builds securely in these subjects.

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

Staff deliver the school’s curriculum well. They design targeted activities that enable pupils to apply their knowledge precisely. The school makes careful checks on pupils’ learning. For example, pupils complete quizzes and staff ask questions to check their understanding. This provides the school with information about how well pupils are progressing through the curriculum. However, in some subjects, the school does not swiftly and clearly identify any insecurities in pupils’ knowledge. Some pupils have gaps in their learning in these subjects that are not addressed as quickly as they could be.

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

The school prioritises reading. It fosters a love of books among pupils of all ages. Pupils experience a diverse range of genres and enjoy selecting books from the well-resourced library. In recent years, the school has introduced a new phonics programme. The school has ensured that staff have the knowledge and expertise to deliver this programme consistently well. This starts from the Nursery class, where children confidently join in with rhymes. Pupils read books that include words with the sounds that they have learned. This helps them to gain confidence in reading. The school provides sharply focused support to help pupils who find reading difficult. Pupils become confident, enthusiastic readers. 29 and 30 April 2025

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the school. The school ensures that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified early and accurately. For example, the school’s robust transition processes enable the school to get to know pupils’ needs before they start. Staff provide effective and bespoke support for pupils to make sure that they can successfully learn the full curriculum. Pupils with SEND make rapid progress and achieve well.

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Pupils enjoy school and attend well. The school identifies any concerns about pupils’ attendance and takes effective action to address them. Consequently, the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is low. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and take pride in their work. Children in the early years follow the embedded routines and are keen to take part in learning activities.

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The school’s personal, social and health education curriculum is broad. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and how to manage their physical and mental health. For example, children in the early years learn about the importance of hydration and sun safety. Pupils develop their talents and interests through attending a range of extra-curricular clubs. They also broaden their experiences by going on trips. The school prepares pupils well for life beyond school.

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Trustees and governors understand their responsibilities and hold the school to account robustly for the quality and impact of its work. With the support of the trust, the school has ensured that staff have useful opportunities to develop their knowledge and expertise. The school considers staff’s well-being and workload diligently when making decisions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the key knowledge that pupils should know is not identified clearly. This hinders pupils from developing their knowledge securely. The school should ensure that it identifies what knowledge it wants pupils to learn, and when, in these subjects, so that pupils gain the depth of knowledge they need for the next stage of their education.  In some subjects, the school does not effectively check how well pupils can remember and apply their learning. This makes it difficult for the school to ensure that gaps in their knowledge are known by staff and addressed. The school should ensure that staff and leaders accurately check the depth and breadth of pupils’ learning so that any gaps can be swiftly addressed. 29 and 30 April 2025

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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.

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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 April 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Newbarns Primary and Nursery School converted to become an academy in September 2023. When its predecessor school, Newbarns Primary and Nursery School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness.  At the time of the inspection, an acting headteacher was temporarily leading the school.  The school is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provision. 29 and 30 April 2025

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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.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the acting headteacher, other leaders, representatives of the multi- academy trust and the local governing body. The lead inspector also spoke with the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and art and design. 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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Information about this inspection

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 lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils at breaktime, lunchtime and when moving around the school.  Inspectors spoke to parents and carers and considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors spoke to pupils and to staff to gather their views.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including those related to the governance of the school.

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Inspection team

Liz Dayton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Edmondson Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 April 2025

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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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