Newick Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Newick Church of England Primary School 63 Allington Road, Newick, Lewes, East Sussex BN8 4NB

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good 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 headteacher of this school is Faye Lawrence. This school is part of the Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust (DCAT), which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Mark Talbot, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nick Taunt.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Newick Church of England Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Newick Church of England Primary 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. 10 and 11 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Newick is a nurturing and caring school, where pupils flourish. There is a relentless ambition for each pupil to achieve their potential, regardless of their start point. Pupils value their regular visits to the outdoor provision, where they enhance their formal learning while exploring their natural habitat. Through well-considered activities, such as wood carving, pupils learn to use tools safely and to listen carefully to instructions. From the early years upwards, outdoor learning opportunities help pupils to increase their awareness of risk and to collaborate positively with their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well in this school. They develop strong communication skills that prepare them well for the next stages of their learning and development. Pupils are confident and articulate, welcoming opportunities to talk about their interests and experiences. Through a range of leadership opportunities, pupils demonstrate active citizenship. For example, library monitors help ensure that books are categorised and displayed correctly so that pupils benefit from a well-organised reading space.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The quality of pastoral care is strong. Pupils feel safe and know they will be listened to. Pupils participate enthusiastically in all aspects of school life because they are motivated to try new things and recognise that they are all valued members of the community.

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

The school has designed a broad and highly ambitious curriculum that supports pupils in building their knowledge and skills over time. Careful consideration has been given to how the curriculum can be enhanced to help pupils learn most effectively. For example, pupils, from the early years upwards, benefit from high-quality outdoor learning that helps brings classroom-based lessons to life. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well and are keen to deepen their learning.

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

From the early years upwards, the learning environment is well organised and thoughtfully resourced. Pupils benefit from a range of readily available resources, such as writing frames and mathematical manipulatives. These support pupils and help build their independence. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They are skilled at explaining new ideas clearly, and in a way that captures pupils’ interest. As a result, pupils engage well and have consistently positive attitudes towards their learning. Staff make regular and effective checks on pupils’ understanding. This ensures that pupils are only moved on when they are ready and that any gaps in knowledge are swiftly addressed.

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

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately and swiftly. Provision is carefully mapped out so that pupils receive timely support and interventions. In lessons, staff use a wide range of strategies to help pupils with SEND to access the same ambitious learning as their peers. However, on occasion, these strategies are not as well matched to pupils’ needs as they could be. When this is the case, pupils with SEND do not learn as effectively or independently as they could. 10 and 11 June 2025

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Children in the early years make an excellent start to their education and really thrive. They quickly build the language and communication skills that allow them to be successful in their learning and to express their feelings and emotions confidently. Children are explorative in their play and show high levels of concentration in focused writing tasks.

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Reading is a high priority in the school. Children start to learn phonics as soon as they arrive in Reception. Pupils benefit from expert phonics teaching and, as a result, quickly become fluent and accurate readers as they move through the school. Pupils love to read and are interested in the different cultures and facts they learn about through well- considered text choices. Those pupils who are behind in their reading, receive timely and effective support to help them catch up quickly.

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Pupils are extremely respectful, responsible and kind. They readily meet the high expectations that staff have for them. Positive relationships are a real strength in the school and, as a result, behaviour is exemplary. Pupils arrive to school punctually and ready to learn because they value their education. The school takes swift and appropriate actions to improve attendance for the small proportion of pupils who do not attend as regularly as they should.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Opportunities to enrich and widen pupils’ experiences are meticulously planned to ensure that all pupils can benefit from the offer. Pupils learn how to maintain positive mental and physical health and how to keep themselves safe. They are knowledgeable about and respectful of different faiths, cultures and contexts. Pupils celebrate one another’s differences, demonstrating a clear understanding of equality.

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Staff are proud to work in the school. They are well supported through professional development opportunities and careful consideration of their well-being. Those responsible for governance share leaders’ determination to provide a rich and nurturing school experience for every pupil. They provide highly effective support and challenge to the school to ensure this ambition is achieved.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the adaptations teachers make to the curriculum for pupils with SEND, do not precisely match their needs. Where this is the case, pupils do not access the intended learning as effectively as their peers and therefore do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that curriculum adaptations are consistently well matched to pupils’ particular learning needs. 10 and 11 June 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). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the DCAT in March 2024.  The school uses two registered alternative provisions.  The school was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in April 2024.

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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). 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 of the quality of a school’s education provision. 10 and 11 June 2025

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 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 senior leaders, trust leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector also met with representatives from the governing body, the board of trustees and the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and design technology. 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 considered other subjects.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including the free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the confidential

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online staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  Inspectors reviewed and scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation, including leaders’ plans for improving the school, minutes of governing body and trust board meetings and records of attendance and behaviour incidents.  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.

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Inspection team

Tash Hurtado, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stuart Bevan His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 June 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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