Newport Primary School

Inspection Report Newport Primary School

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114985 Unique Reference Number ESSEX LEA LEA 279490 Inspection number 11 July 2006 to 12 July 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Geof Timms AI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Frambury Lane School address Primary Type of school CB11 3PU Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01799 540055 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01799 541974 Fax number 150 Number on roll Mr.Peter Hill Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Linda Todd Headteacher 20 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279490 11 July 2006 - 4 to 11 12 July 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Newport Primary School is smaller than average. Pupil mobility is high and a significant proportion of children join the school in Years 3 to 6. There are a few children from minority ethnic backgrounds, none of whom is at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of children with learning difficulties or disabilities is below average. Attainment on entry to the school is broadly average. The school has recently been improved through the opening of two new classrooms and a food technology room.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 11 July 2006 to 12 July 2006

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Grade: 2

Newport Primary School is a good school, offering its pupils an effective and improving education that prepares them well for their future schooling. This view is shared by the school's self-evaluation, and is also the view of parents and pupils, who are very positive about its provision. When children start in the Reception class, most have broadly average levels of attainment. They achieve well and most children reach the expected learning goals. However, there is too little room available for this age group fully to explore and develop their creativity outdoors. Good progress continues through Years 1 and 2. Current standards in Year 2 are above average, although too few pupils reach the higher levels, as is the case in most other classes too. This is often due to teachers not providing sufficiently challenging activities. Most of the current Year 6 pupils are attaining standards that are above average in English, mathematics and

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Grade: 2

science. Progress has been inconsistent between classes due to changes to staffing and differences between year groups or in the proportion that have learning difficulties. Even so, progress overall remains good by the time pupils leave the school and the school gives good value for money. The improvements in standards have been brought about by good leadership from the headteacher and subject leaders. This has resulted in good quality teaching and learning, and effective improvements to the curriculum, the setting of targets and the tracking of pupils' progress. Pupils are cared for well. Pupils in danger of falling behind are recognised quickly and appropriate strategies used to enable them to catch up. In addition, the few very gifted or talented pupils are provided with some good opportunities to develop their skills and interests. Pupils' behaviour has improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory. Their overall

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Grade: 2

personal development is good. The improvements made since the last inspection, successful current initiatives, and the facilities offered by the new building mean that the school has a good capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Improve the standards achieved by the more able pupils by ensuring they are provided with sufficiently challenging activities. - Increase the opportunities for Reception children to explore and experiment by increasing the size and usefulness of the outdoor classroom.

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Grade: 2

In the 2005 national tests, the majority of pupils made satisfactory progress and reached broadly average standards. However, the school failed to get sufficient pupils to the higher levels, especially in science. This was partly due to the high proportion of pupils who had learning difficulties. Recent improvements to the teaching and the curriculum have resulted in much improved standards and more pupils reaching the higher levels, especially in Year 6. This is because of a successful whole school focus on improving writing and pupils' mental and problem solving skills in mathematics. The results for 2 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 11 July 2006 to 12 July 2006 the current Year 6, although still to be confirmed, look likely to be well above average in English, mathematics and especially in science where over 90% reached the higher Level 5. However, in spite of improvements, in most year groups there are still too few

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Grade: 2

children reaching the higher levels and this is something the school has recognised. The targets set for 2006 were sufficiently challenging, achieved in English and exceeded in mathematics. The children's attainment on entry to Reception is broadly in line with the levels expected nationally. However, they are relatively weak in reading and writing skills, in their knowledge and experiences of the world and in physical development. By the end of the year, almost all children achieve the expected levels. Progress is particularly good in reading and writing so that standards are above average for children of their age. The standards achieved in Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics have also improved over time and are now above average. There is good written work throughout the school and a particular strength is the use of adventurous and imaginative vocabulary. Standards in art and design are good and the teachers' displays

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Grade: 2

of pupils' work show good quality work in two and three dimensions, and using a wide range of media.

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Grade: 2

The pupils' attitudes towards school are good. Most are very positive and say how much they enjoy school. A few are less focused and take their learning less seriously, and this hinders their progress. Behaviour is satisfactory overall and has improved since the last inspection. The pupils' overall spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school has worked hard to improve pupils' attendance and it is now above average. Pupils make a positive contribution to the local and wider community. They have a range of responsibilities within school as they grow older. They are well aware of how to keep themselves healthy and safe. Pupils take good opportunities to work together collaborating and co-operating on tasks. In particular, the Year 6 residential trip provides excellent opportunities to develop pupils' team work and independence. They also learn to use these skills on a wider stage. For

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Grade: 2

example, they take responsibility for the raising and use of money to improve the playground or as play leaders when solving problems or helping younger children. These opportunities for independence and showing responsibility help prepare them well for their future economic well-being and for becoming good citizens.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Teachers plan interesting lessons, with good resources used well to create effective learning opportunities. Teaching assistants offer a good level of support, and in some classes, are used effectively to assess and record pupils' learning. Where this happens, it provides the teachers with a useful picture of the success of their teaching. Where the 3 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 11 July 2006 to 12 July 2006 learning is less effective it is often due to teachers not providing sufficiently challenging work for the more able children or not insisting on pupils being sufficiently focused on their work. The use of computers and the new interactive whiteboards is good and teachers are making effective use of these resources to interest and enthuse pupils. The marking of pupils' work is inconsistent but there is excellent practice in, for

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Grade: 2

example, Year 2 where the marking makes it very clear what pupils have done well and how they can improve their work in the future. The recent introduction of targets has been a good improvement but is yet to become consistent practice across all classes. The assessment of pupils' progress provides teachers with good information about how well pupils are doing.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It has recently been reviewed to make links between subjects that make learning more meaningful. As a result, good planning ensures that important skills are taught effectively and this approach allows pupils to study topics in more depth. Information and communication technology is used well across subjects. These developments have made learning more enjoyable for pupils. The Foundation Stage curriculum is well planned and structured, and all children make good progress. All areas of learning are covered, but the lack of space limits the opportunities for children to develop their initiative and independence by exploring and experimenting. Use of the outdoor area is restricted because of its small size and the lack of shelter. The school effectively enriches the curriculum through visitors and visits to local places of interest. It also provides a good range of well-attended clubs with a strong emphasis

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Grade: 2

on sport to help pupils to adopt healthy lifestyles. Other aspects of pupils' personal and social development are incorporated effectively into the curriculum, to prepare pupils well for their future lives.

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Grade: 2

The school takes good care of its pupils, and they feel safe and secure. They are confident that staff will deal fairly with any problem. There are established procedures for health, safety and welfare. Child protection arrangements are appropriate and risk assessments are conscientiously carried out. All these systems are well understood by staff. Arrangements for children coming into the Reception class and moving on to secondary school are good. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities are well supported and make good progress, as do those from minority ethnic backgrounds and those recognised as gifted and talented. The school also has good partnerships with a wide range of agencies and other schools to provide additional help and expertise as needed. Assessment of pupils' performance is good, and used effectively to plan the next steps in learning. Pupils are becoming increasingly involved in improving their

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Grade: 2

own work through the implementation of target setting. 4 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 11 July 2006 to 12 July 2006

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Grade: 2

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher is successful in sharing leadership responsibilities widely among staff, who are committed to seeking ways to raise standards further. There are good arrangements for staff and governors to be involved in reviewing the school's work and planning improvements, resulting in an accurate view of the school's strengths and areas for development. All issues from the previous inspection have been addressed thoroughly. For example, pupils' behaviour in lessons has improved and this has had a positive impact on their learning. The monitoring of pupils' progress is now good. Recent initiatives to raise standards have also been very effective. This good track record, together with the commitment of staff and governors, mean that the school is well placed to continue to improve. Parents' and pupils' views are sought and acted upon. Governors are effective. Although

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Grade: 2

some are relatively new and need further training to develop their skills, they know the school well through their regular visits. They ask searching questions of the headteacher to ensure that the school is being well managed, and at the same time show support. Finances are carefully managed and their impact is checked to ensure that the school achieves good value for money in its spending. 5 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 11 July 2006 to 12 July 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 11 July 2006 to 12 July 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 3 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school. We particularly enjoyed talking with you, especially those of you in Years 5 and 6 who met me and who told me a lot about the things you like doing at school and those things you would like to see changed. You were able to talk very well about how you are planning to raise money and improve playtimes. This letter is to tell you about some of the important things we saw and found out during our visit. Your parents are very happy with your school, and you told us you are happy there as well. You said you feel safe. The Year 6 trip is an excellent opportunity for the older ones to learn to work together and to become more mature and independent. Most of you work hard and because of this you have done very well in your tests this year. There are some of you who do not work quite so hard. You need to if you are going to do as well as you can. We think the teachers need to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

make sure that those of you who find the work quite easy need to be given more difficult work so you really have to exercise your brains! The school has plans to improve the Reception class outdoor area. This needs to be made much bigger so it can provide the younger children with lots more opportunities to explore and play outside. You are lucky because Mrs Todd, the teachers and other adults all look after and care for you very well. They encourage you to be healthy and stay safe. They are working very hard to ensure that you learn new things and to make the school even better in the future. You are lucky to be at such a friendly school. Keep working hard and enjoy your time at Newport!

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