Newport Primary School

Newport Primary School Inspection report

p.1

117860 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 290949 Inspection number 9 °10 May 2007 Inspection dates Jackie Barnes Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Primary Type of school Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 107 School

p.1

The governing body Appropriate authority Mr John Beardow Chair Ms Wendy Elliott Headteacher 1 November 2002 Date of previous school inspection Main Road School address Newport Brough HU15 2PP

p.1

01430 440259 Telephone number 01430 440259 Fax number

p.1

4 °11 Age group 9 °10 May 2007 Inspection dates 290949 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a smaller than average school that serves two villages in a semi-rural environment near Hull. It is an economically mixed community, broadly average overall. Entitlement to free school meals is low. Almost all pupils have White British backgrounds and speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is similar to most schools. When children start school in the Reception class their attainment overall is about average for their age.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

p.3

Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school which is improving. Parents are confident that their children enjoy school and are well looked after. Pupils’ personal development is good. Most pupils behave exceptionally well. They know how to make and keep friends and they respect each other and adults. Attendance is above average and has improved in recent years. Pupils clearly enjoy school very much. The family atmosphere and good relationships with staff encourage pupils to have positive attitudes to learning and to feel safe in school. Staff take good care of pupils’ welfare and pupils have confidence that adults will be fair and supportive. The school’s arrangements to keep pupils safe are well established and meet current government requirements. The curriculum is satisfactory and it provides many productive opportunities for pupils to grow in self-esteem and independence; they develop skills in sport and the creative

p.4

Grade: 3

arts, and have a good understanding of the choices they need to make to live safe and healthy lives. Standards are broadly average and achievement is satisfactory. In the Foundation Stage, teaching is satisfactory as is children’s achievement. By the end of the Reception Year, most children are working close to expectations for their age. Throughout most of the school, standards are not high enough in English, particularly in writing. Although many pupils achieve as well as they can, others are not making as much progress as they could. This is mainly because the information on pupils’ progress is not used systematically to help teachers plan the next stages of pupils’ learning. There is rarely a clear plan for what pupils with different abilities are expected to learn. As a result, work set is sometimes not sufficiently ambitious and this slows pupils’ progress over time. Teaching is satisfactory. Lessons are carefully prepared, often with interesting

p.4

Grade: 3

resources, which keep pupils interested and keen to learn. Pupils respond very well, especially to the practical activities in science and drama which lead them to raise their own questions. Consistently good teaching in Year 6 ensures that pupils’ of different abilities are suitably challenged. This is resulting in rising standards, especially in English. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has brought about improvements in important areas. The range of experiences and sporting activities which pupils enjoy has been extended. Links with the community have increased and the school has worked well with other schools helping staff with leadership responsibilities to develop a sound knowledge of their subjects. A recently appointed deputy headteacher has strengthened leadership and the staff team are fully committed to improvement. Governors are actively involved in the school’s

p.4

Grade: 3

work and are focused on improvement. They have reasonable knowledge of its strengths and weakness. The school’s self-evaluation is satisfactory. However, leaders are not yet rigorous enough in identifying priorities for improvement in pupils’ progress and standards. There is now sufficient information on pupils’ progress and expertise in the school to improve this position. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit from an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in English throughout the school, especially in writing. • Improve the effectiveness of teaching by using the information on pupils’ progress to plan challenging learning activities for all pupils. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007 • Increase the rigour of the school’s self-evaluation and the precision of the targets for improved standards and achievement.

p.4

Grade: 3

Children start school in the Reception Year with varied pre-school experiences and their attainment is about at the expected level for their age. There are significant differences between what individual children know and can do, and also between each annual intake. Children make satisfactory progress and by the time they enter Year 1, many are working close to the national goals they are expected to attain. In Key Stage 1, pupils’ progress is satisfactory and by Year 2, standards are broadly average. The 2006 national assessment results for Key Stage 1 were average overall. In mathematics, results were above average and in reading they were close to average. However, in writing, results were below average and lower than the previous year. By Year 6, standards are average overall and pupils’ progress is satisfactory. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress. The more capable pupils make good progress

p.5

Grade: 3

in mathematics and science. The school’s 2006 national tests indicate average results in English and above average in mathematics and science with good results for the most capable pupils. The school’s 2006 targets were met in mathematics but not in English. Throughout the school, standards in English are not high enough because insufficient use is made of assessment information to plan learning that challenges all pupils. The school’s assessment information for 2007 indicates that attainment in English is improving, especially for the most capable pupils. This is the result of consistently good teaching in Year 6 where good use is made of assessment information to match learning well to pupils’ different abilities.

p.5

Grade: 2

The pupils' personal development is good; they are friendly, polite and exceptionally well behaved. They have good attitudes in the classroom and show a great deal of enjoyment in their learning. Attendance is above average and has improved in recent years. Pupils clearly know right from wrong and say they feel safe and secure. They know how to deal with any behaviour that makes them feel uncomfortable. They are tolerant and supportive of one another. They have a good understanding of how to follow a healthy lifestyle and many take part in extra sporting activities. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They show their concern for those in need by organising fund raising for local and international communities. Through meetings with elected members of the school council, pupils develop an awareness of democracy and make their views known. They have helped to design a more

p.5

Grade: 2

interesting playground and to provide more competitive sport between the school’s teams. Their good personal skills, a growing knowledge of managing small financial ventures and satisfactory basic skills prepare them well for their future, although their writing skills are not high enough. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

p.5

Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Lessons are carefully prepared to include interesting resources and activities. The good relationships that pupils have with staff are a major contributor to their willingness to learn and to engage in class discussions. Teaching assistants, especially for the pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, provide good support. Computer whiteboards are increasingly used well in many subjects to help pupils consolidate their understanding. In the consistently good teaching of the oldest pupils, learning activities are adapted well to match pupils’ different needs and pupils make good progress. Opportunities to teach small groups are used well to develop pupils’ confidence in asking and answering questions, demonstrating the extent of their understanding. The planning of pupils’ learning is not considered carefully enough because assessment data is used insufficiently to set pupils challenging work. Too often pupils with differing abilities

p.6

Grade: 3

undertake very similar work. However, although sometimes there is variation between activities it is rarely made clear what pupils of different abilities are expected to learn.

p.6

Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It meets statutory requirements and is enhanced by visits and visitors as well as stimulating out of school activities, such as a well attended film club, creative arts and sporting activities. These add considerably to pupils’ enjoyment of school, their self-confidence, cultural development and personal skills. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good. The national guidance for literacy and numeracy is well established in the planning of lessons, although not always adapted to the full range of pupils’ abilities in lessons. There is effective provision for pupils to learn about health and safety.

p.6

Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Parents are rightly pleased with the care their children receive. Pupils say they feel safe and rely on staff to help them solve any problems. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet government requirements and risk assessments are undertaken regularly. The guidance pupils receive in developing their personal skills is very good. Academic guidance is satisfactory. In lessons, the staff regularly help individual pupils with their work and discuss their progress, especially in the smaller classes. However, the information on pupils’ academic progress is not used well enough to ensure that all pupils are challenged. Targets set for the next steps in learning are often too general or do not have a suitable time scale within which they should be reached. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

p.6

Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school’s development, which is shared by the newly appointed deputy headteacher and the governors. All are actively involved in supporting improvements. These include improved rates of attendance, a broader and more stimulating curriculum and improved attitudes of pupils. Leaders and governors are familiar with the main priorities for improvement. They are less sure, however, about evaluating the pace of improvement in key aspects such as pupils’ progress. This is partly due to the limitations of the school improvement plan, which is rarely precise enough to enable those involved to identify timescales and progress. The assessment information the school holds is not presented in a manageable form so is not used sufficiently. This affects the extent to which subject leaders and class teachers are confident about the pupils’ progress and

p.7

Grade: 3

attainment in their subjects. The school has a satisfactory capacity to improve. It has the expertise and advice available to improve progress as seen in the rising standards of older pupils. The school provides satisfactory value for money. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007 .

p.7

Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

p.8

Inspection judgements

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

p.9

Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

p.9

Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.9

and interests of learners?

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

p.9

and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

p.9

and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 May 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Newport Primary School, Brough, HU15 2PP Thank you for making me so welcome and helping me to see how much you enjoy your school and your friendships. Your school provides you with a satisfactory education. Your behaviour is exceptionally good and you are keen to learn. You are also keen on sports and the arts, and you know about keeping healthy and safe. I was pleased to see the care you took to make sure no one was lonely in the playground, and that you raise funds for people who are in need. The staff take good care of you and you trust them to help you if there is a problem. You are confident and tell me you feel safe in school. You take your responsibilities to be a good member of the school community very seriously. You work well in lessons and most of you attain standards that are similar to those in other schools. In mathematics and science, some of you achieve higher standards. English is the

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

weakest subject in your school, so I have asked your teachers and governors to help you do better in English from the time you start school in the Reception Year. I have also asked them to make sure that you are all making the best progress you can in every year group, and to use the information from your tests and assessments to help them do this. I know you will help too, by remembering your targets and trying to achieve them as quickly as you can, and by keeping up your high standard of behaviour. I have also asked the school to look at the way they check how well you do in school so that they know what they have to do to improve your learning. Best wishes for the future J M Barnes Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Newport Primary School, 9 °10 May 2007

p.11