Netherton CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 27 June 2023

Netherton CofE Primary staff and pupils share the same high ambitions. New leadership, culture and expectations are bringing these ambitions to life rapidly. Pupils understand and follow the leaders' aims to 'make a difference to everyone'. Pupils speak positively about the support they receive. They believe that 'I care, I'm accepted, I'm loved and I can do it'. Typical parent comments are that their children 'thrive' in school. New leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils study a range of subjects. Current learning is improving swiftly. However, despite this ambitious curriculum, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should, especially with their writing. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are respectful and positive. During playtimes, a minority of pupils can forget to behave sensibly. Staff understand the precise needs of these pupils. They act quickly and efficiently to address any behaviour issues. Leaders place a strong emphasis on pupils' personal development. Pupils on the school council and sports leaders are proud to support others. These roles help pupils understand how to be responsible. Many pupils take part in an increasingly large number of enrichment opportunities, such as dance, mindfulness, fitness and art.

What the school should improve

• Some pupils miss too much school. This holds back their progress and achievement. Leaders must work closely with parents and external agencies to secure more regular attendance for all pupils.
• Not all teachers adapt their lessons precisely enough for pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils with SEND do not understand what they are asked to do clearly enough and cannot achieve their potential. Leaders should ensure that all teachers consistently adapt their learning to fully support all pupils with SEND in every year group.
• Not all pupils are able to write fluently and accurately. Letter formation, including in the early years, is not taught consistently by all teachers. As a result, some pupils do not have the writing accuracy they need to achieve in line with their peers. Leaders should ensure that writing is planned and taught consistently from the early years to the end of key stage 2 so that all pupils can successfully develop their writing techniques.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)