Newberries Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 29 November 2022

Pupils are happy at this warm, friendly and inclusive school. They value the positive relationships they have with staff and with each other. Pupils talk enthusiastically about how staff help them model values such as tolerance, honesty and respect. Pupils receive the help they need to be ready for learning. They know that leaders have high expectations and that staff care about them as individuals. Pupils who find school more difficult are supported sensitively. Pupils work hard, meet expectations set for them and enjoy their learning. This helps them to achieve well. Most pupils behave sensibly in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They use 'zones of regulation' to manage their behaviour successfully. Bullying does not happen often. If it does, staff help pupils to deal with it. Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils are pleased that visits and clubs are taking place again after the COVID restrictions. They enjoy supporting each other by taking on roles of responsibility. For example, anti-bullying ambassadors are proud to 'be a friend if people are lonely'.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have designed a curriculum which clearly sets out the knowledge they want pupils to learn over time. Some of these plans have been developed more recently. This means that, in a few subjects, aspects such as assessment are at a relatively early stage of implementation. Leaders need to monitor and evaluate the impact of the whole curriculum regularly to check how effectively their intentions are being delivered in practice.
• In a few subjects, staff who are new to the school are still developing their subject knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all staff continue to receive the training and support they need to teach all aspects of the curriculum effectively so that pupils can achieve well in all subjects.
• Leaders' processes to improve attendance have made some difference but not as much as they would want. A few pupils are still absent on too many occasions. Leaders have put in place strategies to encourage good attendance. Leaders need to continue to apply these systematically across the school, to further reduce pupils' absence over time.

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