Newlands Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 1 November 2022

Pupils feel valued and safe in this school. Adults ensure school is a welcoming place. As one pupil said, 'I feel safe in this school because the teachers are always there for you.' Adults support pupils with emotional needs well, enabling them to become increasingly confident. Niko, the school dog, greets pupils who are anxious at the start of the day. This helps them to settle quickly into the day ahead. Leaders have high ambition for all pupils. They provide a well-sequenced curriculum that ensures teachers are clear about what pupils need to learn. Pupils enjoy their learning and appreciate how adults support them to gain the knowledge they need across a broad range of subjects. The comment from a pupil, 'I enjoy coming to school every day because I have great friends and teachers push you on to do your best,' reflects pupils' positive attitudes towards school. Pupils generally behave well across the school. They are courteous towards adults and caring towards other pupils. If bullying happens, pupils are confident that a trusted adult will resolve this quickly. Some pupils struggle to control their behaviour in lessons. Leaders have put support in place for these pupils that help them to calm down quickly and return to their lessons.

What the school should improve

• Some pupils have weak subject knowledge in some subjects beyond English and mathematics. This means that they can struggle to make sense of what they are learning. Leaders need to ensure teachers carefully check what pupils know so that pupils who have fallen behind catch up quickly across the curriculum.
• Some pupils with SEND cannot manage their emotions during playtimes. As a result, they struggle to settle when they return to class. Leaders need to consistently provide the adaptations needed to help all pupils to thrive during playtimes.

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