Newstead Wood School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 April 2026

Pupils are very proud to be part of this school. Staff give them extensive support, and pupils value the care given. Pupils behave really well, and relationships throughout the school are consistently warm and respectful. Pupils enjoy their learning and are thoroughly prepared for their next steps when they leave school. They appreciate the high-quality education they receive. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards school and each other. This helps create a real sense of belonging throughout the school. Staff know pupils well, and pupils feel safe at school. Attendance is high. Pupils want to be in school and they want to learn. The school provides excellent support for pupils who have specific needs or barriers to their learning. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully involved in all aspects of school life. There is no difference between the achievement of pupils who have specific needs or who face barriers and those who do not. Bullying is rare and is dealt with whenever it arises. Pupils are confident that any worries raised with staff are acted on swiftly and appropriately. There is a thriving sense of belonging at the school. Pupils report that they feel part of a family, and this is highly valued. Staff provide superb pastoral care, and this contributes to the highly inclusive ethos of the school. The school's extensive extra-curricular programme enables pupils to develop their existing skills and talents and explore new interests. Many extra-curricular groups are led by pupils, and there are additional roles in the school that develop pupils' leadership skills and experience. Pupils appreciate these opportunities. They typically feel that ‘the school makes us better versions of ourselves’.

What the school should improve

• School leaders and those responsible for governance should strengthen their oversight of personal, social, health and economic education, including relationships and sex education and health education, to ensure that it is implemented with the same consistency and high expectations of pupils’ work as the rest of the curriculum.

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