Newton-le-Willows Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 January 2026

Pupils receive a warm welcome each morning from staff who know them well. This helps pupils to feel safe, valued and ready to learn. Pupils build secure relationships with staff and with one another. Pupils feel confident that adults will support them when needed. As a result, behaviour around the school and in lessons is calm and orderly. If unkind behaviour occurs, staff address this swiftly. Leaders have a relentless focus on improving attendance. As a result, most pupils now attend regularly, including disadvantaged pupils. Pupils enjoy learning and engage positively in lessons. By the end of Year 6, pupils typically achieve in line with national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. However, achievement is not as strong across some other subjects. Leaders have high aspirations for pupils, but these do not always translate into teaching that meets pupils’ needs. For example, disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not always receive the support they need to learn all that they should. As a result, some pupils, including some children in the early years, are not as well prepared for their next steps as they could be. Pupils feel that they belong to the school community. This helps them to develop confidence in sharing their ideas and opinions. Pupils enjoy going on visits, such as a residential and a trip to London. These enrich pupils' learning beyond the classroom. Some pupils take part in extra-curricular activities, including yoga and keyboard, although these are limited. Pupils would welcome more opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to stay safe. However, they are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. They have limited opportunities to develop a secure understanding of different cultures and communities.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should complete their work on the curriculum and ensure that staff receive effective support to teach and assess pupils' progress effectively across all subjects. This includes adapting the curriculum effectively for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). • Leaders should ensure that staff in early years and key stage 1 are supported effectively to teach reading, spelling, handwriting and number facts so that pupils develop their accuracy and fluency. • Leaders should strengthen their systems so they can better identify the underlying cause of any weakness and take swift and precise action to improve it. • Leaders should extend the personal development and wellbeing offer to include enrichment activities that develop pupils’ skills and talents and strengthen pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity. • Leaders should ensure that the attendance of pupils with SEND and those eligible for free school meals continues to improve, so that these pupils access teaching regularly and make sustained progress.

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