Newton Road School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 January 2025

New leadership is transforming Newton Road. Changes to the curriculum and a revised approach to managing behaviour are raising standards. However, these improvements are relatively recent. They are yet to have the impact that the school intends. The quality of education that pupils receive is not good enough. Many aspects of the school require further development. Pupils' behaviour is improving. The number of serious incidents of misbehaviour has fallen significantly, as has the school's use of suspensions. This is thanks to the school's higher expectations and a sharper focus on meeting pupils' needs. However, pupils do not engage in lessons well enough. They lose focus quickly and they are distracted easily. This prevents them from learning as well as they could. There are warm relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils know that their teachers will always help them. Pupils are positive about the recent changes at their school. They can see how things are improving. Pupils say that they did not feel safe on the playground in the past, but they do now. Pupils know the school's PRIDE values of positivity, respect, integrity, determination and excellence. However, they do not exhibit these values well enough in their attitudes to learning.

What the school should improve

• New curriculums in many subjects have been introduced this academic year. While they have started to have to a positive impact on the quality of pupils' learning, these improvements are only recent. Published outcomes at key stage 2 have been too low. The school needs to continue its work to improve the curriculum so that pupils achieve well in all subjects.
• Sometimes, the school does not ensure that staff present new subject content to pupils clearly. They do not check that pupils have a firm grasp of what is being taught or resolve misconceptions swiftly enough. As a result, some pupils do not have a secure understanding in some subjects. The school should ensure that staff help pupils to gain the knowledge and skills that it intends.
• The reading books that the school provides for some pupils are too difficult for them. Pupils cannot read these books accurately on their own and develop their fluency. The school should ensure that all pupils in the early stages of learning to read are given books that are matched to the letter sounds that they know.
• The school has not ensured that pupils engage well in their learning. Pupils do not listen or concentrate as well as they could. Consequently, some pupils do not gain as much as they could from lessons and their understanding of important curriculum information is not secure. The school should ensure that staff apply the new behaviour policy consistently, helping all pupils to acquire positive attitudes to learning and high levels of engagement.
• The school has not ensured that pupils gain a secure understanding of the differences between people. Consequently, pupils are not prepared well enough for life in modern Britain. The school should ensure that pupils develop an understanding of equality and diversity appropriate to their age.

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