Newhall Community Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Newhall School and feel safe.

The school is a calm, safe and supportive place for pupils. One parent, typical of many who expressed a view, said, 'They go into school smiling and they come out smiling.'

Pupils are polite and respectful of each other and of the staff.

Most pupils focus on their work and try their best in lessons. There is a peaceful atmosphere in the school. Pupils play well together at breaktime and lunchtime.

Pupils are certain that if bullying happens, staff will deal with it quickly and effectively.

Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils know staff will look after them and... help them to learn.

The staff are committed to helping pupils become well-rounded, 'positive people'. They encourage pupils to model the school's values every day. Pupils learn that it is 'good to be different'.

Leaders have made lots of positive changes at the school. These include a new approach to how the curriculum is organised so that pupils learn the important knowledge they need to remember. However, in some subjects, leaders have not ensured that pupils are able to know and remember more of the key knowledge they need.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are developing an ambitious and organised curriculum. Teachers are committed to providing memorable learning experiences for pupils. Pupils are starting to build knowledge in most subjects.

Pupils in a Year 6 music lesson were able to use learning from a previous lesson to help them understand the meaning of new vocabulary. In some subjects, planning to build pupils' knowledge and skills is less well developed. In these subjects, some parts of the curriculum are missing.

Where the curriculum is not carefully planned, pupils miss out on learning important knowledge and on opportunities to develop their skills. This can leave pupils confused about what they have been learning in different subjects.

Teachers check learning in most lessons through effective questioning.

In this way, they identify gaps in learning and any misconceptions pupils may have. Teachers then address these. However, some pupils in some lessons do not answer questions.

What they have learned is not always checked.

Leaders have prioritised reading to ensure that all pupils become fluent readers. Pupils read regularly.

They enjoy daily reading lessons based on a well-structured scheme. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning to read receive support through phonics-based intervention sessions.

Sometimes, the additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not identified quickly enough.

Some pupils' learning needs are identified before they join the school. Support is in place for when they first start. This is not the same for all pupils.

Some pupils do not receive timely support to help them in their learning. Leaders do not accurately evaluate the impact of any support pupils with SEND receive. Therefore, leaders are not able to identify what support is having the greatest impact.

Pupils learn about people who are different from them and learn how to respect and value everyone. Pupils are able to explain about the different religions. They know that some people do not have a faith.

The work pupils complete in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

Pupils appreciate the opportunity to take on special roles at school. This includes taking on the role of 'pupil leader' and 'subject ambassador', working with teachers to make the school better.

Leaders are committed to taking pupils out on visits so they can enjoy a wide range of experiences. When this has not been possible, they have found creative ways of bringing the outside world into the classrooms.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They value the opportunities they have to develop, including through the training they receive. They appreciate leaders' efforts to improve their well-being and reduce their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know the pupils well. They use these close relationships to quickly identify any emerging concerns. All staff receive safeguarding training and regular updates on how to keep pupils safe.

They are knowledgeable about the local issues that may affect their pupils. Leaders keep accurate records and analyse concerns and behaviour logs to look for trends and patterns. They are quick to act when they are aware of a concern, involving other agencies when necessary.

Those responsible for checking the safeguarding arrangements do so rigorously.

Pupils learn how to understand and manage risks they may face, including when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders do not identify quickly enough the additional needs of some pupils with SEND.

When this is the case, there is a delay in these pupils receiving the support that they need. Leaders need to ensure that timely identification of the additional needs of pupils with SEND takes place, so that these pupils receive effective support for their learning from the start. Leaders do not have an accurate view of the effectiveness of the support pupils with SEND receive.

As a result, they are not able to tell which support is most effective or adapt support that is less effective. Leaders should ensure that they have an accurate understanding of the effectiveness of the support pupils with SEND receive. ? In some subjects, the curriculum does not provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to learn the knowledge or to develop the skills they need.

Teaching does not always ensure that knowledge gaps are filled successfully. As a result, in some subjects, pupils' understanding of the key knowledge is not as strong as it should be. Leaders should ensure that teachers know what knowledge pupils need to learn across all subjects and understand how best to support pupils so that they know and remember more.