Newtown Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an inadequate school Leaders and governors have not acted swiftly enough to address weaknesses in teaching and outcomes for pupils.

The capacity to secure improvement is fragile because of instability in staffing. Difficulties in retaining and recruiting staff have led to a rapid decline in the quality of teaching. Outcomes are low and have declined over the past two years.

Too many pupils cannot communicate, read, write or apply mathematics as well as they should. The pupil premium grant has not been used well. Leaders and governors do not measure or evaluate the impact of this funding.

Disadvantaged pupils underachieve as a result. Governors... have not done enough to address the decline in outcomes. They have not challenged leaders to ensure that assessment information is reliable.

Leaders cannot analyse weaknesses in pupils' progress because assessment information is inaccurate. Pupils who fall behind do not receive the support to enable them to catch up. Leaders' checks on the quality of teaching lack precision and do not support teachers to improve their practice.

Training for staff does not focus on the most vital priorities. Teachers do not use accurate subject knowledge in order to show pupils how to produce high-quality work. As a result, pupils do not succeed in the main aim of the lesson.

Teachers do not ensure that work is matched appropriately to pupils' ability. Pupils sometimes find work too easy or too hard. The teaching of reading is particularly weak.

Pupils do not read regularly enough and their comprehension skills are poor. The curriculum does not enable pupils to acquire skills, knowledge and experiences across the full range of statutory subjects. A lack of extra-curricular clubs and school trips limits pupils' personal development.

Leaders do not make the most of assessment information in order to accelerate the progress of boys and disadvantaged in the early years. The school has the following strengths Pupils are happy and respectful because of the caring relationships that exist in the school. Outcomes in Year 1 phonics are positive.

Pupils know and understand the British values.

Information about this school

The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information on its website about the pupil premium grant or the key stage 2 test results. The school is an average-sized primary school.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is well above the national average. The majority of pupils come from a White British background. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is similar to the national average.

The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is similar to the national average. The school does not meet the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils by the end of Year 6. The school is highlighted as a concern by the local authority and receives frequent visits from an adviser.

The local authority have instigated task group meetings, involving governors and school leaders, in order to challenge the performance of the school. The governing body has several vacancies at the moment and is going through a process of reconstitution. The local authority has brokered a national leader of governance who is now part of the school's governing body.