School in Ashfield vows to improve after Ofsted inspection

Newstead Primary and Nursery School, on Hucknall Road, Newstead Village was found to require improvement during its recent inspection with the education watchdog.

The inspection lead by Hazel Henson, also found that too few pupils attain “expected standards” at the end of key stage 2.

However, the inspection also found that the leaders are implementing a plan “effectively to drive up standards in the school” and that the “quality of teaching is improving.”

Helen Woodward, headteacher has said she is expecting “improved outcomes for year 6 in 2019.”

She said: “The school is working with the education improvement adviser to identify further strategies to continue to accelerate progress for pupils in each year group.

“The school is part of a strong partnership of local primary schools, which are supporting the staff here to improve provision and outcomes, with a particular focus on key stage 2.”

The school was rated good in its early years provision and personal development, behaviour and welfare.

Mrs Woodward said: “This is ensuring a strong basis from which to accelerate progress for pupils in the early years of key stage 2 in future years.”

Ms Henson said that in 2018 “few” pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2.

She also said no disadvantaged pupils reached this standard, but noted such pupils were now making “strong progress”.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils at the school is higher than the national average.

Ms Henson said school leaders’ knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses has not been “accurate” and teachers do not always plan work that supports pupils’ next steps.

Leaders were also found to be “overgenerous” in their self-evaluations and did not identify the decline in pupils’ progress quickly enough.

To improve the quality of leadership and management the school must ensure leaders, including governors, have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the school and the areas in need of improvement.