Another Isle of Wight schools joins the list of those rated as ‘Inadequate’ following an Ofsted Inspection.
Inspectors visited Newport Primary School in April 2013 and the report (embedded below for your convenience) sets out the failures of the school.
- Achievement of pupils : Inadequate : 4
- Quality of teaching : Inadequate : 4
- Behaviour and safety of pupils : Requires improvement : 3
- Leadership and management : Inadequate : 4
Special Measures
With the overall rating of ‘Inadequate’, the school will now go into Special Measures. The Inspector’s key findings were:
- Pupils’ achievement is inadequate in English and mathematics because teaching has been weak for too long. Attainment and progress have declined since the previous inspection.
- The pace of lessons is slow and pupils learn too little. Teachers spend too long telling pupils what they need to do. This limits the amount of time pupils have to do their work.
- Teachers do not expect enough of the pupils.
- The tasks planned for pupils are often too easy for them.
- Pupils are not encouraged to think for themselves how well they have made progress towards their targets, or how to improve their work.
- Until recently, teachers and leaders have not kept track of how well pupils are doing, or spotted pupils who were falling behind.
- Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are not supported effectively and their needs are not being met.
- The order in which pupils will learn new skills and knowledge has not been planned carefully.
- Leadership of subjects has been weak, or has not been in place.
- Senior leaders have not provided enough support for teachers to improve their teaching.
- In the past, governors accepted too readily the overly-optimistic views of the senior leaders about the performance of pupils, without challenging them for evidence of this.
The Inspector did find that the “Pupils are polite and well behaved. They enjoy school and do what they are asked.” and that “Senior leaders are tackling inadequate teaching and have begun to hold teachers accountable for the progress of the pupils in their class.”
Many school improvements have been put in place
The Headteacher, Elizabeth Crayton, who was appointed in April 2012 said,
“We were disappointed with our Ofsted report, but feel it is mostly fair in its evaluation of the school’s present position. Immediately on appointment I undertook an evaluation of the school’s provision and found that many significant improvements needed to be made. The report endorses this self-evaluation.
“Key areas for improvement identified in the report were prioritised in the school’s Improvement Plan for this academic year. Since April 2012 many school improvements have been put in place. We recognise these now need to be fully embedded in practice to bring about change quickly.
“I am confident that the school has the potential to make rapid progress. In recent weeks six new teachers have been appointed, and two more are to be appointed before the end of term. We have a strong team of committed governors and delightful pupils who enjoy school and want to do well.”
The Chair of Governors, Andy Rolf, said,
“We recognise that there remains a tremendous amount of work to do to secure significant improvements to many aspects of the school’s provision.
“We are working in close partnership with the leadership team to drive the school forward, and are committed to delivering high quality education for the pupils in our care.”
Thanks to the OnTheWight reader for the heads-up.
