'Happy and nurturing' Newstead school praised by Ofsted after latest inspection
Newstead Primary School has been praised by Government watchdog Ofsted following its latsest inspection.
The school, on Hucknall Road, was rated as meeting the ‘expected standard’ in the categories of achievement, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion and leadership and governance.
However, inspectors felt that attendance and behaviour at the school ‘needs attention’.
Inspectors said: “Newstead Primary and Nursery is a happy and nurturing school that sits at the heart of the community that it serves.
"Relationships between pupils and staff are highly positive.
"The ambition of ‘Aim High’ runs consistently throughout the school.
"Pupils know what this means, as one summed up, ‘it’s about knowing that we can do anything that we put our minds to’.
Pupils behave impressively, they know that they are expected to be ready, respectful and safe.
"They value being recognised for doing the right things.
"When pupils find things challenging, staff skilfully help them to put things right and to learn what to do next time.
"Pupils are happy, are kept safe and feel safe.
"Bullying is rare and pupils have confidence in adults to deal with it should it occur.
"However, pupils’ enjoyment of school is not reflected in attendance rates, which do not compare favourably with national figures.
Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning during lessons.
"They work hard and try their best, even when things get tough and achieve well.
"This is reflected in the positive outcomes of national assessments which show that the achievement of pupils broadly matches that of all pupils nationally by the end of key stage two.
The school has a broad and varied enrichment offer.
"Pupils relish trips in the school's minibus to visit nearby places and events.
"They benefit from joint activities, including a broad range of sporting opportunities, with pupils from other schools in the ‘Together as One’ collaboration of schools, in which they play a key role.”
On what the school can do to improve, inspectors said: “Leaders should ensure that their revised attendance strategy secures sustained improvements in attendance for all pupils.
"Leaders should ensure that the targets set for pupils with SEND consistently set out the precise goals that pupils are expected to achieve.
"The school should improve outcomes in the year four multiplication check so that they are closer to the national figure.”