Ofsted conducted a short inspection of Newton Tony Church of England Voluntary Controlled School on 27 March 2019, following its previous judgment of good in September 2015. The inspection confirmed that the school continues to maintain a good quality of education. The leadership team, under the headship of Miss Sheena Priestley since February 2017, has effectively addressed previous weaknesses in teaching and leadership. The local authority provided valuable support during this transition, enabling a thorough evaluation of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, teaching has become consistently effective, and pupils are making good progress. Staff members feel well-supported and are proud to work at the school, sharing a commitment to providing the best for every child.
Parents and carers express strong support for the school, praising the improvements made and the welcoming atmosphere. They appreciate the approachability of staff and the efforts to involve them in their children's education. The governing body has seen significant changes, with most governors appointed since the current headteacher took over. They have engaged in training to understand their responsibilities better and are well-informed about the quality of education. Governors actively hold leaders accountable for pupils' progress, particularly in challenging them to enhance teaching for the most able pupils.
The school has prioritized high-quality professional development for teachers, leveraging connections with other schools and local authority training opportunities. This has fostered high expectations among middle leaders, who collaborate with the headteacher to monitor teaching quality and provide targeted support. The school has successfully addressed previous areas for improvement, particularly in writing, where current pupils are making strong progress. Leaders have set higher expectations for writing, and pupils can apply their skills effectively across subjects.
Pupils enjoy positive relationships with adults and feel safe in school. The school's commitment to promoting personal development and understanding of British values is evident, with a curriculum that includes diverse faiths and cultures. Pupils report that the school encourages healthy lifestyles and offers leadership opportunities through various responsibilities. The culture of safeguarding is robust, with staff well-informed about their responsibilities and effective communication with families regarding concerns.
The inspection findings highlighted several areas of focus, including pupils' progress in writing and mathematics. Improvements in writing have been noted, with pupils now writing at length across subjects and demonstrating better vocabulary and grammar. However, some pupils, including the most able, still struggle with spelling, prompting leaders to introduce new teaching methods. In mathematics, leaders have identified gaps in knowledge and prioritized teaching number fluency, resulting in improved accuracy and understanding among pupils.
In the early years, while children's achievement is rising, there are inconsistencies in progress. Teachers need to better assess children's prior knowledge to plan effective activities that enhance their writing and number skills. The inspection concluded with recommendations for leaders to consolidate efforts in improving spelling, utilize assessments to plan early years activities effectively, and ensure improvement plans include precise measures for success to monitor impact on pupils' progress and welfare. The letter detailing these findings will be published on the Ofsted website.
