Quality Assurance, Feedback & Reports
The quality of the education, care, guidance and support your child receives matters deeply to us. Every child is a unique individual, so we are constantly adapting and changing to meet the varied needs of our school population.
We welcome feedback to help us to be the best we can be for all of our families.
Ofsted Feedback
We are proud to have been graded 'outstanding' in 2011 We look forward to out next visit, so we can share how we have developed and improved our provision even further for our children and families.
Development Points:
1. Raise attainment in mathematics by ensuring the marking of pupils’ work consistently gives them effective guidance on how to improve and reach the next step in their learning.
2. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, explore ways to develop the outdoor curriculum, so it is fully responsive to the varying size of each year group.
Since our last inspection we have:
- Ensured that all teachers and teaching partners have strong subject knowledge in mathematics.
- Implemented Primary stars and white rose supplemented by 'maths no-problem' and 1 see reasoning
- Developed our marking and feedback policy so that pupils misconceptions in maths can be identified and quickly addressed.
- Developed our provision for EYFS and key stage 1 pupils so that all pupils are able to develop fully as effective learners EYFS Visit 2021
- Improved the outdoor curriculum for EYFS and KS 1 by implementing forest schools and enhancing our outdoor environment.
Pupil feedback
The smiles on our children's faces, the high attendance rates and the learning buzz around our school tell us that we are doing a great job. Our children would like a swimming pool, a field, more forest schools and the opportunity to make a difference for our planet.
The governor pupil survey takes place in June each year.
parent feedback
Our parent survey usually takes place at the end of the autumn term or start of the spring term.
Parent feedback- penny for your thoughts
Parent Feedback- open mornings- You said – we listened.
‘Keep doing what you are doing! The children are happy and learning and friendly. A full education.’
‘I think you are all doing an excellent job’
‘Very lovely morning seeing all the children interacting nicely having fun. Lovely atmosphere. Feel like a kid again. Love the school 1000/10’
‘So wonderful to be back in class and see their work and happy faces. Thank you.’’’
‘Lovely resources, happy children. Lots of relaxed learning.’
‘Loved to see all the great work
‘Friendly and happy atmosphere and happy with everything at the school.’
‘It was lovely to have an open morning again and feel involved with the school’
‘After school clubs are great and have been really enjoyed this term’
‘Work books are great’
‘I think everything is brilliant’
Revert back to all pupils going through the front gate as opposed to the rear for the winter’
We have done this.
‘Forest schools for all years if possible’
By changing golden time, we have done this. We value it too.
Class 1- ‘I was very impressed by the level of independence they’re allowed’
‘So lovely to see the children in their classroom and to be shown their daily routines. Great to see independence being promoted’
Learning habits are at the centre of our curriculum alongside reading. Independence and responsibility are vital for well-being throughout life.
‘Combine emails/ MSG when there are more children, one per family’
Our system should be doing this please talk to the office so we can sort this out.
‘Would be helpful to let parents know what is planned for the class for the term ahead so parents can have an understanding and can help better at home.’
We are updating and improving the information on class pages and we are sending termly class newsletters in repsonse.
‘Been great with all the kids’
‘Doing well- keeping the kids as happy and settled as possible during these uncertain times’
Thank you. We care about our school family’s well-being. Well-being is essential for learning.
‘Love what you are doing the kids are happy and settled. The only thing that would help is a bit more information when homework is due’
We asked teachers to do this for you.
‘The classroom looks amazing – class 3’
Thank you, we worked really hard over the summer to prepare class 3 for their new teacher. We wanted to build on the skills promoted in class 1 and 2.
‘More interaction with the class-teacher’
Our teachers are always available in the playground at the end of the day and you can contact the office if you would like a chat. We have increased the number of open mornings to support this.
‘mixing up year 3 and 4 to sit next to each other will develop year 3 more’
We expect all of our pupils to be able to work productively with each other so places are mixed randomly and regularly.
Remote learning survey end of lock down 21
We asked you about your experience of remote learning, so we could learn how to better support you.
You told us:
You never want to be lock down again this again but if you have to:
- You liked the variety of paper based and screened lessons, so this would continue.
- Most of you got on well with Oak Academy, due to its flexibility (when, where and how), so this would continue. It also allowed us to ensure that learning can be self-paced and that it can match the curriculum being taught in school.
- You enjoyed the class stories, so we would make these a daily occurrence and record them for anyone who is unable to attend
We would hope to, rules allowing, for to enable every child to be in school once a week to support everyone’s well-being
Many of you expressed concern about levels of fitness following lock down, so we scheduled additional PE in the run-up to Easter and in the Summer Term.
SRE working group
Some of you told us you were worried about how quickly the proposed scheme introduced 'doctor words' so we delayed the specific teaching of scientific vocabulary in class 1 (F and Y1) but agreed that the adults in the setting would use correct terminology.
The children told us how empowered they felt by having the knowledge they needed at the right time. Their viewpoint was reassuring to the parents in the group.
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A parent feedback box is located in the foyer.
Governor monitoring and feedback
The governor year includes:
- Parent, pupil and staff surveys
- Visits to school to look at the impact of school improvement activity
- Focused visits: safeguarding, attendance, health and safety
Governors play a vital role challenging us to be the best and supporting us through times of change.
Governors' most recent reports
Where appropriate, governor reports can also be found within curriculum pages .
external Feedback
peer review 2023/24
Key strengths
- There is a wonderful welcome from the headteacher and all staff at Newton Burgoland. There is a calm and friendly atmosphere and the pupils are cheerful, polite and happy in school. It is evident straight away that the culture and ethos ensures that everyone is welcome, everyone is special and everyone is a winner.
- Pupil behave respectfully towards each other and conduct themselves well in and around school. Pupils are engaged in their learning and from the outset know the routines and are immersed in the qualities ‘to be Noticeably Newton’.
- The curriculum drivers have evolved over time to meet the needs of this learning community. Equality and Diversity has been identified by leaders as a key element to the curriculum and is explicitly woven through all subjects. Each subject identifies leading global figures who have contributed to the development of their discipline across the centuries.
- Reading is a strength of the school. Pupils enjoy reading and there is a wide range of diverse texts visible throughout the school. Pupils across the school read with accuracy and fluency and this is reflected in their high levels of oracy.
- Phonics and early reading is highly structured and all staff have been trained. There is clear fidelity to the programme where books are matched to the correct phonic phase.
- Staff CPD in the phonics programme is consistent. All staff use the same language to describe letter sounds and know the importance of prosody which is shared with the children.
- Leaders have identified writing across the curriculum as a priority for improvement. In the last few years a range of approaches to writing have been explored some with more success than others. Leaders have invested into the Devon Writing Resources and Teachers Pals comprehensive Toolkit to ensure planning for writing is covering all year group objectives. This systematic and cyclical format should support staff in adapting the high quality resources to the needs and abilities to significantly improve the quality of writing across the curriculum.
- The school follows the White Rose Scheme from EYFS up to Year 6 to facilitate a consistent approach to maths teaching across the school. Other schemes and resources are also used to supplement resources.
- The vision from leaders is ambitious and they want all pupils to achieve well.
- The Number Sense programme is effective in developing automaticity and fluency with number.
- Pupils enjoy maths and have positive attitude towards the subject. The older pupils, in particular, use technical vocabulary accurately to explain their reasoning.
- There are good strong positive relationships between adults and pupils in EYFS. Provision is well thought out, attractively presented and children can access most areas. Books are readily promoted throughout the provision.
- The art curriculum appears to be well sequenced with a range of artistic influences from around the globe. Leaders are skilled, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subject.
- Dedicated and knowledgeable SENDCo and staff who identify children quickly if they have a specific need.
- Effective provision to support pupils with additional needs to read.
Tribal Education Quality mark 2020
We were awarded our 4th quality mark in the summer of 2020
QUALITY MARK
Dear Parents and Carers,
I am delighted that your child’s school has recently been awarded a Quality Mark Award.
This national accreditation is awarded to schools which meet the Quality Mark Standard and will last for three years, after which a renewal assessment is required.
The Quality Mark promotes, supports and celebrates progress and improvements made by a school in English and mathematics. Without these ‘basic skills’ of good communication, English and mathematical skills, individuals are disadvantaged throughout their lives – as learners, in the workplace and as parents, consumers and citizens and so they form the ‘bedrock’ of a good education.
To achieve a Quality Mark, schools have to undergo an assessment, carried out by an external accredited assessor, against the 10 ‘Elements’ of the Quality Mark framework. These cover key aspects of the school’s improvement agenda, including the identification and analysis of the school’s needs; strategic planning; target setting for improvement; intervention and support for pupils under-achieving or under-attaining; provision of quality in both teaching and in resources; staff development; and active engagement with families. Effective monitoring and evaluation are also required - particularly to achieve renewal when continuing development by the school and evidence of impact of actions must be demonstrated.
I hope you will share in the pride of the school and its pupils in achieving this award.
Yours faithfully,
Nicola Morris, Quality Mark National Director
Identified next steps are:
1. Further embed the pupil feedback strategy so that pupils are better able to understand the progress they are making and what they need to do to improve
2. Continue to develop the standard of speaking and listening skills for those pupils have very low starting points to accelerate their progress
How we are making identified improvements:
- Updated marking policy in place
- Whole school focus on reading and vocabulary development.
Visitor Feedback
Visitors to our school comment on:
- The high standards of pupils' work
- The respect they see between pupils and between pupils and adults
- The standards of behaviour
- Pupils' positive attitudes to learning
'They were lovely children to work with'.
Lisa Webb Artworks & Resource Box Officer 12/5/21
'Thanks again for allowing me and Bradley to visit and work with your students last week. I echo what Bradley said about your students being well-mannered and hard-working and it was a pleasure delivering a turntablism session in your school.'
Tim Clay Team Leader - Music Technology, Contemporary and Urban 18/1/21
Self evaluation adn school Improvement
Summary
Our school consistently meets the criteria for good and much of the criteria for outstanding we feel we are on the cusp of being outstanding.
The quality of education including EYFS
To secure an outstanding judgement the school needs to ensure that recent developments in maths and writing are embedded across the school so that pupil outcomes match the school’s ambition.
Behaviour and Attitudes/ personal development
As a school, we want to do even more to ensure that our curriculum and provision offers opportunities for pupils and groups, to prepare for living and working in diverse modern Britain.
Leadership
Further, strengthen partnership at all levels within collab 360 to support both teachers’ professional development and curriculum development.
Complete the local authority external governing review and implement any identified improvements.