Newmills Primary School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was significantly limited because teachers did not co-operate due to industrial action. Consequently, the ETI could not fully evaluate teaching quality or school planning, stating it is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided.” The school is designated a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Strengths

• Year 6 pupils spoke positively about their school experiences, highlighting enjoyment of “physical education, art, shared education and after-school activities.”
• Children expressed appreciation for staff support and explained how teacher feedback helps them “set targets and improve their work.”
• Pupils reflected maturely on how their roles develop skills such as “teamwork and problem-solving” and enable them to support younger children.
• Senior leadership co-operated with the inspection regarding safeguarding responsibilities.

Areas to improve

• The employing authority, governors, and staff must “plan for, and manage, issues related to the sustainability of the school provision and school budget” to address current and future needs.

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education” and children feel safe, but the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements” due to the industrial action.