Park Primary School

Park Primary School Mathews Park Avenue, Stratford, London, E15 4AE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Teaching and learning are good throughout the school and some of the teaching is outstanding.  Most pupils make good or better progress and learn well in their lessons, particularly in reading and mathematics.  Most children enter the school with numeracy, reading and communication skill levels well below those expected for their age. They catch up quickly and when they leave Year 6 their results are broadly average.  Pupils behave well because their behaviour is consistently well managed. Pupils say that they feel safe and cared for well.  Pupils enjoy school because the subjects they learn about are made interesting and fun.  Attendance rates have improved greatly and are now above the national average  The headteacher leads the school very effectively and is well supported by the deputy and a strong team of teaching and non- teaching staff.  The regular checks on teaching and the advice

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

given to teachers have ensured that the quality of teaching has remained high.  The school is using additional funding effectively to raise standards and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals are making much-improved progress this year.  The role played by the governing body has remained outstanding since the last inspection. Governors are extremely knowledgeable about the school because they regularly check on how well it is doing. They are therefore able to provide an excellent balance of support and challenge.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The progress the pupils make in writing is not as good as in reading and mathematics.  Not enough teaching is consistently outstanding.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 25 lessons, of which five were joint observations with senior leaders. Every class was observed at least once.  Meetings were held with three groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, several staff members, including senior and middle leaders, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 11 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). Other parents’ views were sought through discussions at the start and end of the school day.  Inspectors also took account of the 16 questionnaires completed by members of the school staff.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, documents relating to safeguarding, and the minutes of various meetings.

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Inspection team

Nigel Grimshaw, Lead inspector Additional inspector Val Ives Additional inspector Maureen Panichelli Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  Nearly all the pupils are from minority ethnic groups.  Well over half the pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, additional funding provided for children in the care of the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals, is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and pupils who have special educational needs supported through school action is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is just below average.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the progress pupils make in writing by:  providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their writing skills across all subjects  making sure that pupils have more opportunities to produce longer pieces of writing  ensuring that more of the teaching is consistently outstanding, especially through marking that provides consistently clear guidance to pupils on how to improve their work.

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Inspection judgements

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with levels of skill and knowledge that are well below those expected for their age, especially in communication and numeracy. The teaching in the Reception classes is good and so children settle well into school life and make good progress.  This good progress is maintained throughout the school because the school leaders have successfully focused on maintaining good quality teaching and learning in lessons. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 is broadly average. Pupils make much better-than-expected progress in mathematics because teachers have high expectations, good subject knowledge and enthusiasm, which the pupils respond to very well.  Pupils’ progress in reading is also particularly good. Pupils say that they love reading. This is because the teaching of reading skills is very effective and most pupils have great confidence in their reading ability.

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Inspection judgements

 The progress of pupils in writing is not as good as in reading and mathematics because they do not have enough opportunities to apply their writing skills, or to write at length, in all subjects. However, the success of the newly introduced programme for teaching phonics is already improving their progress in writing this year.  The headteacher and subject leaders keep a close watch on how pupils make progress. They hold meetings regularly with all the teachers to identify those pupils who are falling behind and to give an extra boost to their learning in smaller groups with adult support.  Disabled pupils, and those with special educational needs, make good progress because the staff check their progress closely. The work is, therefore, usually set at the right level and they receive good-quality support.  The more able pupils also benefit from work that is set at the right level for them so that they

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Inspection judgements

are challenged to think carefully about their work. This is particularly true in mathematics, where several of the pupils achieved Level 6 at the end of Year 6. This is much higher than the expected level for pupils of this age.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language also make good progress because they are well supported by the staff in school.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of the level at which they are working and like the targets set for them by the teachers to improve reading, writing and mathematics. These focus their efforts and contribute well to their progress.  The school leadership is using the pupil premium funding to target support for individuals and small groups of pupils who need the most help. This is now proving effective and, as a result, the progress of these pupils is much improved this year and the previous gaps in their results compared to their peers are closing.

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Inspection judgements

 The great majority of parents responding to the online questionnaire believe that their children make good progress. This was also evident from discussions with parents.

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Inspection judgements

 Teachers plan work for the pupils that is interesting and enjoyable and which motivates them to learn well. Expectations are usually very high, particularly in terms of behaviour. Pupils responded enthusiastically, for example, in response to an imaginative approach to understanding coordinates when the teacher in Year 6 created a giant map on the classroom floor and the pupils had to move around to the correct places on the map.  In lessons, the pace of learning is brisk and the teachers use probing questions that make the pupils think carefully about their answers, extend their speaking and listening skills and improve their use of vocabulary. Relationships are a real strength and the teachers treat the pupils as mature individuals.  Marking is usually successful at explaining to the pupils why a piece of work is good, but sometimes lacks clear guidance on how they might improve their work.  Teaching very effectively promotes pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Inspection judgements

development, which is evident in lessons and around the school. Pupils work together well, value the opinions of others, show real awareness of other cultures, and lessons are rarely, if ever, disrupted by unacceptable behaviour.  Resources are well prepared, including the effective use of information and communication technology in lessons. The motivating resources help enliven and extend pupils’ learning. The school leadership has improved the outdoor learning area in the Early Years Foundation Stage since the last inspection but this relatively small area lacks some of the learning opportunities that can be found inside the classroom.  Careful planning ensures that disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are taught well, often in small groups led by very effective teachers and teaching assistants.  From responses to the online survey and discussions during the inspection, it is clear that

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Inspection judgements

parents are extremely pleased with the teaching in the school. As one parent said, ‘The teachers are very good. We can always talk to them and know that they will do something if there is any sort of problem.’

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Inspection judgements

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good.

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Inspection judgements

 The vast majority of pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to do well. They concentrate and persevere in completing the work set for them.  Pupils behave well in lessons generally and around school. They are kindly, considerate, polite and courteous and made the inspection team feel very welcome. The behavioural records confirm that this is the case over time too.  Good routines and high expectations of behaviour are well established in the Reception classes, where there is a very calm, friendly learning atmosphere. The children learn to share and work and play together cooperatively. These qualities are carried with them as they progress through the school.  Pupils understand the various forms of bullying but say that they feel safe in school, and that bullying in any form is very rare indeed and is dealt with promptly and effectively by the adults in school. Racial discrimination incidents are even less common because the pupils show respect

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Inspection judgements

for each other. Pupils are clear about the possible dangers of the internet and know how to stay safe when using it.  The headteacher, staff and governors have worked closely with parents to improve attendance, and rates of attendance are now above national averages.

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Inspection judgements

 The strong leadership of the headteacher, ably supported by the staff and governing body, has focused on providing high-quality and creative activities for the pupils in their lessons and consistently good and better teaching across the whole school. Senior leaders are rigorous in ensuring all pupils are treated equally and that there is no discrimination.  The creative approach to the curriculum has ensured that art, drama and music feature strongly, and the school has achieved the Artsmark Gold award. At the same time the school has maintained good progress in the core areas of English and mathematics, although there are some missed opportunities to develop writing in more subject areas.  Teachers are all given clear targets for improvement. The views expressed by the staff in discussions and through their questionnaires were very positive indeed about their roles in school. The questionnaires indicated clearly that the staff appreciate and enjoy working at the

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Inspection judgements

school and value the training organised for them to aid further improvements in their practice. As one member of staff wrote, ‘I love working here. The staff and children make for a positive ethos. Standards are constantly being reviewed because we all want the best for the children and parents.’  The school has valued the support from the local authority, particularly the help and guidance on the introduction of the new programme for teaching phonics.  Parents say they are well informed through newsletters and the school’s website. They value the information about their children’s progress and would recommend this school to other parents.  The governance of the school:  Governors have an excellent knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses because they are working closely with staff to make the school even better. They have supported the school in maintaining good levels of progress in literacy and numeracy. They have a thorough

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Inspection judgements

knowledge of the quality of teaching in school and the steps being taken to improve this still further. Systems are in place for the approval of pay rises so that these are tied to how well staff are doing. They also understand the performance data and how this compares with that of other schools. The school is therefore well placed to improve further. Governors have an excellent understanding of how the pupil premium has enabled small-group work and one-to- one adult support to help pupils achieve well. They check that the funds have been used successfully. The safeguarding, health and safety of pupils, including checks on staff appointments, are good because staff and governors have received the appropriate training. Governors work closely with school leaders and staff to ensure that all pupils are treated equally and that there is no discrimination. Governors also regularly attend professional training to improve their practice further.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 102736 Local authority Newham Inspection number 395468

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Colin Adams MBE Headteacher Ann Buckingham Date of previous school inspection 3 October 2008 Telephone number 020 8534 4065 Fax number 020 8555 6962 Email address info@park.newham.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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