Greatfield Park Primary School

Greatfield Park Primary School Hulbert Crescent, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL51 3FZ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  Most pupils achieve well from their above- average starting points and reach standards above those expected for their age in English and mathematics.  Good teaching enables all groups of pupils to make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress.  Teachers use information well about pupils’ current achievements to plan interesting activities which challenge pupils. Because of this, pupils work hard and make good progress.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are good and make a significant contribution to their academic and personal achievements. They say they feel safe in school.  Leadership and management are good. The headteacher’s drive and determination ensures that good teaching leads to all groups within the school achieving well.  Members of the governing body check the school’s performance carefully by monitoring the quality of teaching. They ensure that staff appraisal and training promote pupils’ good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

progress and high standards of attainment.  The provision for enhancing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural experiences is good and supports all aspects of their development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ feedback in marking does not consistently give enough guidance so that pupils know how to improve their work.  In a few lessons, teachers talk for too long and do not engage pupils fully in all parts of the lesson.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes and visited 20 lessons or part-lessons. The headteacher shared in joint observations of three lessons.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils, parents and carers, teachers, the headteacher, a representative of the governing body and a local authority officer. Account was taken of 38 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the school’s website.  Account was also taken of 23 staff questionnaires returned to the inspectors.  Inspectors looked at records of pupil achievement and heard pupils read. They looked at pupils’ work over time, judgements made by leaders about the quality of teaching, and the training activities undertaken to bring about improvement.  Attendance was checked, along with safeguarding records, records of pupils’ behaviour, and the use of the pupil premium (additional funding provided by the government to support children

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Information about this inspection

who are known to be eligible for free school meals, or who are looked after by the local authority, or are members of service families).  Plans for improvement were examined, with the self-evaluation of school leaders and feedback following local authority visits taken into account.

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Inspection team

Lynne Bradbury, Lead inspector Additional inspector Jill Arnold Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Greatfield Park Primary School is smaller than the average primary school.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is below average. No pupils are looked after or from service families.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and are supported through school action is in line with those nationally. The proportion supported through school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the standard of teaching to outstanding by reducing direct-teacher input in lesson introductions and increasing pupils’ engagement even more through exploring and collaborating.  Develop greater consistency in the way in which teachers’ marking helps pupils to know how to improve their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the school in Reception with knowledge, skills and understanding which are generally at a higher level than that expected nationally. They make good progress because they are well taught and enjoy a range of learning activities.  All groups of pupils, including those groups who receive pupil premium funding, those who are disabled or have special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language, make similarly good progress. Most pupils achieve above-average standards of attainment by the end of Year 6.  Progress and attainment in phonics (letters and sounds) has been slower in the past, but is now good. This ensures that pupils build good reading skills.  Most pupils are now making good progress throughout the school in reading, because this area has been given great emphasis. They enjoy a wide range of reading material and older pupils are keen to talk about their favourite books and authors. Most pupils read confidently and

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The achievement of pupils is good

accurately, and are able to show their understanding of what they have read. Many parents and carers are keen to support their children’s reading at home.  Pupils’ writing develops rapidly because teachers ensure that there is a sharp focus upon key language skills, like punctuation and the accurate use of interesting words.  Pupils develop their calculation skills well. In the best lessons, they are given frequent opportunities to apply these to solve problems.  The attainment of all groups of pupils receiving the pupil premium funding is in line with their classmates in both English and mathematics, as shown by their average points scores at the end of Key Stage 2. Proportions of pupils in this group are very small.  The pupil premium is used to offer one-to-one tuition, a homework club, language support, e- reading, and counselling sessions for those eligible for the funding. The school’s tracking data

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The achievement of pupils is good

show that this is having a positive impact upon the achievement of these pupils.  Pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs are making progress in line with their peers because the school has established a keen focus upon ensuring that all pupils make at least good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good. Careful checking of what pupils have already achieved enables teachers to plan effective learning challenges for pupils of all abilities. This leads to teaching which extends their knowledge and understanding, and ability to develop new skills confidently. In two English lessons observed during the inspection, pupils had to change the language used to create more exciting effects for the reader, and this deepened their understanding of the way language works.  Staff establish warm relationships with children, parents and carers in the Reception class, enabling children to enjoy coming to school. They learn rapidly, developing their own learning through play activities in a safe and creative environment, and make good progress.  Teachers mostly use their own talk carefully so that pupils are engaged in challenging learning activities with partners or groups at all stages of the lesson, enabling them to make at least

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The quality of teaching is good

good progress.  The pace of learning slows occasionally when teachers talk too much and pupils are not actively engaged in the learning.  Teachers have a keen understanding of their role in ensuring progress for all groups of children and pupils, and teaching assistants are deployed well to support groups or individuals appropriately during lessons.  Work in workbooks shows good progress over time across a wide range of learning activities and subjects. English and mathematical skills are developed well across all subjects.  Sometimes, teachers’ feedback in marking does not consistently help pupils to understand how to improve their work.  Warm relationships established by the staff ensure that pupils work hard, have good attitudes to their work, and are confident in learning new skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour and good attitudes to work support them in making good progress and attaining above-average standards.  Outside lessons, pupils are polite, sensible and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Older pupils take responsibility for younger ones and engage them in safe and enjoyable play activities.  Pupils understand the various forms that bullying can take. They say they feel safe, that bullying is very rare in school, but that they would know how to get help if they needed it. They believe that behaviour in school is good and supports their learning, because teachers manage this well and offer lots of rewards for working hard.  Pupils, parents and carers are very proud of their school and agree that behaviour is good.  Pupils are keen to welcome visitors and to share their learning.  They are respectful to each other and to adults.  Exciting play equipment and opportunities within a well-designed playground enable pupils to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

enjoy physical activity, quiet reflection, or games with their friends. They play happily and sensibly.  Disruption to learning is rare as well organised, and planned learning opportunities lead to good, sustained effort and hard work.  Adults in the Reception class establish role models for behaviour and relationships which ensure that children develop positive attitudes from an early age.  Attendance is above average and there are good arrangements in place to ensure that absence is followed up to prevent attendance falling below expectations.  Case studies show that pupils facing difficulties are well supported so that they make good progress.  Pupils like the range of subjects and clubs offered by the school and are keen to engage with these activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has brought drive and ambition to the school, and all staff and governors have been keen to share in this vision for improvement and success.  Rigorous monitoring is used by leaders to identify the strengths and areas in which the school needs to develop. Action plans show challenging targets and appropriate priorities in the drive to constantly improve teaching and pupils’ progress.  Leaders at all levels have high expectations of staff, as seen in the rigorous and carefully monitored performance management targets. There is a clear understanding of the link between staff salary progression and pupil achievement, and more is expected of those teachers on the upper pay scale.  The learning environment provides a rich and stimulating backdrop for pupils’ learning and includes a celebration of the homework done on current topics.  Leaders have ensured that those entitled to support from the pupil premium funding make as

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The leadership and management are good

good progress as their peers through one-to-one tuition, the homework club, provision of extra teaching assistant support and counselling. This is communicated to parents, carers and the community via the school’s website.  The school has developed a strong relationship with the majority of parents and carers, who express a high level of confidence in the work of the headteacher and staff.  The school’s strong commitment to tackling discrimination and promoting equal opportunities for all pupils is reflected in the good achievement of all groups.  Safeguarding policies and procedures, supported by high-quality record-keeping, meet statutory requirements.  The good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural growth contributes to their responsible attitudes and their enjoyment of the wide range of subjects offered.  The local authority has provided light-touch support for this good school, recognising its good

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The leadership and management are good

leadership and good capacity for improvement.  The governance of the school:  ensures that all statutory duties, including safeguarding, are fulfilled effectively, and that all resources, including finance, staff and the pupil premium, are effective in raising achievement. Members of the governing body have a clear understanding of their role and continue to undertake well-focused training so that they provide a high level of challenge for school leaders. Their rigorous monitoring of school performance in holding the school, including the headteacher, to account shows a good understanding of data, and leads to well-focused planning for further improvement. They also have a good understanding of the quality of teaching in the school; they challenge staff effectively through a well-developed system of appraisal and its link with salary progression.

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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 115586 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 403267 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 Number of pupils on the school roll 204 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kate Shepherd Headteacher Nikki Hill Date of previous school inspection 1 July 2008 Telephone number 01242 523301 Fax number 01242 523301 Email address head@greatfield park.gloucs.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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