Eden Park Primary & Nursery School

School report Eden Park Primary School Academy Eden Park, Brixham, TQ59NH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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.  The headteacher and the governors are very well focused on school priorities and are driving improvement well. As a result, the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement are improving.  Achievement is good. The headteacher, staff and governors have successfully raised expectations so that pupils make good progress in English and mathematics from the time they enter school.  The action taken to improve teaching through robust monitoring has been very effective; teaching is consistently good and some is outstanding.  Children make a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They enjoy the exciting and stimulating range of activities, which develops their skills well.  The individual learning and needs of pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable are met extremely well. The very high quality of care shown to the pupils and their families is a real strength of the school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Behaviour is good. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They say they feel safe in school and bullying is rare. Their parents agree.  The school has developed an outstanding curriculum which delivers exciting inspirational learning experiences to all the pupils. This is greatly enhanced by all the music, sport and art offered to the pupils as well as the wonderful outdoor learning area.  Pupils enjoy all that school has to offer them and there is a vibrant climate for learning.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not outstanding as at times introductions to learning are too long and do not allow sufficient time for pupils to get on with individual or group work.  There is some inconsistency in how pupils’ books are marked and how pupils are expected to respond to teachers’ marking.  Despite many school initiatives pupils' rate of attendance remains below average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons one of which was a joint observation with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with pupils from Years 5 and 6, the vice-chairman of the governing body and a range of staff, including senior and middle leaders as well as those with specific responsibility for the Early Years Foundation Stage and special educational needs. A discussion was held with the pastoral team.  Inspectors heard pupils read, observed morning playtime and lunch breaks, and attended an assembly.  A visit was made to the breakfast club run by the school.  Pupils’ work was scrutinised, including the ‘learning journey’ records of the youngest children. Displays around the school were also examined.  Note was taken of the 31 responses to the staff questionnaire, the 30 responses made to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the response to the school’s own survey of parents’ views. Inspectors met some parents informally at the start of each day and as they collected

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Information about this inspection

their children from school.  A range of school documentation was scrutinised, including data on pupils’ progress, improvement planning, school self-evaluation information on the quality of teaching and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Anne Wesley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Terry Payne Additional Inspector Liz Townend Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Eden Park Primary School Academy converted to become an academy school on 1 July 2011. When its predecessor school, Eden Park Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be satisfactory overall.  The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are taught in 12 mixed-aged classes. Two Reception Year classes and one Nursery class cater for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Most pupils are of White British heritage and the proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language is lower than found nationally.  An above average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and the children of service families.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is above average. The proportion of pupils

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Information about this school

supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  There is a breakfast club on the school site. It is managed by the governing body and therefore formed part of this inspection.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the quality of teaching so that all is as good as the best by:  ensuring that there is a suitably brisk pace of learning in all lessons  ensuring that all pupils have regular opportunities to respond to teachers’ marking.  Ensure that all parents understand that their children must attend school regularly by:  maximising the use of the new pastoral worker to reduce the number of pupils who are often absent from school  implementing initiatives to successfully reduce the number of holidays families take in term time.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children make good progress in the welcoming and stimulating Early Years Foundation Stage. They join with skills and abilities generally well below those expected for their age but, as a result of the exciting environment and good teaching, all children make rapid progress and enter Year 1 well equipped for the next stage in their learning. They make particularly good progress in speaking and listening.  This positive start is continued by skilled teachers and teaching assistants in Years 1 and 2. Pupils’ basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics are developed well and progress is accelerating. Teaching phonics (the link between letters and sounds) has a high priority. As a result, pupils soon learn to sound out new words with confidence. In the national phonic screening check for six-year-olds the results are above the national average.  Since becoming an academy the rate of progress pupils make in Key Stage 2 has improved

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The achievement of pupils is good

markedly. By the end of Year 6 pupils are now reaching and in some cases exceeding national expectations. The school predicts that the attainment of several of the pupils currently in this year group will be above average in the latest national assessments. The work seen in pupils' books confirms the validity of this prediction.  The good progress is helped by the teachers ensuring that the work pupils are asked to complete is consistently challenging, especially in Key Stage 2. For example, in an outstanding mathematics lesson the teacher kept changing the rules of a calculation game to provide exactly the right amount of difficulty to take each pupil’s learning forward. The enthusiasm the pupils showed to rise to the challenge was very impressive.  Pupils achieve well across different subjects because teachers ensure that they are constantly enthused by the interesting learning experiences that are provided. Writing persuasively about

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The achievement of pupils is good

some houses they were trying to sell to real estate agents is a typical example of the kind of good lesson that ensures pupils make good progress in their writing.  The teachers’ thorough scrutiny of pupils’ individual records during pupil progress meetings ensures that additional help is targeted to those who need it most. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and also those from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language are making faster progress than they have in the past and their progress is as good as others in the school.  Pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium receive tailored support both in class and through additional provision. As a result, the progress of this group of pupils is similar to all other pupils. Even though the gap is closing those eligible for this funding are two terms behind the other pupils in English and three terms behind in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good, with some that is outstanding. Discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of the work in their books show that teaching is typically good over time.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage classes the adults follow carefully the interests and specific needs of the children so that lesson planning ensures good levels of progress for all. The teaching in the outdoor area is greatly enhanced by the particularly good learning environment.  Reading is taught well throughout the school and particular care is taken to support those pupils who do not read regularly at home. Pupils show great enthusiasm for reading.  Pupils engage well with their lessons and usually the good pace of the teaching ensures high levels of interest and engagement. Occasionally, the pace of a lesson might slow when the teacher takes too long over an explanation or introduction which can mean that there is not

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The quality of teaching is good

enough time for pupils to work on their own or in groups.  Most teachers mark pupils’ work particularly well so that pupils fully understand what they need to do to improve their work. Usually pupils are given time to reflect on their teachers’ remarks and it is clear in their books that they act on the advice. However, there are also occasions when pupils do not have the opportunities or the time to respond to teachers’ marking and this can affect their progress.  A particularly strong feature of the best teaching is the close match of group tasks to the pupils’ abilities. For example, in a good mathematics lesson based on problems involving a 24-hour clock timetable, the good match of tasks to abilities ensured all the groups made good progress. In particular, the more-able pupils were challenged by the particular tasks set for them.  Pupils respond positively to the interesting lessons and to the high expectations of their

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The quality of teaching is good

teachers. Teachers continually set imaginative work for pupils to complete. For example, some very good pieces of imaginative writing were produced by pupils after they had found a message in a bottle on the beach. Teachers use the innovative curriculum very well so pupils see how the different aspects of learning fit together. As a result, they are enthusiastic about the tasks they are engaged in and they continually make progress in their basic skills because they are using them in meaningful situations.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are taught well through an effective mix of individual and class support.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 There is a very welcoming atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils are always friendly and polite. They get on well with each other and with adults. They enjoy school and are keen to learn. They are expected to behave well and they do.  Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well. There are a small number of challenging pupils for whom individual behaviour programmes are in place. They are supported well and as a result the behaviour of this small group of pupils has shown a marked recent improvement. There is minimal disruption to their learning and to the learning of others.  The school creates a positive climate for learning and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. When working as ‘artists’ in the style of Lowry pupils wrote reflectively on how it felt to do something that was new and difficult; as one pupil wrote about the experience, ‘not just art, but a mixture of fantastic learning’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The pupils have a good understanding of cultural differences through the meaningful links with schools in Peru. The pupils, for example, were very concerned about the flooding which occurred near, ‘their school in Peru’ and raised money to provide support for Peruvian children.  Pupils work very well together, listening carefully to each other with most being happy to contribute to lessons. However, a few pupils contribute less and are content to let others take the lead.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage learn the rules of good behaviour quickly. They show maturity as they concentrate and persevere with activities, choose their own resources and decide for themselves many of the areas of interest. Currently, the work on bugs and mini beasts is being led by children’s interests and children are encouraged to investigate these animals closely and ask appropriate questions.  Pupils are aware of the different forms bullying can take and pupils, parents and staff agree that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

bullying is very rare. Playtime is a pleasant social occasion enjoyed by the pupils who play well together.  Pupils understand potentially harmful situations, including the misuse of the internet and mobile phones. The school’s virtual learning platform provides a safe place for ‘internet chat’ which is a proactive approach to e-safety. Pupils know how to act if something seems dangerous and are secure in the knowledge that help is on hand should they need it. They feel safe.  Despite the initiatives the school has put in place attendance remains below average, partly because of pupils having holidays in term time. A new pastoral worker is appointed for September to help the school address this ongoing problem.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and leaders at all levels, including the governors, have a fierce ambition for improvement and consistently set high expectations for pupils' achievement and the quality of teaching. Consequently, the school has been on a rapid and successful journey of improvement.  The school knows its strengths and weaknesses well through very systematic and rigorous checking of pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching by the school leaders. The headteacher has a very clear picture of what must be done next. This information is shared fully with the governors and both the Chair of the Governing Body and vice-chair regularly attend senior leadership meetings.  The school provides high quality care and guidance for all pupils, including pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable, demonstrating effective links with parents and ensuring that all pupils can benefit from the learning experiences that the school provides. The

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The leadership and management are good

family learning groups and reading clubs are increasingly well supported and effective in engaging parents.  The breakfast club is well run and ensures that pupils have a good start to the day. The special breakfasts organised during the week of national assessments for Key Stage 2 reflect the good quality of care provided.  Effective performance management provides support, constructive criticism and appropriate training for the teachers’ work in the classroom. Actions to bring about improvement are always followed through to see if they are successful. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved since becoming an academy.  Teachers work well with parents. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated in the school. The staff treat all pupils equally, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  The innovative curriculum’s breadth and richness is a real strength of the school and has been

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The leadership and management are good

instrumental in improving pupils’ progress. It inspires pupils and raises their aspirations for the future. For example, a visit to Agatha Christie’s house led to the pupils writing very good murder mystery stories and then to the preparation of a criminal case for a murderer. This was judged in a real court by local solicitors and subsequently an older pupil is now determined to become a lawyer. The curriculum is further enhanced by residential trips, visits to places linked to pupils' lessons and many visitors into school. The wonderful outdoor learning area is used extremely well and adds greatly to the pupils’ learning experiences.  The governance of the school: The governors are fully supportive of the school, but also consistently challenge its performance. The school’s robust system for checking pupils’ progress is fully shared with governors and they have a good understanding of how the school is performing compared to

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The leadership and management are good

other schools both locally and nationally. They monitor carefully the use of pupil premium funding. The governors are well aware that the pupils entitled to this funding, as well as disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, now make at least as much progress as the other pupils. Governors are equally involved with performance management and checking the quality of teaching. They question senior staff closely to ensure continuing improvement. The governors play an extremely effective role in making staff appointments and are well aware of how salary decisions are linked to teachers’ performance. Governors take part in many training courses to ensure they are fully up to date with all their areas of responsibility. The governors ensure that all their statutory obligations, including those related to safeguarding, are fully met.

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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 136892 Local authority Torbay Inspection number 402745

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy Age range of pupils 3 – 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 402 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Carrianne Toms Headteacher Ken Kies Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01803 854011 Fax number 01803 852678 Email address kenkies@eppsa.org.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

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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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