Park Hill Primary School

Park Hill Primary School Lower Eastern Green Lane, Coventry, CV5 7LR

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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 Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ achievement is improving. They make good progress and leave school with standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are well above average.  The progress made by different groups of pupils is good, including those who benefit from extra funding, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  Teaching is good. Pupils enjoy a wide range of stimulating activities which encourage them to find out things for themselves.  Pupils feel safe in the school. Behaviour is good and sometimes outstanding, and this contributes well to pupils’ learning. Relationships and the level of respect across all groups are good.  The inspirational headteacher is supported very well by other leaders, staff and governors, who have taken firm steps to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. The school continues to get better.  Leaders strongly promote pupils’ spiritual,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

moral and cultural development through a wide range of subjects and out-of-school activities.  Parents have very positive views of the school and what its leaders and staff are doing for their children to keep them happy and safe and to help them to learn well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils do not learn about phonics (the sounds letters make) as well as other aspects of English.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teachers and teaching assistants in 21 lessons. In addition they made a number of short visits to lessons.  Discussions were held with senior leaders and staff. Inspectors also met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took into account the views of 62 parents through the online questionnaire (Parent View) along with those who wrote to the inspection team or spoke with them during the inspection.  The views of the 28 members of teaching and non-teaching staff as expressed through the staff questionnaire were taken into consideration.  Inspectors reviewed pupils’ work in books and on display, discussed their learning with them and listened to some of them read.  School documents, including those supporting safeguarding practice, behaviour, school self- evaluation and school improvement, were looked at carefully  Information relating to pupils’ attendance and their past and present progress and attainment

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Inspection team

Andrew Bailey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sally Yates Additional Inspector Tim McGuire Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Park Hill is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The remainder are from a number of different minority ethnic backgrounds.  A smaller than average proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium is below average. This is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, pupils who are looked after by the local authority and those from service families.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is well below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The on-site before and after school clubs are managed by the governing body.  The current headteacher has been in post since September 2012.  The school is currently undergoing building work in order to increase its capacity.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning about the sounds that letters make (phonics).

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school with the skills and understanding expected for their age. They make good progress, especially in reading and writing, so that by the time they leave Reception they are ahead of expected levels.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In the 2013 phonics (linking letters with the sounds they make) check at the end of Year 1 a lower than expected proportion of pupils had reached the expected standard. This reflected the variation in the skills of teaching phonics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The rate at which pupils make progress has improved since the previous inspection in reading, writing and mathematics. Consequently, attainment has risen and is now well above average by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The rates of progress of pupils entitled to the pupil premium have increased noticeably. The funding is used well to provide individual and small-group tuition. In 2013, at the end of Year 6, these pupils were about half a term behind their classmates in mathematics, one-and-a-half terms in writing and two terms in reading. This shows a significant improvement since the previous year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are making similar rates of progress to other pupils due to the good support that they receive to help them learn successfully. Teaching assistants make a good contribution by supporting them well in lessons and in smaller groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 More-able pupils do well. The proportion who exceed nationally expected progress is above average in national tests at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. They reach high levels because they are given harder work that enables them to make better progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils regularly read a wide range of books. They are confident readers because they have been helped to develop a number of skills including using their knowledge of phonics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils frequently use the skills that they acquire in reading, writing and mathematics in other subjects. Work in their books or on display and their regular homework assignments show that they take full advantage of these opportunities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in all subjects across the school. They achieve good levels of success in music, art, physical education and in their personal development.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is consistently good and improving. The rate of improvement has accelerated as a result of actions taken by the current leadership team. Pupils benefit from interesting and appropriate activities which help them to make good progress. Some teaching, as seen from the work in pupils’ books, is outstanding. Teachers frequently use their excellent subject knowledge to set demanding work which makes pupils think really hard.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are provided with interesting and exciting activities to develop their emerging skills. Teachers ask questions skilfully to check children’s understanding and extend their thinking. They skilfully interact with children, guiding them and building on their interests and broadening them. As a result children are busily engaged in activities throughout the day and develop the ability to work on their own and to make choices for themselves.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers check and accurately judge the progress of pupils. They make good use of the resulting information to plan tasks which build upon what pupils have learned to develop their skills and understanding further.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Since the previous inspection there has been a substantial improvement in marking. Leaders have implemented an effective policy that is being consistently followed. As a result, pupils are receiving clear information on how well they are doing and what they need to do in order to improve. Pupils appreciate this and the additional tasks that are given to check what they know or to help them improve.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school has a list of expectations on how pupils’ work should be presented. This provides clear guidance for pupils and staff. As a result it has brought about an improvement in the presentation of pupils’ work which is now of a high standard.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use additional adults effectively to support the learning of individual pupils and groups of pupils within the classroom.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In some classes pupils are encouraged to select which level to work at from options provided by their teachers. This is evident in mathematics lessons where pupils demonstrate maturity in making wise choices, ignoring easier options and instead choosing to work at levels that will move their learning forward. Teachers are watchful, ensuring pupils are supported and challenged at their chosen levels.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils put the literacy and numeracy skills that they have developed to good use in other subjects and in the very popular ‘learning logs’ which they enthusiastically do at home.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Where teachers do not show such high expectations, the interest of some pupils wanes. This happens occasionally when pupils are being taught about phonics.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This is the view of the all the pupils that inspectors spoke to and of most parents who responded to the Parent View survey. It is typically good in lessons and exemplary around the school. All the staff are excellent role models for pupils and demonstrate respect and courtesy for everyone in the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 All pupils get on well together and enjoy working and playing alongside one another. They are polite and considerate and show respect for one another and towards adults. They understand that discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated and that all have equal opportunity to benefit from what the school has to offer.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In most of the lessons observed, pupils’ attitudes to learning were good and sometimes outstanding. On a few occasions some pupils become distracted if activities do not interest them or provide them with sufficient challenge.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel safe in school. They are clear about what constitutes bullying and are insistent that it occurs very rarely. They say that occasionally there is name calling, but such incidents are usually resolved by pupils themselves and if not they are dealt with fairly and with consistency by staff.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are proud of their school and appreciate what it does for them, such as providing them with ‘really interesting homework’ and ‘lots to do after school’. They say that their teachers make learning interesting and help them to learn well. Because of this they are anxious to attend, consequently attendance is above average and improving.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils, parents and staff agree that the school has a caring set of values and beliefs that are actively promoted by the headteacher, who is at the gate each morning welcoming pupils and their parents by name. New pupils coming into the school are welcomed and quickly made to feel members of the school community. These actions demonstrate the successful strategies that have been introduced to build a strong partnership with parents.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher provides vision, drive and direction. Supported by the deputy headteacher, he has created a highly effective leadership team that is providing a strong personal example to all staff. This has brought about many rapid improvements which have raised the achievement of pupils since he joined the school. These have built on improvements already introduced since the previous inspection. There is no hint of complacency, rather a fierce determination to ‘raise the bar’.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The work of the school is rigorously monitored and responses to identified areas for improvement are immediate and have shown strong impact.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 A key focus for the current leadership team since its formation has been to raise the quality of teaching. Leaders were clear in their analysis of the issue and provided an appropriate strategy for raising expectations and improving subject knowledge. Staff performance has also been managed well. As a result teaching has improved rapidly, bringing about better learning.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Subject and ‘phase’ leaders make a strong contribution to improving teaching and learning. Within their areas they check the quality of teaching, report back to and support teachers.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 A rich creative range of subjects is promoting a love of learning and makes an outstanding contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It is further enriched by the visitors to the school, trips out of school, the Comenius Project and opportunities provided to develop artistic, musical and sporting skills.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Highly effective use is made of partnerships, such as the local ‘Network 10’ schools. Links have been forged with a number of outstanding schools, visits to which have been used to raise the expertise and expectations of staff.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders extend their excellent care for pupils beyond the school day by providing a breakfast and after-school club. These are both managed well and support pupils well in their personal development and their attitudes to learning.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority has an accurate view of the school and is providing a limited but appropriate level of support.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Staff are trained in child protection which is included in the induction process. Statutory checks on the suitability of staff to be employed meet national requirements and are well managed in conjunction with the local authority.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school is making excellent use of its sports funding allocation to provide coaching by an external provider for pupils in school time, lunchtime and after school. In addition, by working alongside very effective sports coaches, school staff are building their own knowledge and skills, which can be utilised in the future. Leaders are monitoring the impact of this use of the funding to ensure its effectiveness.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  Governors are highly ambitious for the school and visit regularly to check on its performance. These visits have clear objectives and are well planned in order to gain the maximum amount of information, whilst rigorously holding school leaders to account. This, along with the high quality information they receive from the headteacher regarding the achievement of pupils, means that they can talk authoritatively about achievement, teaching and learning and the curriculum. They effectively oversee the school’s arrangements for managing the performance of staff, ensuring that everyone is held to account for pupils’ progress. They ensure that the school’s finances are well managed and have put the pupil premium to effective use to raise the achievement of eligible pupils. They undertake their statutory duties to exacting standards, including their responsibilities for safeguarding.

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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 103666 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 431493

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 366 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sue Cranfield Headteacher Steve Taylor Date of previous school inspection 19 March 2009 Telephone number 02476 466669 Fax number 02476 46669 Email address adminstaff@parkhill.coventry.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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