Parkwood Primary School

Parkwood Primary School Queen's Drive, London N4 2HQ

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher, with good support from leaders and governors, is building well on the work started by the interim headteacher, following a dip in the school’s performance two years ago. Improvements in the pupils’ achievement are clearly visible in reading and mathematics.  School leaders have worked successfully to ensure that teaching is good and improving. This is being achieved through well-planned training and teachers learning from each other by sharing their practice.  Pupils make rapid progress in mathematics across the school and their attainment is high. This is because teaching is outstanding and ensures that pupils apply their skills and so deepen their understanding of number.  Pupils make rapid progress in their understanding of letters and sounds in the early years and at Key Stage 1.  Provision for children in the early years is highly stimulating. This enables them to make rapid gains in their learning and language development.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school’s values, such as democracy and individual liberty, help pupils understand their role in British society.  The school accurately identifies the learning needs of its pupils where they have potential barriers slowing their progress. This enables it to focus support and resources, such as the pupil premium, to ensure they achieve as well as other pupils.  Behaviour is good, helping to make the school calm and harmonious. Pupils try hard at all times to live the Parkwood values of mutual respect and tolerance of others.  Pupils enjoy school and their learning. They are well motivated, work hard and are very keen to learn. This generates a real sense of purpose in classrooms.  Pupils say they feel safe because they know the site is secure and adults continually keep an eye out for any risks.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 The pupils’ progress in writing is good but lags behind in reading and mathematics in Years 5 and 6. This is because pupils have not developed the stamina to write extensively at length compared with younger pupils.  Teachers do not always provide enough opportunities for the pupils to develop their writing skills in different subjects.  Teachers do not always set hard enough work for the more-able pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons, six of which were visited with the headteacher or other senior leaders, and looked at work in pupils’ books from the current academic year.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, and the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors. A meeting was also held with two representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 21 responses to Ofsted’s online, Parent View questionnaire. They also met informally with a small number of parents and carers at the start of the school day.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors also took account of the 29 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Martin Beale, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is average in size compared with other primary schools.  Most pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds with the largest groups being pupils of Any other White or Black African heritages.  Three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language. This figure is much higher than average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for funding through the pupil premium is well above the national average but falling. This is additional government funding which, in this school, supports pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well above the national average but falling.  The Nursery caters for 22 children on a part-time basis and 14 full time. Children attend the Reception class full time.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2014 following one year when the school was led by the

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Information about this school

deputy headteacher on an interim basis. This followed the retirement of the long-serving previous headteacher in 2013.  The headteacher supports assessment and mathematics development work across the borough.  The school provides a daily breakfast club.  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?

 Raise achievement in writing by:  increasing opportunities for pupils in Years 5 and 6 to develop the stamina to write more extensively  ensuring that pupils have more opportunity to develop their writing across subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of teaching on the pupils’ learning and progress by ensuring that teachers set work that is hard enough for the more-able pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has established a clear and shared direction for the school based on challenging targets and a continual focus on improving teaching. Leaders and school staff have high expectations of the pupils and have successfully created an ethos where good behaviour is the norm. Priorities for action are carefully identified by rigorously checking the performance of staff and pupils to spot and plug any gaps.  Revised performance management arrangements this year link salary progression closely to the progress of the pupils. Subject leaders contribute significantly to the drive for improvement but do not always ensure that teachers continually challenge the more-able pupils in their subjects.  Effective engagement with the local authority has helped leaders to tackle the dip in performance in both reading and writing. Tighter monitoring has enabled them to identify priorities and action needed.

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The leadership and management are good

Consultants have provided training in aspects of literacy and to develop the role of subject leaders. The school is developing other strong links with local schools to share its expertise and to develop a new reading programme. This has been a key to the pupils’ rising achievement in reading.  The school successfully promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination. Fully understanding the needs of individuals enables leaders to direct resources to support their progress.  The school places a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy by reviewing teaching programmes to increase their impact on achievement. A new topic pattern started this year reflects changes to the National Curriculum. Visits link with topics, for example, a National Gallery trip to look at three paintings related to the topic being studied. The new information and communication technology programmes have been fully embraced. More-able pupils in the ‘Coding Club’ are writing a computer game.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school takes every opportunity to develop the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and successfully prepares pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn to value and respect differences in many ways, such as through an annual international evening, learning about different religions and studying the poetry of Maya Angelou. ‘Thinking Space’ every Monday in assembly encourages pupils to reflect and share ideas about a moral theme. Each of the school’s values are introduced and discussed in assembly and followed up in class with rewards for pupils who follow the values most closely.  The school’s good use of additional sports funding is leading to increased participation in after-school clubs, a wider range of sports available and more pupils cycling to school. Working alongside a specialist coach has increased the confidence of staff to teach specific aspects of the physical education programme.

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The leadership and management are good

 Care and concern for the pupils are reflected in the vigilance of staff in implementing the school’s effective safeguarding arrangements. They are trained well to identify all forms of risk facing the pupils both inside and outside school and take steps to minimise them.  Parents are encouraged to become active participants in their children’s learning and development. The school provides regular workshops so they can help their children at home. This includes e-safety sessions so they are updated with current thinking about internet safety.  The governance of the school:  The governing body provides effective oversight of the school. Governors have used a review by the local authority to adapt their operation in order to focus their work more sharply on monitoring the school’s performance. They know achievement is weaker in reading and writing than in mathematics but not always precisely why. This is because they are not always secure enough in their understanding

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The leadership and management are good

of assessment data. They know teaching is good and understand the headteacher’s action to secure improvements. Governors ensure there is a tight link between performance and salary progression. They carefully check finances and their impact on pupils’ achievement. They are quite aware that their use of the pupil premium is becoming increasingly effective.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are polite and well-mannered towards each other and adults. They mix well together at work and play because of strong relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults. However, a small number do not always meet the school’s high expectations and need to be helped to modify their behaviour.  School council members act as genuine representatives of their classes. They are currently looking at the behaviour policy and take a lead in organising the raising of funds for various charities.  Pupils keenly participate in lessons by answering questions, discussing ideas with a partner and taking different roles when working in groups. They enjoy being involved in their learning such as when reviewing, adapting and improving their work in response to their teachers’ feedback. They show great pride in their work through its neat presentation.  Attendance had fallen but is rising rapidly. Pupils greatly value being praised and rewarded for high levels

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Behaviour

of attendance. The school also makes clear to parents that extending holidays into term time is not tolerated. Changing the arrangements at the start of the day and the new breakfast club have greatly improved punctuality this year.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Parents say the school is safe and that staff care for their children. Pupils are fully aware of the dangers that surround them, including the busy local roads. Effective e-safety training each half term helps them to know how to minimise risk when using the internet.  Pupils know how to recognise and deal with bullying. They are very confident that staff deal firmly with any rare incidents, as school records show. Pupils are quite aware that the school does not tolerate derogatory or discriminatory language and has effective strategies to combat such language. Parents share these views.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of the pupils. They manage behaviour in their classes well so learning is very rarely disrupted. Much teaching is very confident, lively and dynamic. This stimulates the pupils’ thinking and holds their attention. Teachers use questions well to engage pupils in lessons, giving them time to discuss ideas with a partner and adapting their teaching in light of the pupils’ responses.  The team of teaching assistants and other staff have developed strong and trusting relationships with the pupils they support. They are deployed well in lessons and lead individual and small-group teaching programmes with skill.  Mathematics teaching is generally very effective. Basing teaching on an internationally recognised approach means teachers know the journey pupils need to take to succeed. Pupils’ work in Year 5 shows the higher level of challenge presented by the new National Curriculum is being met well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Basic reading skills, including phonics (the sounds that letters make), are taught well in the early years and at Key Stage 1. The new Key Stage 2 reading programme is helping pupils develop skills such as inference and deduction more rapidly, but is not leading to all pupils reading enough for pleasure.  Teachers generally make sure that the work set is interesting and challenging. However, some questions they set can be too easy for the more able who then repetitively practise skills already mastered.  Marking and feedback help to move the pupils on in their learning, particularly in their extended writing. Pupils are given time to reflect on their learning and respond to their teacher’s comments and so improve their work.  The teaching of writing is improving but teachers are not always confident about the steps for pupils to take to progress rapidly. The expectations of the pupils’ writing in topics and other subjects are not as

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The quality of teaching is good

high as in English. Marking in subjects other than writing does not always challenge pupils to improve their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points and most are prepared well for secondary school. Achievement fell two years ago but is now rising strongly again. This pattern of improvement is continuing more securely in mathematics and reading than in writing.  Year 6 test results fell in all subjects in 2013. They rose and were high in mathematics in 2014 but were below average in reading and writing. This was because considerably fewer pupils reached higher levels in each subject. This has prompted the school to take a range of action in both subjects, which is having greater impact in reading than writing by Year 6.  The pupils’ reading develops well through a wide range of carefully planned activities. Pupils make rapid progress in developing their understanding of letters and sounds. Results of the phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils were much higher than the national average in 2014 and improved from the year before.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is outstanding in mathematics. Pupils quickly and securely master key skills, deepen their understanding of number, and reason mathematically.  Progress is increasing in writing but not as quickly as in reading and mathematics. Pupils write at length and in a wide range of styles but the quantity and quality are not as high in Years 5 and 6 as in other year groups.  Children make rapid progress in the early years. Their attainment is well above average and rising by the end of Reception. This is contributing to the pupils’ rising attainment by the end of Year 2 in all subjects.  Pupils speaking English as an additional language make similar progress as others. There is no significant pattern to any variations in achievement by pupils from different minority ethnic backgrounds.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs also make good progress.  The school’s effective use of the pupil premium is helping disadvantaged pupils make good and improving

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress. The gap in attainment in English and mathematics between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school had been narrowing but grew in 2014. It was about five terms in writing and between two and three terms in mathematics and reading. This group exceeded other pupils nationally in mathematics but lagged behind them by between two and three terms in reading and writing. Attainment gaps are closing rapidly for pupils currently in the school and are now negligible in several year groups and non-existent in others.  The small number of pupils previously leaving Key Stage 1 at Level 3 have consistently made good progress and reached at least Level 5 by Year 6. The increasing number of most able pupils generally make good progress, although they are held back at times because work they are given does not extend their thinking enough.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 The children’s outstanding achievement in the early years is based on highly effective teaching, a clear understanding of each child’s needs and staff sharply focused on continual improvement. Children thrive in a happy, harmonious and purposeful environment. They feel very safe and secure through the trusting relationships they have established with all adults. Children are prepared very well for Key Stage 1.  Children entering the early years with limited English are helped to develop fluency and understanding quickly. They are continually encouraged to discuss their ideas with each other or an adult and displays emphasise key vocabulary. Adults strive to provide a model of correct grammar and vocabulary at all times.  Outstanding teaching in both the Nursery and Reception underpins the children’s rapid learning of new skills. Tasks provided are interesting and well resourced so they grab the children’s attention and ignite a

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The early years provision is outstanding

love of learning. When children are working, adults are very skilled at knowing when and how to intervene either to pose a challenging question or redirect their learning.  The children’s behaviour is exemplary. They respond quickly to adults, move sensibly both inside and out and readily help tidy up at the end of each session. Children are highly motivated and keen to learn. They are attracted to the activities provided and can be seen exploring ideas themselves and concentrating for long periods. Their collaboration with each other sharing resources and discussing ideas supports their learning and social development considerably.  Leadership and management of the early years are outstanding. All adults are involved in a continual drive for improvement. The highest priority is placed on safeguarding the children’s welfare. A measure of this is seen in how staff take steps to review and continually improve hygiene arrangements for handling the

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 100259 Local authority Hackney Inspection number 453252

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 243 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Brian Bell Headteacher Paul Wade Date of previous school inspection 7 February 2008 Telephone number 020 8802 5366 Fax number 020 8802 5366 Email address admin@parkwood.hackney.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 and 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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