Park Primary School

Park Primary School Gloucester Road, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 3SL

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 School leaders and governors are ambitious for the school’s future. As a team, they work well together to ensure that the school is successful.  The headteacher has worked tirelessly to improve many aspects of the school. She has an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Consequently, her actions have led to improvements in identified areas for development.  The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers and staff have high expectations and know their pupils well; they provide engaging learning opportunities for all pupils.  Phonics teaching is strong. Teachers use a consistent approach to develop pupils’ reading and writing skills. As a result, a high proportion of pupils reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check.  In mathematics, pupils’ overall progress and attainment have improved. However, the most able pupils are not challenged sufficiently to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

reach the higher standards that they are capable of.  Leaders’ actions to improve attendance have had a positive impact, but this still remains a priority for the school. Attendance of disadvantaged pupils needs to improve.  Parents and carers feel that the school ensures that their children are safe. They are complimentary about the pastoral care given to their children by the school.  Pupils are well behaved in class and around the school. They know the importance of school rules and want to do their best.  The early years provision is good. Children receive high-quality teaching from skilled staff. The proportion reaching a good level of development has improved and is now above the national average.  Leaders of foundation subjects (subjects other than English and mathematics) are enthusiastic and have made a positive start to monitoring and improving the broader range of subjects. They have yet to develop the progression of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

knowledge and skills in these subjects fully across the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers consistently challenge the most able pupils in mathematics.  Make sure that all pupils attend school as regularly as they should, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.  Develop the role of middle leaders so that their work has a stronger emphasis on knowledge and skills progression in the foundation subjects.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The improvements that the headteacher has made since the last inspection have had measurable impact. She has been resilient and decisive in ensuring that areas highlighted for improvement in the last report have been addressed. Her ambition, commitment and drive have been fundamental in improving outcomes across the school.  The school’s self-evaluation is honest and accurate. Priorities are clearly set out in the school development plan, with clear timescales and lines of accountability. Staff are well aware of what they need to do to drive the school forward.  Since the last inspection, the school has worked tirelessly to ensure that the quality of teaching is always improving. This is done in a variety of ways, such as formal lesson observations, learning walks and a scrutiny of pupils’ work. Any actions set are quickly followed up. Governors also make regular, focused visits. This work has been effective,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and pupil outcomes have improved.  Staff have undertaken a great deal of targeted training over the past year. Focus has been on ensuring both that pupils are challenged and that feedback from staff moves learning on rapidly. This input has had a positive impact both on the quality of teaching and on pupil outcomes, especially in English.  The leaders of English have a firm grasp of the subject. They have taken clear steps to address gaps in provision. For example, starting with a focused approach to phonics, a reading culture has been developed. Because of this, outcomes have improved across the school.  The acting leader of mathematics has identified challenging all pupils in this subject as a priority. Work in this area has been positive for many pupils. Leaders know that further work is needed to improve challenge for the most able pupils.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Some subjects are taught through topics, others

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

individually. Middle leaders of subjects such as art and religious education lead with enthusiasm. They have started reviewing the effectiveness of their subjects and have carried out effective monitoring, but they have yet to ensure that pupils’ skills and knowledge are progressively planned and assessed.  Pupils gain a clear understanding of life in modern Britain through regular assemblies and, generally, throughout the curriculum. The school has an active pupil council. It has made positive contributions to the school’s work on values and attendance, for example being instrumental in setting up an ‘attendance shop’ to reward regular attendance. Opportunities are available for children to learn about other faiths and cultures, for example by having a visit from a local rabbi. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well.  The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides good leadership. She

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

ensures that pupils with differing needs are identified quickly and that barriers to their learning are assessed. She has instigated a wide range of interventions and strategies to address these barriers. Provision is reviewed regularly. Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points. Their overall rates of attendance have improved significantly this year.  Leaders ensure that the additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils is spent well. Leaders consider carefully the barriers to learning for these pupils. They have focused on building pupils’ resilience, giving additional teacher input and providing appropriate interventions where needed. This has ensured that disadvantaged pupils make good progress from their different starting points. The strategy is evaluated regularly for impact.  The primary sport premium is used effectively. The premium is used to broaden the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

range of sporting and physical development opportunities on offer to pupils. The school has effectively developed outdoor ‘play pods’ to promote physical activity and mental health. The school ensures that pupils have opportunities to play competitively against other schools; for example, a Year 3 team recently won an Aldershot cricket competition.  Parents are generally positive about the school, and work on communication over the last year has helped. Leaders are continuing to strengthen engagement with parents. This is being recognised by parents; one commented on the parent survey, ‘Excellent school, has made real progress in the last few years.’  Local authority support has been effective. Focused support on English and mathematics and the opportunities to moderate outcomes have helped the school improve outcomes.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have a clear and accurate understanding of the strengths of the school and of the further improvements that are needed. They make regular school visits linked to specific areas of the school’s development plans. Notes of these visits show clear challenge and support in moving the school forward.  The board receives regular and detailed information about the work of the school from the headteacher. Minutes of governors’ meetings show that they ask questions to seek clarity and to gain further information.  Governors have the necessary expertise and knowledge to carry out their roles effectively. They have undertaken training, including in safeguarding, to improve their skills further.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders and governors have established a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. There are robust systems for checking and recording the suitability of staff and volunteers who work with children, and clear practices for keeping pupils safe from harm have been established.  Staff understand the clear protocols for the reporting of any safeguarding concerns, which are then swiftly acted upon by the designated safeguarding lead. Any safeguarding concerns are monitored in weekly pastoral meetings.  The school has invested in a highly effective staff who work with a range of vulnerable pupils and their families. This work ensures that these pupils achieve their best.  Pupils said that they feel safe and know there are always adults available to help them. They know about different risks to their welfare, including those they may encounter online, and what they might do to avoid these risks. Most parents responded positively

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Safeguarding

to the school’s work to ensure that pupils are kept safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved, and this has raised standards for current pupils. Focused professional development from the senior leadership team has had positive impact on practice.  Teachers have high expectations of how pupils behave in class, and make good use of the wide range of adults available to help in the classrooms. These adults make a direct contribution to the progress that groups of pupils make, identifying and supporting any pupil who starts to fall behind, and intervening quickly to improve their learning.  Teachers question skilfully and give precise feedback, in line with the school’s marking policy, that moves learning on quickly. This, combined with teachers’ good subject knowledge, sustains pupils’ interest and gives learning a clear purpose.  Pupils make good use of the feedback they receive and know how to improve their work. This focus and teachers’ scrutiny of the needs of individual pupils have a direct

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

impact on the progress that pupils are able to make.  The teaching of reading across the school is good. Leaders have focused on raising standards in reading across the school. This focus has led to sustained improved outcomes in phonics in Year 1, as well as pupils’ improved skills across the school.  Effective teaching of mathematics helps pupils have a good understanding of the subject. Teachers increasingly expect pupils to solve problems and develop reasoning skills. However, teaching does not consistently challenge the most able pupils to think deeply in order to make the progress they are capable of.  Teachers make effective use of local authority support and a wide range of subject networks. These links are used well to confirm and validate outcome judgements and to support and improve practice.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The school has a range of pastoral staff who ensure that pupils’ welfare and well-being are at the heart of what the school does. They have set up a nurture room and a ‘sunshine room’ so that pupils who need support have a place to go.  Pupils demonstrate good attitudes to their learning. They try hard with their work and want to please their teachers.  Pupils say they feel safe and that if they feel worried, ‘we go straight to a teacher and they sort it out’. Pupils are knowledgeable about e-safety, such as not sharing your log- in details or personal information online.  Pupils have a good understanding of British values. These are promoted systematically through assemblies which link their understanding to school values. They know the importance of school rules and showing respect to people. Pupils said that bullying

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Personal development and welfare

rarely happens at school, but that when it does occur it is dealt with.  In lessons, pupils have many opportunities to work with each other and they do this well. Staff have clearly established routines which pupils follow when they work in pairs or in small groups.  Pupils like taking on responsibilities, such as house captains and supporting in the school office at lunchtime. On the playground, pupils enjoy the new ‘play pods’, which have helped develop social skills such as working together and taking turns.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Staff know how to engage pupils and maintain good behaviour. The behaviour policy is used consistently to reinforce high behaviour expectations. As a result, pupils enjoy school and their lessons. They are friendly and polite.  Repeated fixed-term exclusions have been reduced. Through targeted support, these are now below national levels.  Attendance has steadily improved and is now in line with the national average. Leaders are relentless in their drive to maintain this and know they need to focus on ensuring that disadvantaged pupils attend school more often.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, are currently making good progress. From different starting points, work in pupils’ books shows good progress over time in a range of subjects. This is down to the good teaching, targeted intervention and focused improvement work since the last inspection.  Staff have a consistent approach to teaching phonics, and teach it well. Consequently, pupils can apply their skills to sound out new and difficult words. A high proportion of pupils achieved the expected standard in the 2018 Year 1 phonics screening check. Current pupils are also achieving well in this area. Older pupils read fluently, enjoying the appropriately challenging texts they are given.  Pupils achieve well in key stage 1. Attainment at the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics is consistently in line with, or above, the national average.  In 2018, outcomes in Year 6 were disappointing. The school has worked with vigour to

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Outcomes for pupils Good

ensure that this has improved. Internal data and work in books indicate that current combined attainment is now much improved in reading, writing and mathematics.  While outcomes in mathematics have improved, with more children now working at age-related expectations across the school, the proportion achieving at the greater depth of understanding is still too low. Work in pupils’ books shows that the most able pupils do not have enough opportunities to be challenged in their work.

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Early years provision Good

 Leadership in the early years is effective. Leaders and staff know the strengths and weaknesses of the class well, they review outcomes and provision regularly and are ambitious for the children in their care.  This year, leaders and staff have focused on developing oracy skills within the class. Through developing children’s storytelling, introducing ‘story sacks’ and ensuring many opportunities for the children to talk, these skills are improving.  Most children start in the early years with a range of skills, knowledge and understanding well below what is typical for their age. From these low starting points pupils make strong progress. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the time they leave Reception has improved rapidly over the past two years and is now above national levels.  Teaching and learning is good in the early years. Teachers are precise with their

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Early years provision Good

instructions and ask probing questions to ensure understanding. They have high expectations of children’s speaking and listening skills. Children are enthusiastic about their school and are eager to learn.  Relationships between adults and children are good and, as a result, children are happy and behave well. They work and play happily together, for example when asked to form a ‘human number line’, they successfully cooperated and communicated with each other to achieve the task. They are proud of their success.  Additional funding is well used to provide resources and support for disadvantaged children. The school has invested in additional staffing to ensure that disadvantaged children make a flying start to their time at Park Primary.  Children are kept safe and are well cared for. There is good communication with external pre-school providers before children join the school to ensure that no

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Early years provision Good

important information is missed.  Transition at the beginning of the year is sensitively handled. The class teacher visits both the nurseries and the homes of new children, making positive links and making sure that moving on to key stage 1 is also well planned. More children now move from Reception prepared for the challenge of the key stage 1 curriculum.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address admin@park-pri.hants.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 July 2018

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Information about this school

 Park Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  At the time of inspection, the school had one Reception class, three key stage 1 classes and five key stage 2 classes.  The majority of pupils are White British. An average number of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is above average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited a wide range of lessons across the school, looking extensively at pupils’ work in all lessons. Visits to lessons were also made with the headteacher.  Alongside school leaders, inspectors reviewed pupils’ assessment information and pupils’ work in books. Information about the quality of teaching and documents pertaining to safety and behaviour and safeguarding were also scrutinised.  Inspectors spoke with pupils in lessons, at breaktimes and lunchtimes, and met with groups of pupils separately. Twelve pupils completed the Ofsted online questionnaire.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, middle leaders and governors. In addition, the lead inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority. Informal discussions also took place with a number of parents on the playground prior to the start of the school day.  Inspectors took account of the 80 parental responses to the Ofsted online

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Information about this inspection

questionnaire, Parent View.  The views of staff were taken into account through formal and informal discussions.  Inspectors also took account of the 22 responses to the Ofsted online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Felix Rayner, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Clementina Aina Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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