Parklee Community School

Inspection of a good school: Parklee Community School Wardour Street, Atherton, Wigan, Greater Manchester M46 0AR

p.1

Outcome

Parklee Community School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Parklee Community School is a caring and nurturing school. Pupils are happy coming to school because they feel valued, respected and well cared for. Parklee ‘Bright Sparks Club’ offers childcare for families before and after school. Pupils that attend told us that they enjoy going because staff are kind and caring.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school, because there is always someone that they can speak to if they have any worries. Pupils enjoy playing with their friends and they work hard in lessons. Behaviour is good in classrooms and around the school. Pupils state that bullying is rare, and if it did happen then adults would sort it out quickly. Parents agree that their children are safe and happy at school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have made sure that they meet the needs of all pupils. The school’s environment and its curriculum enable pupils to thrive. Leaders have high expectations for pupils and pupils try hard to live up to these. Pupils also told us that they value the wide range of trips that they go on and the variety of clubs that they can attend. Pupils enjoy their learning and make strong progress across the school.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school is well led and managed. Leaders and governors know the strengths and areas that need improving in the school. They tackle any weaknesses well and make sure that they improve quickly. Governors hold leaders to account to make sure that all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities. Staff are proud to be part of the school and feel well supported.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have identified what they want their pupils to know at certain points in their education. They have used this to plan a curriculum which aims to help pupils to learn things in a logical way and to remember key facts. The curriculum offers pupils the opportunity to explore a suitable range of academic subjects, as well as develop as well- rounded individuals. Pupils take part in debates and have a deep understanding of how 17–18 September 2019

p.1

2

they can be good citizens in the future. For example, pupils in the school ethos council have led the changes and improvements to the school playground and playtimes. Across the school, pupils support and respect each other. Behaviour is good and disruption to learning is rare.

p.2

2

Leaders have placed a high priority on the teaching of reading. Across the school, there are vibrant displays which celebrate pupils’ reading. There are also well-resourced reading areas where pupils can go when they want to enjoy reading a book. Pupils enjoy reading and listening to stories. They talk with enthusiasm about books they have read and who their favourite authors are.

p.2

2

At the start of Reception children begin to learn phonics (letters and the sounds they represent). Teachers know how phonics should be taught and know what pupils’ next steps in learning are. The books that pupils read are well matched to the phonics that they learn in class. Consequently, pupils achieve highly in the Year 1 phonic screening check and make progress in their reading across the school.

p.2

2

Pupils enjoy learning mathematics because teachers make activities relevant and challenging. Pupils are keen to take risks and are not worried when they get answers wrong. They told us that ‘you learn from your mistakes’. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and are quick to identify any pupils who may need additional support to catch up. Pupils achieve well in mathematics.

p.2

2

Changes to the way that subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics are taught are very recent. In some subjects, teachers do not always use information about what pupils already know and can do to inform future teaching. Discussions with some pupils showed that they could not always remember important content that they had previously been taught. Leaders are making sure that they fill these gaps in learning quickly. This can be seen in the quality of work that pupils now produce.

p.2

2

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met well. Extra support from within school and outside of school is used effectively. Pupils with SEND have access to the full curriculum and play a vital part in the school’s community. They make strong progress and thrive.

p.2

2

Children get off to a good start in the early years. Leaders and staff have worked hard to create an environment that supports a well-planned and ambitious curriculum. Staff have all received appropriate training to support children’s learning, particularly their language development. This enables children to make strong progress. Most children reach a good level of development by the end of the early years. They are prepared well for Year 1.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture around keeping children safe throughout the school and in the wider community. Leaders know the local community well and have a good understanding of the risks that pupils may face. They use this information to provide training for staff 17–18 September 2019

p.2

3

and pupils. As a result, staff know what to do if they have concerns about pupils’ safety or well-being. Checks are in place to make sure that all staff recruited to work in school are checked thoroughly.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Ofsted transition arrangements were applied for the foundation subjects during this inspection. The changes that leaders have made to the way that foundation subjects are taught are very recent. Leaders need to embed the changes they have made so that all subjects are taught to the same high standard, and in the same logical way, as reading, writing and mathematics.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Parklee Community School to be good on 17 June 2015.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

Further information

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. 17–18 September 2019

p.3

School details

Inspection number 10087757 Type of school Primary

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 17–18 June 2015

p.4

Information about this school

 The school has a breakfast and after-school club.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, I spoke with pupils, both formally and informally, about their work and school life. I spoke with members of the local governing body, a representative from the local authority, the executive headteacher, head of school, and members of staff. I reviewed a range of documentation including documentation about attendance, safeguarding and checks undertaken on newly appointed staff.  I considered the 61 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the 25 responses from the online staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.  I looked in depth at reading, mathematics and history. This entailed discussions with subject leaders; visits to lessons; looking at examples of children’s work; discussions with teachers; discussions with children and listening to children read. 17–18 September 2019

p.4

Inspection team

Julie Barlow, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 17–18 September 2019

p.5

6

regulates and inspects to 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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6