Tynsel Parkes CofE Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Tynsel Parkes Primary Academy School Road, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 7HE

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Outcome

Tynsel Parkes Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Tynsel Parkes Primary Academy love to learn. They are inquisitive and curious. They get excited when they learn new things. They enjoy making connections with what they already know. Pupils love to share their knowledge with each other and with adults. The motto ‘Loving and learning together’ is absolutely right for this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers plan work that challenges pupils to think hard and do their best. Even though pupils do well at this school, leaders want them to do even better. Staff have high expectations of what each pupil can achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Good behaviour is seen across the school, both out and about and in lessons. Pupils are very polite and well mannered. They show respect at all times. For example, they hold doors open for adults and each other. Everyone in the school keeps it tidy and welcoming. Older pupils know exactly what to do if they are in charge of ‘chairs and sweepers’ or ‘cups and water’. Pupils take their responsibilities seriously. They are proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they have lots of friends of different ages. They know what to do if anyone is mean to them. Pupils trust adults to help them. They say that their teachers are kind. Relationships in the school are positive.

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

Leaders have developed a curriculum that fires up pupils’ desire to find out more. It is full of interesting things to learn. Leaders are making sure that learning plans identify what pupils need to know in each subject. From their start in nursery and reception, children explore and enjoy finding out for themselves. Staff plan learning that builds on what pupils can do. Staff talk to pupils and help them make links with what they know already. This helps pupils remember more as they move through the school.

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

The sequence of learning in mathematics is effective. It helps pupils gain the knowledge 1–2 October 2019

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they need to be successful. They use what they know about numbers to begin to solve problems. Training for teachers enables them to teach mathematics well and confidently. Leaders make sure that staff are well trained in other subjects such as science.

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Many subject leaders are new to their role and still developing their skills. The meetings they attend with other schools help to develop their leadership skills and knowledge of their subject. Senior leaders focus well on developing the capacity of other leaders. Despite the many staffing changes in the last three years, there is a strong team in place. Staff support each other well.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They show interest in what they are doing. They cooperate with each other. In the early years they develop their social skills as well as their ability to read and count. They listen to each other’s ideas carefully. Children are safe and happy in the early years. Children enjoy the activities planned for them. They love to talk about what they are doing.

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Pupils chatter enthusiastically about the books they read. They are excited by the cliffhangers in the stories that adults read to them. Leaders want every child to be a good reader. Leaders know that the teaching of phonics needs reviewing and this is the number one priority on the school development plan. At the moment, not all pupils gain a secure understanding of letters and the sounds they make. This is because teachers use lots of different ways to teach phonics. Pupils do not have enough time to practise their sounds.

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Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are supported well. They are included in everything the school does. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) helps teachers to adapt their classrooms to meet individual pupils’ needs. Pupils with speech and language difficulties are well supported. They make good progress because adults know how to help them. The SENCo organises relevant training to help staff know how to support pupils with specific needs.

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Parents are encouraged to be involved in school life. Leaders regularly invite parents into school to see their children’s work. They offer opportunities to find out how to help them at home with their reading and phonics

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Staff make the most of the indoor and outdoor areas to develop children’s skills.

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Pupils develop a good understanding of the world around them. Trips and visits help them see different places for themselves. They talk about the school values of teamwork, respect and determination. They use stories such as the story of Rosa Parks to explain how everyone should be treated equally. Pupils are well prepared for their move to middle school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong, caring culture in the school. Staff are well trained in how to keep children safe. They are vigilant and know what to do if they have a concern about a child. 1–2 October 2019

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Leaders ensure that systems for reporting concerns are clear and simple to use. Pupils are taught, in the right way for their age, how to keep themselves safe. They think about stranger danger and road safety as well as how to stay safe when they use the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have rightly identified phonics as an area for development. Although pupils do well in the phonics screening check in Year 1, their phonic knowledge is not secure. Leaders should establish a systematic approach to teaching phonics and early reading. Leaders should ensure that reading books are matched to the sounds that pupils have learned in phonics.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Leaders have appointed teachers to be in charge of each of the subjects, but some of these leaders are quite new. Senior leaders should continue to support all subject leaders to develop their expertise further in their subject area.

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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.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school Tynsel Parkes CofE (VC) First School to be good on 5–6 February 2014.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

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

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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 1–2 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111729 Type of school First

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school converted to become an academy in January 2017. It is part of the Staffordshire University Academies Trust.  The principal, vice-principal and SENCo are new to post since the school converted to become an academy.

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Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector held meetings with the principal, the vice-principal and the SENCo. She met with the chief executive officer for the trust, the chair and vice-chair of the local academy committee as well other members of the local academy committee.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, senior leaders, curriculum leaders and teachers to talk about the quality of education at the school.  The inspectors made visits to classrooms. Many of these visits were with senior leaders.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and observed the teaching of phonics.  The inspectors spoke to pupils about their learning and their experiences at school. They looked at their work in a range of different subjects to see how well the 1–2 October 2019

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curriculum is applied.  Inspectors focused on reading, mathematics and science as part of this inspection.  An inspector visited the breakfast club.  An inspector talked to parents before and after school. The lead inspector considered the 11 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the eight free-text responses received during the inspection.  The lead inspector considered the nine responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  Inspectors considered a range of documentation provided by the school. They looked at the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s key priorities, school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, published information about pupils’ performance, behaviour records, attendance information and minutes of governing body meetings.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leaders and checked documents relating to safeguarding including the checks made on new staff.

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 The lead inspector looked at published information on the school website.

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Inspection team

Nicola Harwood, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Diane Pye Ofsted Inspector 1–2 October 2019

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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.

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