Park Lane Primary School

Inspection of Park Lane Primary School and Nursery Park Lane, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 8NL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 15–16 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a welcoming and friendly community of pupils and staff. Pupils say good morning to visitors, hold doors open and are very helpful. They are happy, safe and cheerful. Staff know pupils well and care for them. Positive relationships exist between staff and pupils and among pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff want all pupils to succeed. Most pupils work hard to achieve their very best. Leaders link their plans to develop the school further to the trust’s values of ‘proud traditions’, ‘wide horizons’ and ‘high achievement’. Pupils speak confidently about these values and how they relate to school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is mostly positive in classrooms and around the school. Pupils understand the rewards for good behaviour and the consequences of negative behaviour. However, at times, some pupils do not always focus well on their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a clear understanding of the different types of bullying. They say that when it does happen, staff deal with it straight away.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many parents and carers speak well of the school. They value the high expectations and the range of activities available for the pupils. Some parents are not as positive about certain aspects, such as communication.

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better?

When children join the Nursery and Reception classes, they settle quickly. Children really thrive in the early years. They are joyful, confident and keen to share their ideas. This is because staff work closely with families before their children start school. Children are always learning lots of new things due to the work of highly skilled staff. Activities consistently build on what children already know. The classroom and outdoor areas are colourful, exciting and support learning well. Strong, caring relationships exist between the staff and the children. Children love to learn and play with their friends. Staff maintain strong links with families throughout the year.

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better?

In many subjects, including English and mathematics, the curriculum is well planned. In these subjects, teachers are clear about what pupils need to learn. This helps teachers to plan lessons that build on what pupils have learned before. Pupils learn the right things, in the right order, at the right time and achieve well. Standards achieved in national tests in English and mathematics are now above the national averages. Pupils who are disadvantaged also do very well.

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better?

In some subjects, such as geography, the order of learning is not so well planned. Lessons do not always build on what pupils have learned before. Teachers have to go back and fill gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. Therefore, pupils are not achieving as well as they could in these areas. 15–16 October 2019

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Teachers provide work that is interesting and enjoyable. Pupils’ understanding is deepened because of teachers’ and teaching assistants’ highly effective questioning. In most cases, pupils’ needs are met as the work set is matched to their ability. However, this is not always the case for pupils who require additional support. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils sometimes find the work too difficult and they rely too heavily on help from members of staff.

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Pupils listen to their teacher, follow instructions and complete the work set most of the time. In these instances, teachers can teach and pupils can learn. However, at times, occasional low-level disruption interrupts learning. Staff respond to this quickly. The school supports pupils who display challenging behaviour well. Every day is a new start.

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Staff organise a wide range of free trips, after-school clubs and special events. This includes a residential visit to Whitemoor Lakes. There is something for everyone. This makes learning fun. Pupils value these activities and speak enthusiastically about them.

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Staff place a high priority on reading throughout the school. From the very start, staff teach phonics well because of whole-school training. They provide extra help for any pupils who fall behind. As a result, most pupils read confidently from an early age. Pupils of all abilities continue to develop as readers throughout their time in school.

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Pupils learn about healthy eating and the importance of exercise from an early age. They have a growing understanding of different cultures and religions. Pupils are accepting of each other and are happy to attend school. They say that ‘It is OK to be different’. Pupils attend regularly and very few are late.

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Senior leaders and the school improvement board members know the school well. They are considerate of the needs of all staff. Staff appreciate this immensely. Staff value the training and support they receive. Leaders are keen to improve the school further. Currently, they are creating new ways to build closer relationships with families. This should help to build on the established systems already in place.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ welfare is the school’s highest priority. Leaders check staff’s suitability to work with children before they start work at the school. Leaders maintain detailed records relating to child protection. All staff receive regular safeguarding updates and training. Pupils are confident to talk to staff if they have a problem. Staff also know how to spot any signs that may raise concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Staff know how to report any emerging concerns because they are well trained. When required, the school works with external agencies to provide additional help and support for pupils. 15–16 October 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is designed and sequenced effectively in many subjects, such as mathematics. However, the curriculum in some foundation subjects is not as well developed. The school needs to build on the work already started to develop the curriculum for these subjects further. The curriculum needs to be clearly planned and ordered to build pupils’ knowledge and skills over time.  On occasion, the work set by teachers is not closely matched to the needs of all pupils, particularly those who require additional support, including pupils with SEND. Staff need to make sure that these pupils are secure in their basic knowledge and skills before moving them on to more complex areas of learning. This will support these pupils to become independent learners.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 15–16 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10088594 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 June 2015

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Information about this school

 The school has been part of the Griffin Schools Trust since November 2013.  The school has a breakfast and an after-school club, operating on the school site and managed by the school.  The school has a nursery that admits three-year-olds.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector held meetings with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. He met with five members of the school improvement board, including the chair, who is also the chief executive officer. The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with the chair of the board of trustees.  Inspectors held meetings with the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENCo) and the early years, attendance and behaviour leaders.  As part of the inspection, inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and physical education (PE). They met with groups of pupils, curriculum leaders and teachers to talk about the quality of education at 15–16 October 2019

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the school. They considered other subjects on the second day of the inspection.  The inspectors made visits to classrooms. Some of these visits were with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and curriculum leaders.  An inspector listened to several groups of pupils read.  The inspectors spoke with pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school. The inspectors looked at pupils’ work in a range of different subjects to see how well the curriculum is implemented. Two separate groups of pupils accompanied inspectors on a walk around different parts of the school.  Documents relating to safeguarding were checked, including the checks that leaders make on staff’s suitability to work with children prior to employment. Inspectors checked that safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented effectively across the school.  The inspectors talked to parents after school. The lead inspector considered the

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37 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 35 free-text responses received during the inspection.  The lead inspector considered the 10 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  Inspectors considered a range of documentation provided by the school. They looked at the school’s self-evaluation, school development plan, school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, published information about pupils’ performance, behaviour records, attendance records and minutes of trust board meetings.  The lead inspector looked at published information on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Wayne Simner, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Collette Higgins Ofsted Inspector 15–16 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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