Green Park Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Green Park Primary School Green Lane, Maghull, Liverpool, Merseyside L31 8BW

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Outcome

Green Park Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Green Park Primary School. They have good relationships with their teachers and other adults. Staff expect pupils to work hard and try their best. Pupils rise to this challenge and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in class and around school. They told me that they feel safe and well cared for by staff. Pupils also told me that bullying is not tolerated. They are confident that staff would deal with it quickly if it did happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and governors want pupils to do well. Teachers make sure that learning is interesting. Pupils are encouraged to think for themselves and try out new ideas. This helps to build their confidence. Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities, including clubs, sports and visits. Pupils told me that a trip to an outdoor adventure centre helped them to ‘learn to be brave’. They also spoke enthusiastically about an author who visited them in school recently.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents say that their children are happy at school. A typical comment from a parent was, ‘Our child loves going to school and enjoys every aspect of school life.’ Most parents would recommend the school to others.

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

Leaders have improved the curriculum. They have thought carefully about what pupils need to learn as they move through the school. Teachers check pupils’ understanding before moving them on to new learning. Pupils achieve well in most subjects.

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

Mathematics is a strength of the school. Leaders have developed a high-quality curriculum in mathematics which helps pupils to build on what they already know. In Reception, teachers focus on developing early mathematical knowledge and skills. For example, children learn to identify coins and gain an understanding of the value of money. Pupils are able to apply their mathematical skills with increasing confidence as they move 26–27 November 2019

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through school. Pupils achieve extremely well in this subject by the end of Year 6. However, in some subjects, for example history and design and technology, teachers are still adapting their approach. Leaders have designed new curriculum plans but these are relatively new and need time to settle in.

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Leaders have prioritised reading in the school. Children begin to learn the sounds that letters make as soon as they join Nursery. Children develop their vocabulary well while enjoying stories and rhymes. By the end of the first term in Reception, most children can match sounds to the letters of the alphabet. There are clear expectations of what sounds pupils need to learn by the end of Year 2. As pupils move through the school they gain greater confidence in their reading and enjoy a wide range of different authors. Pupils who fall behind are given extra help to catch up. This support is effective for most pupils. However, a few continue to find reading difficult. Although their books match the sounds that they learn, some pupils struggle to read words and sentences fluently. This impairs their understanding of reading.

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Children get off to a strong start to their education in early years. They learn and play together happily. Staff provide lots of motivating and stimulating learning experiences for them. Children giggled with delight as they used tools to break a large block of melting ice and money was revealed. Children achieve well in all areas of learning. They are prepared well for Year 1.

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There is a calm atmosphere around school. Pupils respect each other’s right to learn. In lessons, pupils concentrate well and work hard. They feel well supported. A typical comment from a pupil was, ‘My teacher makes learning fun and helps us when the work is difficult.’

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The curriculum helps pupils to develop a good understanding of British values. Pupils learn to care about the world and others. They learn about national and international issues, such as the impact of climate change. Enrichment sessions support pupils’ social and cultural development. Fundraising activities are set in context for pupils when they meet people from the organisations they support.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive high-quality support. The curriculum is adapted well for these pupils. Pupils with SEND who need to catch up are given effective additional extra help and support.

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The school is well led and managed. Staff support the headteacher and her vision for continued improvement. Staff feel valued and enjoy working at the school. They agree that leaders ensure that their workload is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that safeguarding has a high priority in the school. Leaders carry out appropriate checks on staff to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They know how to spot signs that pupils may 26–27 November 2019

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be at risk of harm. Leaders act quickly to follow up concerns. They work well with external agencies to protect vulnerable pupils. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when crossing roads, when they are near to water and when they are online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have worked hard to improve pupils’ reading. Pupils’ reading books match their phonic knowledge. However, some pupils’ reading lacks fluency. This affects their understanding. Leaders should ensure that these pupils get enough opportunities to practise their reading. This will improve their fluency and comprehension.  The curriculum is well planned in all subjects. Leaders have ensured that most subjects, including reading and mathematics, are delivered well. However, in some subjects, such as history and design and technology, plans have not had time to be fully implemented. It is clear from the actions that leaders have taken to train staff in how to deliver them that they are in the process of bringing this about. This will help pupils to know and remember more across the curriculum as they move through the school.

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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 school to be good on 18 June 2015.

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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. 26–27 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10087755 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 June 2015

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Information about this school

 Green Park Primary School has a nursery for three and four-year-olds. Most children attend part-time.  The school has a breakfast club. This provision is managed by the school.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, teachers, other school staff and governors. I held informal and formal discussions with many pupils and observed interactions during social times. I also spoke to a representative from the local authority by telephone.  I considered the following subjects in depth as part of the inspection: reading and phonics, mathematics and history. My inspection activity included an evaluation of curriculum planning, visits to lessons, scrutiny of pupils’ work, listening to pupils read, discussions with subject leaders and teachers, and discussions with pupils about their learning in these subjects.  A range of documents were examined, including the school’s self-evaluation and curriculum improvement plans.  I examined the single central record of checks on the suitability of adults to work with 26–27 November 2019

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pupils and reviewed a sample of the school’s safeguarding records.  I spoke with some parents during the inspection.  I took account of 52 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. I also considered 52 free-text responses from parents.

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Inspection team

Cathy Parkinson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 26–27 November 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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