Park Hill Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Park Hill Junior School Stanhope Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 5NS

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Outcome

Park Hill Junior School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their school. They are happy and enjoy the opportunities they have. Pupils I spoke with said that they enjoyed school and learned lots of new things. Leaders celebrate the different cultures of the pupils in the school. All pupils are included in activities, both inside and outside of lessons. Pupils feel safe in school and they know that they can speak to an adult if they have any concerns. Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have very high ambitions for all pupils in the school. They want their pupils to be curious learners and to give them the skills they need for their future lives. The pupils know this. Pupils are proud to wear their purple tie when they are named ‘aspirational reader’ and their medals when named ‘writing laureate’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in their lessons, in the refectory and on the playground. Pupils work and play well together. Pupils said that bullying rarely happens. They told me they have lessons about bullying and know what to do if it does happen. They are confident that teachers will resolve any issues quickly if they occur.

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

Leaders introduced a new curriculum in September 2019. Teachers were involved in its design and pupils can explain what they are learning and why. In the subjects that I considered it was clear that teachers deliver the subject content that leaders intend. Pupils understood what they were learning and they were able to use what they had learned before to understand the current lesson. For example, in Year 3 geography, pupils learn the mnemonic ‘HOTCLUB’ (hemisphere, other places, time zone, climate, latitude, us and bodies of water) to describe the geographical features of Antarctica. Year 4 use the same strategy to describe the Brazilian rainforest. Pupils achieve very well in a wide range of subjects. 14–15 January 2020

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Leaders have introduced a new programme of learning for all year groups that meets the ambition of the national curriculum. Lessons are in a logical order so that pupils develop their skills and know and remember more. However, sometimes, pupils find it difficult to separate subject concepts, for example geographical concepts from historical ones.

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Pupils have many opportunities to broaden their development outside the classroom. Leaders organise trips to complement the topics in the curriculum, for example to museums and places of religious worship. In addition to a breakfast and after-school club, there are 32 other clubs available. Leaders know which pupils join these clubs. If any pupils are not involved in additional activities, leaders gently encourage them to participate. Pupils are involved in debating and have leadership opportunities through the school council and house system.

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Leaders have successfully created a school where there is a passion for reading. Reading is a priority and pupils understand how important it is for their future. But pupils also read for their enjoyment. For example, pupils review the books they read and star rate them. These reviews are displayed in classrooms for other pupils to consider when selecting a new book.

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Pupils arrive in the morning and promptly begin learning. They are focused on the task in hand and not distracted. Pupils enjoy their lessons and they are keen to share their ideas with each other and with their teachers. Bullying occurs rarely in the school.

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Leaders are ambitious for all pupils in the school regardless of background or ability. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the full curriculum along with all pupils. They learn the same knowledge as their peers. The curriculum is not narrowed for pupils with SEND.

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Leaders have created a supportive working environment for all staff. Staff say that their workload is manageable and that leaders have given them time and training to implement this year’s changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates. This means that they are alert to potential issues and know what to do in these situations. Staff are aware of the most common local issues and they ensure that pupils are also taught about them in their ‘Dot.com’ lessons. Pupils also receive lessons on e-safety to help keep them safe online.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with families, along with the family support officer and external agencies, to safeguard pupils’ welfare. The school also employs a counsellor to support pupils in the school. 14–15 January 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils have separate lessons for subjects like history and geography. Sometimes, pupils confuse historical and geographical knowledge. Leaders should review how teachers get pupils to recall knowledge in lessons so that they are clear about the subjects they are learning.

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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, Park Hill Junior School, to be good in October 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are 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. 14–15 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121552 Type of school Junior

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Park Hill Junior School converted to become an academy school on 1 April 2017. When its predecessor school, Park Hill Junior School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The headteacher has been in post since September 2018.

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Information about this inspection

 I carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.  I met with senior leaders and three members of the local advisory board. I also spoke with two representatives from the trust.  I did deep dives in reading, writing and geography. I visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, and met with pupils to discuss their learning. I met with subject leaders and teachers. I listened to pupils read, discussed their reading with them and looked at their reading planners.  Through discussions with leaders, governors, pupils, staff and parents, I considered how effectively pupils are safeguarded. I also looked at records related to 14–15 January 2020

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safeguarding, including records of pre-employment checks carried out before staff are appointed.  I met with groups of pupils and spoke to pupils during lesson visits. I observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at playtimes. I spoke to staff about behaviour and about their workload in school. I looked at the 20 staff responses and the 299 pupil responses to Ofsted’s surveys.  I spoke to parents informally at the end of the school day. I also considered the 36 responses to Ofsted’s survey for parents, including written comments.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 14–15 January 2020

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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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