Parkfield Primary School

Inspection of Parkfield Primary School Parkfield Road, Taunton, Somerset TA1 4RT

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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 Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 11–12 February 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us they are proud to attend Parkfield Primary School. Since the last inspection, the school has improved a lot. Leaders have raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. The school’s motto of ‘success and happiness through hard work’ underpins everything. Pupils say that staff make learning fun and teach them how to persevere with harder tasks. They are learning more and doing better in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff enrich the curriculum in many ways. For example, pupils describe how they enjoy taking on extra responsibilities in the community to earn their ‘civic award’. They relish chances to be part of the school council and eco-council. Older pupils lead assemblies about caring for others and staying safe online. Every pupil learns to play at least one musical instrument. Visitors to the school and carefully planned visits help pupils to gain understanding of the wider world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. They say that bullying is rare. If it happens, adults deal with it quickly. Behaviour in lessons is good because pupils want to work hard. Pupils say that, at times, playtimes can be boisterous. Leaders are alert to this and are making improvements so that everyone can play happily.

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better?

Senior leaders and governors have brought about rapid improvements to the quality of education over the past two years. Staff and leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum. The standards pupils achieve have risen sharply. The teaching of writing is a particular strength. There is a clear order to the teaching so that pupils learn to write accurately and with flair.

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better?

In mathematics, the curriculum is well planned. Children in Reception learn to understand numbers and complete addition and subtraction calculations. Teachers build on what pupils know and can do over time. Pupils revisit important learning so they remember it well. At times, pupils do not have enough opportunities to solve problems.

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better?

In science, pupils remember what they have learned over time. They use scientific language well. However, in some other subjects, pupils struggle to remember previous learning. For example, in history, pupils cannot make links between events and periods they have studied. Teaching does not help pupils to build on what they already know and can do.

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better?

Subject leaders have ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum plans. However, some teachers lack the subject knowledge to make sure that pupils know and remember more. In these subjects, pupils do not learn as much as they should. Subject leaders are not all effective in making sure their plans are delivered well. 11–12 February 2020

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Early reading is taught well. In Reception classes, children learn to recognise sounds and read words confidently. Children enjoy listening to rhymes and stories. Children take home books that match the sounds they are learning. Pupils in key stage 1 continue to improve their knowledge of phonics. Staff quickly identify pupils who need extra help, and put support in place straight away. This addresses gaps in pupils’ knowledge and is helping them to catch up.

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Older pupils read widely. Teachers plan lessons which develop their understanding well. A minority of pupils in key stage 2 receive extra help to become fluent readers. However, this work is not helping them to catch up quickly enough because they do not get enough practice to read fluently. Not all staff have the necessary subject knowledge to help older pupils with their word reading .

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Children in the early years make a strong start. Staff develop children’s early communication skills successfully. Children learn early writing skills well. Leaders make sure that children secure the knowledge they need to prepare them for Year 1.

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The leader with responsibility for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) knows pupils’ needs well. She ensures that they receive appropriate targets and support. This includes extra help from skilled teaching assistants.

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The school contributes very well to pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn to understand and respect others through the curriculum, assemblies and visits. Reflecting on the school’s values helps pupils to be kind and responsible. Pupils work to improve their local community by fundraising and volunteering. Pupils enjoy debating ideas. They attend school regularly, which reflects their good attitudes to learning.

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Governors provide strong support and challenge to school leaders. Governors and leaders have taken positive steps to promote staff well-being. Staff appreciate how senior leaders take account of their workload and support those who are new to teaching or subject leadership roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make thorough checks to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. They regularly update training so that staff understand potential risks to pupils, such as criminal exploitation. Staff are vigilant and know how to report concerns. Leaders make pupils’ welfare a priority. Pupils receive extra support from staff in school if they need it.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum helps pupils to keep themselves safe. Leaders make sure that pupils know how to stay safe online. Governors make regular checks to make sure that pupils feel safe in school. 11–12 February 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few pupils in key stage 2 have fallen behind in their reading. This is because they do not practice often and apply their phonics skills effectively enough. Leaders need to ensure that staff have the necessary subject knowledge and skills to support pupils to become fluent readers. They also need to make sure that pupils have enough curriculum time in reading.  Some subject leaders have not checked how well pupils learn and remember the important content in their subject areas. For example, in history and art, teachers do not always plan lessons which help pupils to remember what they have learned well enough. Leaders need to monitor and support colleagues with their teaching so that their ambitious plans are implemented effectively.

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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 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. 11–12 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122336 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 31 October–1 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Parkfield Primary school is larger than the average-sized primary school.

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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

 We met with the headteacher and school leaders. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke on the telephone with a representative of Somerset local authority. We also met with teaching and support staff.  We carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and science. This involved talking with senior leaders, subject leaders and class teachers about how these subjects are delivered. We then visited a range of lessons and talked to pupils about what they have learned and looked at their work. We also reviewed pupils’ writing and artwork and spoke with the subject leaders. We visited the Reception classes. 11–12 February 2020

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 We spoke with pupils, parents, carers and staff to gather their views. We considered the 111 responses to Ofsted Parent View, as well as free-text responses and the 20 responses to the staff survey.  We reviewed a wide range of documents relating to safeguarding, including the school’s single central record and records of bullying, behaviour and attendance. We talked to different members of staff about the safeguarding training they have received. We spoke with pupils about safeguarding, bullying and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Claire Mirams, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Dadds Ofsted Inspector 11–12 February 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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