Parkland Junior School

Inspection of Parkland Junior School Brassey Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22 9QJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11–12 February 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this school. They are given many opportunities to follow their school motto: ‘Aim high, work hard, dream big’. The school has greatly improved since it became an academy. Pupils learn well in many subjects, including reading, writing, mathematics and computing.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive effective support. This is because leaders want everyone to be successful, whatever difficulties they might face. As a result, the needs of all pupils are met and they learn well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils eagerly engage in class activities and are keen to do well. They are often absorbed by what they are doing. For example, in a Year 6 art lesson, pupils expertly practised and refined their artwork in the style of Georgia O’Keeffe. Learning also extends outside of the classroom through thoughtfully chosen trips and an increasing range of clubs. Pupils with a wide variety of talents visit a local secondary school to develop their skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At breaktimes, pupils socialise and play happily together. They know that adults will deal with any poor behaviour, which is increasingly rare. There are no problems with bullying and pupils feel safe in this school.

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better?

Leaders have improved many areas of the school’s work. Reading, writing and mathematics are now effectively organised and sequenced, meaning that pupils know more and remember more. This has led to significantly better outcomes for all pupils. Leaders are now improving pupils’ learning in other areas of the curriculum. Some subjects, such as computing, are already strong because leaders are clear about exactly what pupils should learn in each year group. However, other subjects, including science and geography, are at an earlier stage of development.

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better?

In reading lessons, teachers break down learning into small steps and pupils frequently revisit previous learning to check that they have remembered it. This approach helps pupils to gain an in-depth understanding of texts. Teachers are quick to spot any pupils who might be struggling with new learning. These pupils receive extra help so that they keep up with their peers. Pupils are keen to read and they do so fluently and with understanding.

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better?

Classroom displays help pupils remember key knowledge and vocabulary. In the most developed subjects, teachers skilfully choose resources that help pupils learn exactly what is intended. Technology is also used effectively. We saw pupils confidently using iPads to enhance their learning in various subjects. 11–12 February 2020

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Support for pupils with SEND is well structured and designed to meet their needs. Leaders check approaches regularly to make sure that these pupils are getting the help they need to be successful. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well and are fully included in all aspects of school life.

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Leaders think carefully about what pupils learn. They want to give all pupils the same opportunities, whatever their background. Consequently, pupils develop key knowledge and skills that will help them be successful in the future. Leaders also strive to raise aspirations for all. Pupils take part in many trips and visits, selected to give them experiences that they might not otherwise have.

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Pupils know how they should behave. On the rare occasions when they forget to behave well, a small reminder is all that is needed to restore high standards. Pupils are attentive in lessons. They have many beneficial opportunities to discuss their learning, both with their teacher and with each other.

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Pupils support each other well. For example, at lunchtime, playground buddies make sure everyone has someone to play with. Pupils learn to value diversity and enjoy learning about different cultures. They are encouraged to think deeply about the world around them and to care for others.

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Staff enjoy working at this school. They appreciate the efforts that their leaders make to reduce their workload. Leaders from the multi-academy trust play a valuable role in the development of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise pupils’ safety. They have put robust systems in place to keep pupils safe. Staff have been well trained to spot and respond to potential risks, especially for vulnerable pupils. Leaders are tenacious in securing the necessary support for these pupils when needed. They work well with families to provide extra help.

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Safeguarding

In lessons, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This is particularly true for when they are online. In computing lessons, pupils learn about possible risks and how to use the internet safely. Pupils show a sound understanding of e-safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have made significant improvements to the curriculum in several key subjects, including reading, writing, mathematics and computing. However, the wider curriculum is at an earlier stage of planning and sequencing. Leaders must 11–12 February 2020

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ensure that these developments are enacted and fully understood by all teachers, so that pupils learn more and remember more across the curriculum.  In many subjects, for example mathematics, computing and art, teachers select well-matched, high-quality resources to realise the school’s curriculum intent. This helps pupils further develop their knowledge and understanding. Leaders should now ensure that this in place across all subjects.

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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 10135826 Type of school Junior

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School details

Headteacher Julie Prentice (Executive Headteacher) Sally Simpson (Head of School) Website www.theparklandfederation.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school is part of The Parkland Federation, formed with the infant school on the same site. The federation runs a daily breakfast club and after-school club, attended by pupils from both schools.  Parkland Junior School became an academy on 1 September 2017. When its predecessor school, sharing the same name, was inspected by Ofsted in September 2012, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Swale Academies Trust. It works in close collaboration with the other local schools also in the trust.

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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 executive headteacher, head of school, the deputy headteacher (who is also the special educational needs coordinator) and other leaders. The lead inspector met with representatives of the local governing body and trustees. We also met the trust’s chief executive officer. 11–12 February 2020

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 We did deep dives in these subjects: art and design, history, mathematics and reading. This included meeting with senior leaders, trust leaders and subject leaders, visiting lessons, discussing learning with teachers, talking to pupils from different classes and looking at their work. The lead inspector also heard some pupils read to a teacher.  We met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead and scrutinised the school’s safeguarding records. This included a review of the single central record of recruitment checks on adults working with pupils.  We observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at assembly, breaktime and lunchtime. We also visited the breakfast club and after- school club. We talked to pupils throughout the inspection and considered the 92 responses they made to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire.  We took into account the 31 responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire,

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including 17 free-text comments.  We met with a wide range of staff throughout the inspection and reviewed the 25 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.  We looked at a range of school documentation, including plans for the curriculum, the school’s website and publicly available pupil performance information.

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Inspection team

Chris Donovan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Cousins 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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