Parkham Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Parkham Primary School Parkham, Bideford, Devon EX39 5PL

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Outcome

Parkham Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parkham Primary School welcomes everyone. Staff are ambitious for all pupils. Children are encouraged to learn to read from the Nursery class onwards. The confidence younger pupils show with their early reading skills is impressive. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are thoughtful and kind to each other. The school’s values of respect, kindness, honesty, courage and forgiveness permeate the school. Pupils know that some people live differently to themselves and that it is alright to be different. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Incidents of bullying are very rare. Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that there is always an adult they can speak to. They say that the school is like one big family. Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. They work hard in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the education that the school provides. All parents who responded to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View, would recommend the school.

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

Leaders and governors place inclusivity at the centre of all decision-making. Governors have a good understanding of their roles. They work closely with staff to check how well the school is doing. They have a strong focus on ensuring that both pupils and staff are well cared for. Staff morale is high.

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

Reading is the at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Children in the early years learn to read quickly. They confidently use the sounds that letters represent to help them to read unfamiliar words. They use their knowledge of phonics to spell words and write sentences well. Adults listen to pupils read regularly, using books that match the sounds that pupils are learning. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their favourite books and authors. Leaders have ensured that pupils develop a love of reading. However, older pupils with special 15 June 2021

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educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not read as well as they could. This is because teachers’ checks on what pupils know and understand are not precise enough. As a result, additional activities to help pupils catch up are not well planned.

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In some subjects, such as mathematics and science, leaders have improved the curriculum plans. This is helping pupils to remember more about each subject. However, this is not the case for all subjects. For example, in history, older pupils cannot remember what they have learned. They have a confused understanding of the ordering of key events and periods of history. Leaders recognise that the history curriculum is not where it should be. They are in the process of developing the history curriculum further.

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The new mathematics leader has made significant changes to the mathematics curriculum. There are clear plans in place. Most pupils achieve well in mathematics. Teachers know exactly what they have to teach, and when to teach it. They ensure that pupils revisit and understand key concepts. This helps pupils to be ready for new content. In the early years, children explore number in lots of different ways using a range of practical equipment. Children concentrate hard to work things out. Across the school, pupils are able to use their knowledge to solve mathematical problems well. However, the activities that staff give older pupils with SEND do not always build on what they can do. This is because checks on what SEND pupils know and understand are not precise enough.

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Pupils behave well. In lessons, they are keen to do their best. They have a clear understanding of what is expected from them. Through the curriculum, staff make sure that pupils know the different forms that bullying might take. Pupils are confident that staff will help them with any concerns.

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Pupils enjoy a range of experiences that develop their understanding of the wider world. They fundraise for many local, national and international charities. Through the ‘connecting classrooms’ initiative, pupils have established strong links with Uganda. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is well thought out and ensures that pupils develop as thoughtful citizens with a strong understanding of equality and diversity.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take appropriate action to keep pupils safe. Staff know pupils and their families well. Regular and up-to-date training ensures that staff know the things to look out for that might indicate a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff know that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

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Safeguarding

The computing and PSHE curriculums provide pupils with valuable opportunities to learn how to stay safe, including when using the internet. Pupils know that they should speak to an adult if they are concerned about anything. 15 June 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders need to ensure that teachers make the necessary checks on what pupils with SEND know and understand in some subjects. Older pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could in reading and mathematics. Leaders must ensure that teachers use all the information they have to plan activities that build on what pupils know, so that all pupils with SEND achieve well.  Leaders are making improvements to the curriculum. However, the history curriculum is not as well organised as it needs to be. The order of the content is not well planned. Some pupils do not remember key periods in history. This leads to misconceptions of historical events. Leaders need to ensure that the history curriculum is well organised so that pupils secure all the essential knowledge they should.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good 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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 12 July 2016.

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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 . 15 June 2021

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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 June 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10196693 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.buckland-brewer- primary.devon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12 July 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Flying Start Federation with Buckland Brewer Primary School. The executive headteacher has responsibility for both schools.  The school’s nursery is registered for two-, three- and four-year-olds. At the point of this inspection, there were no two-year-olds on roll.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, subject leaders, class teachers and three governors, including the chair of the governing body.  The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their experience of school.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to an adult.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. They talked to teachers who lead these subjects. They visited lessons and looked at pupils’ 15 June 2021

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work. They also spoke with teachers about what they were teaching, and to pupils about their learning.  Inspectors considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader to check the effectiveness of safeguarding. Inspectors also asked pupils how they keep themselves safe and what to do if they have concerns.  Inspectors gathered the views of parents through Ofsted’s online questionnaire and free-text comments. The lead inspector considered staff surveys as part of this inspection.

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Inspection team

Matt Middlemore, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracey Reynolds Her Majesty’s Inspector 15 June 2021

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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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