Parkfield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Parkfield Primary School Dimmock Street, Parkfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV4 6HB

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 September 2021

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Outcome

Parkfield Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and looked after at school. They value the friendly atmosphere and respond very well to the school’s routines and high expectations. They are glad to be back in school and learning alongside their peers in class after the disruption caused by the pandemic.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School leaders and staff have quickly got things back to normal. All the usual subjects are being taught and a range of clubs and trips are taking place. Most pupils read well and enjoy books because of the school’s effective and well-resourced approach to teaching phonics and reading. The teaching of mathematics is also mostly well organised, with ambitious targets for pupils to aim for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Other subjects are mainly taught through topics, which are regularly enriched by many special days and events.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is uncommon, but staff record and follow up properly any instances. Behaviour in lessons and at playtimes is commendable. Adults and pupils treat one another with respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ask for pupils’ and parents’ views and use this information to make decisions about school life. Looking ahead, leaders aim to do more of this as part of their checks on the impact of the school’s work.

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

Staff teach phonics and early reading very well. In early years and key stage 1, a structured and systematic approach enables pupils to master letter sounds and make sense of words. Staff have received training and know what they are doing. Because of this, most pupils can read when they move into key stage 2. For those who need it, phonics teaching continues into Year 3 and beyond, often in small groups outside the main class. This is effective, although some of the in-class support for these pupils is 15 and 16 September 2021

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more variable. At times, the success of the many can mask other pupils’ difficulties, so staff think they can read something when they cannot. This is not widespread but it does happen.

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In mathematics, leaders and teachers know what they want pupils to achieve and have set ambitious goals. Starting in early years, children develop their knowledge of number through effective teaching and practical activities. A consistent and simple-to-use assessment system helps staff to guide pupils’ next steps in learning. Currently, all teachers cover all the required content but some resources and explanations are not ideal. Further training for the new subject leader and staff would help to refine practice and ensure greater levels of success.

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Most other subjects are taught through topics. Subject-specific plans set out the work to be covered. In history, for example, historical concepts are developed through the different periods studied. Furthermore, the school arranges special events and trips to support teaching. During this inspection, pupils gained a memorable insight into the development of technology, trade and settlement over time through a Stone Age to Iron Age day, run by visiting specialists.

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In addition to such enrichment activities, the school offers many different clubs and school trips. These not only assist learning but also broaden pupils’ horizons and help to lift aspirations.

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Pupils’ very positive attitudes and respect for their teachers enable learning to take place without disruption. Rewards, including a regular governors’ award, recognise and celebrate this. If any pupils are worried about anything, staff are encouraging and attentive.

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Teachers use assessment well to find out what pupils know, and to adjust their plans and teaching. Staff provide extra tuition to all pupils through an extended school day on two days a week. The purpose of this is to make up for lost learning time caused by the pandemic. The findings from the assessments inform the choice of activities.

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Staff and specialist agencies identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities quickly and accurately. Staff ensure they get regular support and have access to all that the school does.

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Staff responded very positively to Ofsted’s staff survey, with many comments about what leaders have done to manage workload and well-being in supportive ways. Staff say they feel valued at work. Parents, too, appreciate the school. While responses to Ofsted Parent View were few, parents on the playground said they were pleased with the school.

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Those responsible for governance are informed, evaluative and actively involved with the school. Trustees and governors have a clear understanding of their roles and are active in driving improvements. Similarly, leadership from the executive headteacher and other leaders is ambitious and thoughtful. 15 and 16 September 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know about possible risks, and record concerns properly when they know about them. That said, leaders are looking to do more to gather information about the extent of some risks. For example, they have recently used a well-put-together survey to gather information about pupils’ online behaviour and experiences. They intend to use the results and further training to sharpen their own safeguarding work.

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Safeguarding

The school curriculum teaches pupils about the harmful effects of bullying, and pupils feel confident that adults will always help them if they have any concerns.

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Safeguarding

All the correct checks on adults in school are carried out and recorded.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In mathematics, teachers draw upon a mix of resources to inform and support their teaching. This pick-and-mix approach works better in some places than others. Teachers should make sure that their chosen approaches enable all pupils to build securely on what they already know, and do not present them with unsuitable tasks. In addition, those responsible for leading mathematics should undertake further training to develop their leadership.  Some pupils need extra help with reading in key stage 2, and sometimes struggle with whole-class work. The school should do more to ensure that in-class support builds on the effective support that pupils receive in small groups outside the main class.  Currently, the school records and acts upon all known safeguarding concerns. A recent pupil survey carried out by school staff identified several risks relating to online material and behaviour. The school should build further on this effective approach to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

gathering information in order to identify other risks that pupils may face.

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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 evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Parkfield Primary Community School, to be good in January 2015. 15 and 16 September 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 15 and 16 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10201015 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteacher Wayne Downing (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school converted to an academy in June 2017. It is one of two schools in St. Stephen’s Church of England Multi-Academy Trust. Both schools have the same executive headteacher.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  During the inspection, the inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and history. In these subjects, the inspector visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, examined teachers’ plans and talked with pupils and staff about the way the subjects were planned and taught. He also looked at a few other subjects in less detail to check how they were organised and taught.  The inspector noted 2019 external performance data about the school and looked at school documents. These included information about behaviour, the school curriculum and improvement planning. He also checked the school’s website. 15 and 16 September 2021

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 The inspector asked pupils, staff, leaders and governors about safeguarding arrangements. He examined the record of employment checks on school staff and looked at other school records. He also found out about safety procedures and routines at the school.  The inspector watched pupils’ behaviour in class, at lunchtime, on the playground and at other times during the day.  During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the executive headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders, governors, trustees, teachers and pupils. He also talked informally with pupils, staff and parents to gather general information about school life.  By the end of the inspection, there were five recent responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and four free-text comments. The inspector considered these and looked at the 16 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for staff and 15 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 15 and 16 September 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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