Tickford Park Primary School

Inspection of Tickford Park Primary School Avon Close, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9DH

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 October 2021

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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 Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 19 and 20 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils are proud of Tickford Park. The school’s values of ‘ready, respectful, safe and kind’ thread through all areas of school life. One pupil said: ‘We don’t judge anyone here. Everyone is equal and that is what is important.’ Staff have high expectations. Pupils hold good humoured and thoughtful conversations with staff and their peers. This creates a happy, calm and purposeful environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have created a culture where all pupils ‘shine for who they are and what they can achieve’. Pupils enjoy the gardening, sports, singing, music and art clubs. Pupils know how to keep healthy and take care of their mental health. They are proud of the ‘Quiet Garden’, where they relax and savour a ‘mindful moment of quiet’. Pupils trust staff to help them deal with any problems they may have. Pupils feel safe and incidents of unkind behaviour are unheard of.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They debate big ideas about different beliefs and religious customs. They visit places of worship and treasure individual liberty. Pupils use their democratic voice and influence change through the school council and eco-committee.

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better?

Leaders, staff and governors are ambitious for all pupils. Staff morale is high and team spirit is strong. Subject leaders lead their areas of responsibility effectively. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to help pupils learn well. Subject leaders are providing high-quality training for support staff to enhance their knowledge of subjects beyond English, mathematics and science. However, in the early years, staff do not always provide children with opportunities to explore, discuss and develop their ideas and vocabulary. This means that some children do not learn as well as they should in all areas of the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum in all subjects. It sets out clearly the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn and when. In almost all subjects, teachers skilfully check what pupils know before introducing new ideas. They take time to address pupils’ misconceptions. Pupils recall what they have learned previously and use this knowledge to help them find out about new things. Teachers identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. While pupils with SEND are usually supported effectively in lessons, this is not as consistent for children in the early years.

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better?

Children are introduced to phonics as soon as they start in the Reception Year. The phonics programme is well sequenced and most pupils learn to read well. However, some staff do not deliver phonics effectively enough. Books are not always matched to the sounds pupils learn in lessons. This slows some pupils’ ability to read with increased fluency and comprehension. Leaders have identified these issues and are taking the right actions to address them. 19 and 20 October 2021

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In mathematics, there is a well-sequenced and structured approach to what pupils need to know and remember from early years to Year 6. Pupils can use their knowledge of number to carry out quick calculations. They can explain how they use their knowledge to help them to solve problems. Where pupils, including those with SEND, need extra support, teachers break down learning into manageable parts, providing extra resources where necessary. Nevertheless, there are some inconsistencies in how well staff in early years help children develop and use their mathematical ideas and vocabulary.

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Pupils enjoy learning. They are proud of their work and told inspectors that teachers make lessons fun and interesting. Pupils have positive relationships with their teachers and eagerly participate in lessons. Where pupils struggle to focus on their learning, staff are skilled at supporting them to re-engage. As a result, most classrooms are productive places where learning thrives.

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Opportunities in the curriculum to promote pupils’ personal development are plentiful. For example, assemblies, visitors, and trips are used to promote pupils’ understanding of different professions and careers. Pupils learn about how they can help their community. For instance, pupils raise funds and collect food items for local charities. They bring joy to the local community through carol singing projects. Pupils’ understanding of British values is a real strength of the curriculum.

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Governors hold leaders to account effectively. They know the school’s strengths well and what needs to improve further. For example, they know about what needs to improve the early years and have made sure leaders have the right plans in place to make these improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular safeguarding training. This ensures that they identify possible signs of abuse and report their concerns quickly. During the inspection, some issues were identified in the safeguarding record keeping system. Leaders addressed these promptly and effectively. Leaders follow government guidance when recruiting staff.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with external agencies to protect pupils. For example, pupils have access to professional counselling. Through the curriculum, pupils find out about situations which may lead to harm. Pupils know that they should speak to a trusted adult if the actions of others make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe. 19 and 20 October 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff do not teach phonics fully effectively. At times, they do not always check that all pupils learn the right sounds and blends. The books that some pupils read do not help them to read with increased fluency. Leaders are in the process of introducing a new approach to teaching phonics. Leaders need to make sure that all staff are trained to deliver phonics effectively and that the books pupils read match the sounds pupils learn.  The curriculum for early years is not taught as well as in Years 1 to 6. Some staff do not have strong pedagogical knowledge about how to deliver the curriculum. They do not always provide children with opportunities and well-matched resources to develop understanding. Leaders need to make sure that all staff are well trained to deliver the early years curriculum. This will ensure that all children are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 19 and 20 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200863 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 29 – 30 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2020.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with three governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also met with a representative from the local authority. 19 and 20 October 2021

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 To inspect safeguarding, inspectors checked the single central record of recruitment checks and talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding. Inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils.  Inspectors considered responses to the confidential staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  Inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and additional free-text responses.  Inspectors considered responses to the pupil survey. They met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to pupils informally during social times and in lessons.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation including the school’s self-evaluation and school development plan, pupil premium and catch-up funding plans.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, design technology and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders,

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looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked a sample of pupils’ work. Inspectors also heard a selection of pupils read.

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Inspection team

Shazia Akram, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lizzie Jeanes Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 October 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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