Parsonage Farm Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Parsonage Farm Primary School Farm Road, Rainham, Essex RM13 9JU

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Outcome

Parsonage Farm Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an exciting and friendly place to learn. There is a calm and productive atmosphere around the school. Pupils are polite and respectful towards staff and each other. Leaders and teachers support pupils well to meet their high expectations of behaviour. Most pupils try hard to meet these. Leaders’ aims for pupils’ learning are ambitious, and the curriculum is taught effectively in most subjects. Pupils achieve well as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons, pupils listen attentively and respond well to instructions. Staff intervene in a timely way if pupils need additional support to focus. This ensures that learning is rarely disrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kept safe at school. Bullying is something that happens infrequently. If it does take place, leaders deal with it effectively. Pupils said that they can talk to any adult in the school if they are worried about something. They trust that adults will sort things out if problems arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are committed to helping pupils to develop as well-rounded individuals. Pupils enjoy meeting the visitors that come to their school, for example, during special events such as ‘Aspiration’ month. Pupils go on trips to museums and music events. They actively contribute to the life of the school by becoming prefects, school councillors or members of the ‘Arts Council’.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge they want all pupils to learn. They have developed an ambitious, interesting and well-ordered curriculum that helps pupils to remember their learning. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Plans are working well in most subjects. For example, in mathematics pupils frequently practise number facts, including multiplication tables. This gives them a firm base to develop their skills in calculations and in solving problems. However, in a few subjects, teachers are at the early stages of using leaders’ 29 and 30 March 2022

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recently introduced plans. As a consequence, some teachers have not had sufficient time to develop their subject knowledge to teach the new curriculum effectively.

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Teachers plan activities that motivate pupils and challenge their thinking. They make regular checks on pupils’ work to see how well they are developing their knowledge and understanding. Pupils who find learning difficult receive the additional support that they need to keep up with their classmates. As a result, most pupils learn effectively and remember what teachers have taught them.

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Leaders have ensured that pupils learn to read in a well-planned order. Staff have benefited from effective training in how to teach the reading curriculum. Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in Reception. Staff ensure that children can remember and use the sounds that they learn. For example, reading books are carefully matched to the sounds that children know. Staff make sure that pupils in Years 1 and 2 continue to use their phonics knowledge successfully when reading unfamiliar words. Pupils who struggle to read benefit from additional support from well-trained adults. Older pupils talk confidently about their favourite authors and the different types of books they like to read. Pupils make good use of the well-stocked library.

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The curriculum in the early years is well planned. This is because leaders and teachers in the early years have thought deeply about how knowledge and skills build over time. Each class teacher has a secure understanding of what children in Reception need to know and remember so that they are ready for the demands of the curriculum in Year 1.

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Leaders have put effective systems in place to identify the specific learning difficulties of pupils with SEND. This helps staff to provide support that is tailored to each pupil’s needs. As a result, pupils with SEND are able to access the same curriculum as other pupils.

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The wider curriculum encourages pupils to be responsible citizens who understand their place in the world. Pupils learn about cultures and beliefs different from their own. Teachers help pupils to explore current topical issues. For example, pupils discuss themes related to global warming, pollution and the impact of plastics on life in the oceans. Pupils are able to offer their point of view confidently. They work hard and off-task behaviour is rare and dealt with quickly. Pupils move around the buildings sensibly and play together considerately in the playground.

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Staff are resoundingly positive about working at the school. They are all proud to be part of the school community. They said that leaders listen to them and are approachable. They value the opportunities that they have for professional development. Staff appreciate that their well-being is considered by leaders.

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Governors understand the school well. They receive the information that they need to check that leaders are providing effective education for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 29 and 30 March 2022

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Staff have been trained well to spot if a pupil is at risk of harm. There is an established culture of reporting any concern about a pupil, no matter how small, to the safeguarding team. Staff record their concerns in a timely fashion, using the school’s online system. Leaders responsible for safeguarding are well trained for their roles.

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Leaders have developed the curriculum so that pupils learn about risks and know how to manage these to keep themselves safe. Leaders also carry out all the required checks for adults employed at the school. Records are well organised, up to date and checked regularly.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have only recently finalised the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. As a consequence, some teachers have not had time to develop their subject knowledge to teach the new curriculum effectively. For example, sometimes activities do not clearly support pupils to learn the intended curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teachers are given the time and support to develop their subject knowledge so that they can confidently implement the curriculum in all subjects.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2011.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2022

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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. 29 and 30 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212499 Type of school Primary

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 557 Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other leaders and staff at the school. He met with four members of the governing body and spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, art and design, and mathematics. In these subjects, he spoke to leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. He looked at other subjects as part of this inspection, including history and geography. 29 and 30 March 2022

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 The inspector met with groups of pupils to talk about their work, behaviour and their experiences of school.  The inspector reviewed a number of policy documents. He considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey. He also considered the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for staff.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector viewed the school’s website and policies, met with the designated safeguarding leader, spoke with pupils, staff and governors, and checked relevant documentation and safeguarding records.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Chris Birtles, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 March 2022

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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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