Parklands Community Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Parklands Community Primary and Nursery School Parklands, Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH66 3RL

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 and 12 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Parklands Community Primary and Nursery School thrive at this happy and welcoming school. Pupils, including children in early years, settle in well. They quickly make new friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to try their best and to work hard. Pupils easily live up to these expectations. They behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils’ conduct reflects the school rules. Pupils strive to be ready, respectful and safe. They know that trusted adults will resolve any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively. Pupils said that they value having the ‘buddy bench’, where they can go and find a friend to play with. Pupils are happy and safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils learn about other faiths and cultures. Pupils treat staff and each other with respect. They told inspectors that everyone is unique but equal. Through the curriculum, pupils find out about different types of careers. The oldest pupils have high aspirations for the future. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on different responsibilities in school. They are proud to be junior safety officers and members of the school parliament.

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better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. They have thought carefully about the important knowledge that they want pupils to remember by the end of Year 6. Leaders have considered when to introduce and revisit important concepts so that pupils deepen their knowledge over time. Leaders make sure that pupils experience a rich, broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study the full range of national curriculum subjects.

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better?

Leaders value staff development. They ensure that subject leaders are well trained to support staff to deliver the curriculum effectively. Staff make regular checks to ensure that pupils remember what they have been taught. Pupils achieve well.

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better?

Staff accurately identify any pupils with SEND. They make sure that these pupils receive the support that they need. Staff make adaptations to their delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can access the same learning as their peers. As a result, most pupils with SEND progress through the curriculum and learn well.

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better?

The majority of pupils behave well and do not interrupt the learning of others. Staff’s support for pupils who sometimes struggle to regulate their behaviour is effective. However, there are some pupils who do not attend school regularly. This hampers their progress and development. 11 and 12 October 2022

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Staff working in early years are exceptionally well skilled. The youngest children have extremely positive attitudes to school. They are captivated by the wealth of activities that staff provide to develop all aspects of their learning. Children show great enthusiasm for stories, rhymes and songs. Leaders make sure that children begin to learn their sounds as soon as they start school.

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Leaders prioritise reading at every opportunity. Staff deliver the reading curriculum well. They make sure that pupils experience a wide range of different texts and books. Pupils enjoy receiving awards when they have read lots of books and stories. The oldest pupils read with fluency and expression. Younger pupils read unknown words using the sounds that they have been taught. This is because books are well matched to their current phonics knowledge. Staff quickly identify and support pupils who are not keeping up with the school’s phonics programme. However, some pupils who find reading difficult are not fluent readers by the end of key stage 1. Sometimes, these pupils do not practise their reading as well as they should. This means that they are not as well prepared for the key stage 2 reading curriculum.

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Pupils experience a variety of activities beyond the academic curriculum. Leaders make sure that pupils are afforded high levels of care, particularly with regard to their mental health and well-being. Pupils benefit from opportunities to develop their independence and resilience. For example, many year groups take part in visits away from home.

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Pupils enjoy a range of different trips and visits. They also have a secure understanding of the benefits of regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. Pupils proudly showcase their artwork in the school’s art exhibition for parents and carers.

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Trustees and governors have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They support and challenge leaders in equal measure to ensure that pupils receive a high quality of education. Leaders are considerate of staff workload. Staff value the support that they receive. This helps them to maintain an appropriate work–life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide families with a raft of support. Parents and carers who shared their views with inspectors felt confident that pupils are well looked after. Well-trained staff quickly spot any pupils who may be in danger of harm or abuse. Leaders have strong systems in place so that pupils receive effective support in a timely manner.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe. For example, they know about different types of relationships and what makes a good friend. They also understand that it is important to take care when crossing the road or when using the internet. 11 and 12 October 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some younger pupils who find reading difficult do not have enough practice in reading. This makes it harder for them to build their confidence and reading stamina. Leaders should ensure that these pupils have opportunities to read regularly so that they become fluent readers by the end of key stage 1.  Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This prevents these pupils from learning as well as they should. Leaders should support these pupils and their families to attend school regularly so that some pupils’ poor attendance does not hamper their learning and progress through the curriculum.

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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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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 and 12 October 2022

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Parklands Community Primary and Nursery School converted to become an academy school in May 2018. When its predecessor school, Parklands Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  Since the last inspection of the predecessor school, the school has become part of the Concordia Educational Trust.  Leaders provide a breakfast club and an after-school club.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this graded 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 had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 11 and 12 October 2022

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 During the inspection, inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, middle leaders and class teachers.  Inspectors spoke with the school improvement partner. They also met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. Inspectors met with the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They also spoke to several parents at the beginning of the school day.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.  Inspectors met with those responsible for safeguarding at the school. They scrutinised a range of documentation in relation to safeguarding. Inspectors spoke with staff, parents and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at playtimes. They spoke with pupils about bullying, behaviour and leaders’ expectations of pupils’

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conduct.  As part of this inspection, inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed curriculums, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning, and reviewed samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also listened to pupils reading and spoke to other subject leaders about their curriculums.

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Inspection team

Louise McArdle, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Deane Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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