Parkfield Community School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Parkfield Community School Parkfield Road, Saltley, Birmingham, West Midlands B8 3AX

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Parkfield Community School say there are no outsiders here and that all are welcome. Leaders ensure that pupils understand their rights and pupils speak maturely about how they follow the values of being ‘ready, respectful and safe’. Pupils confidently discuss why they enjoy learning. They are very proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school and behave well. Bullying is rare and pupils have trusted adults that help them to sort out any problems quickly. Pupils know what makes a healthy relationship. They are confident that staff hear their views and feel involved in making decisions. For example, pupils spoke about opportunities to meet with leaders about having healthier choices at lunch time, which resulted in more healthy options being added to the menu.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils, both for now and in the future. Opportunities for pupils to develop into confident, resilient learners feature in all aspects of school. This helps pupils to achieve well. Pupils appreciate the opportunities offered to them, such as electing members to the school parliament and trips to develop their learning. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the different clubs they can attend, such as engineering club, creative writing and art.

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

Reading is an ongoing priority for leaders. Recent training refreshed staff’s understanding in the teaching of phonics. Phonics teaching matches the aims of the programme used. Pupils choose books that they enjoy reading and appreciate their visits to the school library. While pupils develop their reading fluency, some pupils have not fully developed secure reading skills. In a small number of cases, staff do not check if pupils understand 5 and 6 October 2022

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what they are reading well enough. Where this happens, a small number of pupils do not understand what they are reading.

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Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum. Planning sets out what leaders want pupils to know and by when. These plans build on the key knowledge that pupils have learned right from early years through to Year 6. Staff receive guidance from highly skilled subject leaders, who are experts in their subjects. Leaders make sure that staff have secure subject knowledge.

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Teachers deliver subject content clearly. For example, in mathematics, staff break down learning for pupils well and support their learning with well-chosen resources. Staff take opportunities to identify pupils’ mistakes during learning time and address them immediately. Support for pupils who have gaps in their knowledge helps them to catch up. Most pupils recall what they have learned and apply this to new learning. For example, Year 6 pupils can explain how their drawing skills have improved since Year 5. However, there are some pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and particularly those with speech, language and communication difficulties, who struggle to remember their learning. This is because some teachers do not give these pupils enough opportunities to practise and recall their learning.

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Pupils behave well in all areas of the school. They show positive attitudes towards learning. They talk enthusiastically about how staff teach them about equality. This is a strength of the school. Pupils understand that fundamental British values are important for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils excitedly discussed the forthcoming elections for the school prime minister. Members of the school parliament take their roles as ministers for curriculum subjects seriously.

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Leaders have prioritised pupils’ wider development to help prepare them for life in modern Britain. Opportunities and trips, such as visit to the Houses of Parliament in London, help to build pupils’ interest in the world around them.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance have high aspirations for all. They have identified areas for further development and have realistic plans to further improve the school. Leaders’ commitment to achieving the very best for their pupils and community is unwavering. Leaders support the well-being of staff in a range of ways. Staff appreciate this and know leaders listen to and act on their comments. They feel included in changes and appreciate leaders’ actions to reduce their workload.

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In discussion with leaders, inspectors agreed that ensuring that pupils with SEND, particularly those with speech, language and communication difficulties are supported effectively to help them know and remember their learning, along with further developing all staff as experts in reading may be useful foci for the next inspection. 5 and 6 October 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ knowledge of barriers faced by pupils and families helps them to provide a high level of support. This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff identify pupils at risk of harm and take swift action. Leaders work with a range of external agencies to secure additional support for pupils and families.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have worked with parents and the local community to review their relationship, sex and health education provision. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. They have a deep understanding of what it means to be equal and how to respect the views of others.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of cases, staff do not check whether pupils have a deep understanding of the text that they have read. Where this happens, pupils are not confident in retrieving the information that they read in texts. Leaders need to continue their work to develop all staff as experts in the teaching of reading.  Some pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties struggle to recall prior learning and apply this to new learning. This is because not all staff routinely check that these pupils have remembered their learning. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties are given sufficient time and practise to embed learning in their long-term memory, so that they are able to apply this to new learning.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in May 2016. 5 and 6 October 2022

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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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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. 5 and 6 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240497 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Parkfield Community School is a larger than average primary school.  It is part of the Excelsior Multi Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school has 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.  Inspectors met with representatives from the academy trust, including the chief executive officer. They spoke with those responsible for governance, including the chair of trustees and the chair of the regional governing board. Inspectors met with senior and middle leaders from the school, including the head of school and deputy headteacher.  Deep dives were conducted in reading, mathematics and history. Inspectors spoke with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 5 and 6 October 2022

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 Inspectors took account of the parent comments and responses to Ofsted’s Parent View. They spoke with parents on the school playground. Comments in pupil and staff surveys were also considered.  Inspectors spoke with leaders and staff about the effectiveness of safeguarding. This included meeting with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss record keeping, talking to staff about training and how to record concerns. Inspectors spoke with pupils about how they are taught to stay safe. Inspectors reviewed behaviour and attendance records.

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Inspection team

Michelle Bishton, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Pollitt His Majesty's Inspector 5 and 6 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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