The Park Primary School

Inspection of a good school: The Park Primary School Hollow Road, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 9TP

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Outcome

The Park Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and carers are proud to be part of this school community. The values of aspiration, resilience, responsibility and collaboration are woven through every aspect of school life. Leaders and staff show great care and kindness towards pupils and their families. Many parents comment on the way in which the school celebrates pupils’ individual successes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for every pupil, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils respond well to the clear structures and routines that are in place. They are keen to learn and work hard. Pupils are happy and confident and behave extremely well, both in and around school. Bullying is rare. Pupils say that fallouts happen, but if they do occur, adults resolve them quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wide range of clubs, trips and visitors to school. They are proud of the opportunities they have to become sport, library, digital, eco and charity leaders. Pupils are eager to make a difference to their school and wider community. For example, pupils in Year 5 enjoy taking part in the mini-police programme to improve the lives of others in their locality.

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

Leaders have created a curriculum that is designed well. They have carefully considered what pupils need to know and when they need to know it. In subjects where published outcomes are below national expectations, leaders have taken effective action to strengthen the curriculum. For example, in mathematics, the focus leaders have placed on developing pupils’ understanding is making a difference. Pupils use this knowledge well and are enthusiastic mathematicians.

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

Reading is a priority for all staff. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. The books pupils read match the sounds they are learning. Staff regularly check if pupils are keeping up with the reading programme. If pupils fall behind, they receive the 7 and 8 February 2023

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support they need to catch up quickly. Teachers regularly read carefully selected stories which are often linked to learning in other subjects. Older pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of these texts. Pupils say they are proud of their school libraries.

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The teaching of mathematics is a strength of the school. Teachers appreciate the support and guidance they receive from leaders to help them to teach mathematics well. Teachers routinely check on pupils’ learning. In the early years, staff develop children’s mathematical vocabulary effectively. Children describe patterns in number confidently. As pupils move through the school, they use their mathematical knowledge well when completing more complex problems.

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While leaders have put in place a well-designed curriculum that sets out the important knowledge that pupils need to know, the implementation of this curriculum is not as effective in some subjects as in others. In some subjects, learning does not always build on what pupils already know and can do. For example, in history, some pupils struggle to recall what they have learned or make links to historical concepts, such as ‘chronology’. This slows the progress that pupils make.

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Pupils with SEND are well supported. Leaders quickly identify pupils’ needs to ensure that the right support is in place. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals. Teachers use a range of strategies to skilfully adapt activities. This ensures that pupils with SEND are well supported to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils display positive attitudes towards learning. They work hard and concentrate well in their lessons. This begins in the early years. Children listen well, take turns and enjoy their learning. Pupils of all ages play well together during social times. As a result, the environment in classrooms and around the school is calm and orderly.

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Pupils have a deep sense of respect for themselves, for others and for the wider community. They develop their sense of character by supporting their local community with visits to local nursing homes and litter picking in the local park. The school council make a noticeable impact on improving the life for pupils at school. Pupils particularly enjoy learning about different cultures. They say that this helps them to celebrate difference and become more tolerant of others.

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Leaders place great importance on developing pupils’ personal and emotional needs. Additional support is in place for pupils. For example, leaders provide therapeutic support from external professionals to support pupils that need extra help.

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Governors have a clear view of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They are well informed about the work of the school and hold leaders to account well. Staff appreciate the way in which leaders consider their workload and provide them with opportunities to develop their expertise. 7 and 8 February 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are relentless in their pursuit to keep pupils safe. Staff are well trained and know what to do if they have a worry about a child. Leaders work with families to swiftly identify where support is needed and take action. They are tenacious in securing the right help for pupils.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe in school. They know they can talk to a trusted adult if they have any worries. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online and when using social media.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not fully implemented an effective curriculum in some subjects. The curriculum does not consistently build on what pupils have previously learned. Leaders need to ensure that all subjects are implemented effectively, so that pupils know and remember more in every subject.

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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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2017.

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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. 7 and 8 February 2023

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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. 7 and 8 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256744 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Wendy Lewin and Karina James-Wiltshire

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs its own breakfast and 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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the executive headteacher, other leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding, and members of staff. They spoke with pupils about their work and their school. The inspector met with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives into the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. The inspector held discussions with teachers, pupils and subject leaders. The inspector visited a sample of lessons and reviewed pupils’ work. The inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding, including

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Information about this inspection

employment checks and the school’s single central record. They spoke with staff about 7 and 8 February 2023

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the school’s procedures and systems for safeguarding pupils. The inspector discussed with pupils how the school teaches them how to keep safe, including when on the internet.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in the classrooms and at social times  The inspector met formally with groups of pupils and spoke to others informally throughout the inspection.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The inspector took account of the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Richard Lucas, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 February 2023

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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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