Owston Park Primary Academy

Inspection of Owston Park Primary Academy Lodge Road, Skellow, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN6 8PU

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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 Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 25 and 26 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a sense of community at Owston Park Primary Academy. Pupils are proud to be a part of the school. They are excited to share information about their school with visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. They have developed a curriculum that begins in the early years. This ensures that children get off to a good start to their education. Some pupils have a limited awareness and experience of diversity. Leaders have included a range of opportunities for pupils to learn about themselves and others throughout the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities to be leaders in school. Playground buddies talk about setting up exciting play activities for the younger pupils. School councillors are aware that they have an important role in being the ‘voice’ of the pupils. They have made sure that pupils can share their worries by setting up a ‘worry station’ at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are tolerant and considerate of each other. They understand the rewards and sanctions set out by the school and think that these are fair. Most pupils behave well. However, during some parts of the day a small number of pupils do not behave as well as they could. This can distract others from their learning. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They are confident that teachers would help them if it did happen.

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better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum with the needs of their pupils at the centre. Subject leaders have carefully sequenced learning to ensure that this builds on what pupils already know. Teachers deliver the curriculum with clarity. They provide opportunities for pupils to talk about what they have learned. This helps pupils to remember what they are learning across different curriculum subjects. Teachers use assessment well to identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Teachers then act quickly to address misconceptions and errors in pupils’ knowledge. However, this assessment system is not as well established in all curriculum subjects.

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better?

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum. Teachers make adaptations so that pupils can learn alongside their peers. Leaders work closely with external specialists to ensure that pupils with SEND are getting the right support at the right time.

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better?

Teachers have created a culture where pupils enjoy reading. This starts from the time when children join the school in Nursery. Leaders recognise the importance of sharing stories in Nursery and Reception. This helps to establish a love and excitement of reading. Leaders ensure that all staff have the training that they need to deliver phonics teaching with precision. Leaders regularly check that pupils are not falling behind. They quickly identify where pupils need further support. Staff plan extra reading sessions to help pupils who need to catch up. Pupils continue to 25 and 26 April 2023

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enjoy a well-planned reading curriculum in key stage two. They talk about their class novels excitedly. These books inspire pupils to want to read.

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Leaders in the early years have designed a curriculum with very clear end points in mind. They know what the children need to learn to prepare them for Year 1 and beyond. Learning activities are carefully planned around the needs of the children. These learning opportunities are inclusive of pupils with SEND. Teachers provide children with a range of experiences, including ‘forest Fridays’. Children spend this day each week immersed in outdoor learning. Teachers in the early years provide a welcoming environment for children, parents and carers. Teachers support parents to understand what their children are learning. Parents speak highly of the care that their children receive.

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Leaders have a clear focus on teaching pupils about the importance of good mental health. They have made sure that staff are appropriately trained to support pupils with this. Pupils have the opportunity to learn about spirituality. They take part in yoga and mindfulness sessions. This teaches them the importance of understanding and managing their own feelings and emotions.

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Leaders recognise the importance of preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. They ensure that pupils learn about fundamental British values. Pupils talk knowledgeably about these values and give examples of what they have learned. Pupils enjoy their life skills sessions. In these lessons, pupils learn about a wide range of topics. These include budgeting and money management, staying safe at home, as well as receiving guidance about jobs and careers.

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Both the trust and the local governing body have the necessary knowledge to be able to support and challenge the school effectively. Strong partnership working with the trust has ensured a renewed focus on the quality of teaching and the curriculum. Leaders in school continue to build on this further by taking every opportunity to work with external partners to support their pupils and families. Staff say that they are proud to work at the school. They feel valued by leaders. Leaders ensure that staff receive any necessary training to enable them to be effective in their roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure staff receive regular, up-to-date safeguarding training. Staff remain vigilant in keeping pupils safe. They know how to identify and report concerns. Leaders keep thorough records of any reported incidents. They use these to monitor the effectiveness of their actions and provide support to pupils and families.

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Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. Pupils talk about how to stay safe online and what to do if they need to report any concerns. Pupils speak confidently about having trusted adults in school. They know that they can share any worries that they may have and that staff will act on these. 25 and 26 April 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, pupils’ learning is disrupted by a small number of pupils. Some staff do not have consistently high expectations of pupils’ general behaviour and conduct. This means that, sometimes, pupils are not able to listen to, and learn from, teachers’ instructions. Leaders should ensure that all staff share the same high expectations of behaviour and that the whole school approach to managing pupils’ behaviour is applied consistently well by all adults.  Leaders’ systems to assess what pupils know and remember are more developed in some curriculum subjects than in others. As a result, in some curriculum subjects, adults’ evaluations of what pupils have learned need to be more specific to identify precisely what pupils understand and where they have any misconceptions. Senior leaders should ensure that assessment is fully established in all curriculum subjects so that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are accurately

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

identified and future work is adapted accordingly.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268189 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Owston Park Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in December 2018. When its predecessor school, Owston Park Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of The Rose Learning Trust.  The school uses one alternative provider.  The school has a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art, history and science. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, 25 and 26 April 2023

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spoke with pupils about their learning, listened to pupils read to a familiar adult, looked at samples of pupils’ work and reviewed curriculum documents.  Inspectors spoke to leaders and staff about their procedures for keeping pupils safe. Safeguarding records were reviewed.  Inspectors spoke to the governing body and a representative from the trust board, as well as the chief executive officer (CEO) and deputy CEO of the trust.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences of school life and their learning in lessons, as well as observing the behaviour of pupils across the school site.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils. They considered the views of parents who had completed the Ofsted online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Sarah Gordon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Haunch Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 April 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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