Sutton Park Primary School

Inspection of Sutton Park Primary School Greatfield Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY11 6PH

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 17 and 18 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get an excellent education at this superbly led school. From reading to mathematics, and from science to art and design, the curriculum is exceptionally well organised. Pupils learn a lot and achieve highly. What is more, there are lots of extra activities for them to do. After-school clubs cater for a range of interests and many school trips enable pupils to learn beyond the classroom. On top of that, pupils have a voice in shaping school policy and take on many jobs that help others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ worthy values and high expectations colour all aspects of school life. Staff feel supported in their work and are motivated to do their best for pupils. Behaviour around school is calm, orderly and respectful. The school’s rules are fair, consistent and understood by all. Bullying is not accepted and pupils and staff keep a close watch to make sure it does not happen. If any problems occur, staff deal with them promptly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents are full of praise for the school. They particularly value the top- quality leadership, teaching, level of care and attention to safety. Inspection evidence supports these views. Communication between school and home is exceptionally strong.

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better?

Dedicated, informed leadership has lifted this school to many successes. A striking feature of leaders’ vision is the ambition that, whatever their starting point or background, every pupil can achieve much and be proud of their contributions. To this end, they have established a culture where everyone is supported to learn to read. Whether they learn quickly or slowly, staff give pupils the books and teaching they need to master phonics and keep up. Once pupils can read fluently, they get many varied opportunities to read widely.

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better?

The curriculum from early years to Year 6 is very well organised with quality guidance and resources. Nothing is left to chance. Teachers know exactly what to teach and no time is wasted. Informed subject-specific training also means that staff know what to emphasise, revisit and practise. Because staff are so well informed about what pupils need to know, they also know what to check when they carry out assessments. All of this helps to ensure that staff workload is focused, purposeful and manageable.

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better?

In art and design, for example, staff follow expert guidance that enables them to build pupils’ knowledge of different aspects of art. They take inspiration from artists and apply what they know to produce some impressive and original work. Mathematics, science, computing, music and physical education also present many exceptional strengths. 17 and 18 May 2023

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The quality of this excellent and inclusive curriculum is reflected in the rapid progress that children make in early years and key stage 1. It is also evident in the high standards they achieve in Year 6. These high standards can be seen in more than just test results. Regular liaison with key stage 3 colleagues helps staff to shape the curriculum in all subjects so that learning paves the way to secondary school readiness. Furthermore, leaders’ accurate identification of any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) enables staff to target support with expert precision. In the specialist language unit, for instance, the curriculum is equally ambitious in the goals it sets for pupils, and in the way staff support and steer pupils to do their very best.

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Beyond lessons, there are many remarkably strong aspects. In class and outside, pupils exemplify the school’s values of perseverance and optimism. In lessons, even the very youngest children listen carefully to their teachers and make constructive contributions to classroom learning. On the playground, pupil anti-bullying champions watch out for any upsets. Older pupils organise games for others. These responsible behaviours flavour school life and help each day to run smoothly. Furthermore, there are many enrichment activities and clubs, and take-up is high. School trips happen regularly, with well-attended annual residential trips for pupils in Years 2, 4 and 6. Such activities broaden pupils’ experiences, help to build character and lift aspirations.

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Leaders and staff keep parents very well informed. In the early years, parents join their children to read with them in class each week. Regular newsletters, a community café and parent workshops get parents involved in school life and build constructive links between home and school.

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Leaders greatly value the full range of support available to them through the trust. Governance steers the school with informed strategic oversight. Trustees and local governors understand their roles well. They have established a healthy mix of formal and informal systems that support and get the best from everyone.

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In short, the school’s leadership and its impact on staff, pupils and parents is second to none.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Everyone understands their role in keeping pupils safe. Leaders regularly update staff and parents about risks to watch out for. They provide very clear guidance about what to do when concerns arise. They also bring in outside experts to provide advice and check that everyone knows the right things to do.

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Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils about safe, respectful behaviour. The school’s work on online safety is particularly notable, with important safety messages woven throughout the curriculum. 17 and 18 May 2023

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The correct checks on adults in school are done and recorded. Leaders check that everyone understands current policies, and what they mean for their everyday work.

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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. 17 and 18 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268171 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

 The school is part of the Central Region Schools Trust.  Leaders provide before- and after-school childcare on the school site. They make use of one unregistered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The 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 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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, science and art and design. In these subjects, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. 17 and 18 May 2023

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 The inspectors also looked at the curriculum in other subjects to check how they were organised and taught. The lead inspector observed some pupils reading.  The inspectors looked at published performance data about the school and a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the curriculum, extra-curricular activities, governance and school improvement planning. They examined documents published on the school’s website.  The inspectors asked school leaders, pupils and parents about safeguarding arrangements and safety routines. They examined the record of employment checks on school staff and looked at other records.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils, parents and staff to gather general information about school life. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff’s, pupils’ and parents’ views. Inspectors spoke with some parents

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at the start of the school day. They visited the parents’ community café, some other activities that involved parents and the school’s breakfast club.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in class, at lunchtime, on the playground, at clubs and at other times during the day.  During the inspection, the inspectors had formal meetings with the executive principal, the head of school, other leaders, school staff, pupils, the chair and vice chair of the local governing board, two trustees, the school improvement adviser and the chief executive officer of the Central Region Schools Trust.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Janet Lewis Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 May 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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