Parson Cross Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Parson Cross Church of England Primary School Halifax Road, Wadsley Bridge, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 1LB

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 16 and 17 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and welcoming school at the heart of the community. There is a culture of belonging at this school. Staff are ambitious for pupils and strive to enact the vision of ‘finding the spark of genius with everyone’. There are high expectations for all pupils. Leaders’ knowledge of the community and local area informs their plans and influences the curriculum so that pupils are prepared for life beyond the school. Pupils make a positive contribution to the local community. For example, they raise money to fund an annual Christmas lunch for elderly members of the community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. Relationships are incredibly strong between pupils and staff. Pupils consistently behave well. On the rare occasion that bullying occurs, it is dealt with quickly. Pupils feel safe and supported. The school’s core Christian values are integral to the ethos of the school. This means that all pupils develop a good understanding of empathy, forgiveness and compassion, and this is seen in their actions.

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better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is ambitious. They have thought about the order in which the curriculum develops. It becomes more demanding over time. However, some aspects of the curriculum are at different stages of development and implementation. Subject leaders regularly review their subjects and know the next steps for development. In some foundation subjects, it is not clear what leaders want pupils to know and remember. As a result, the tasks selected by some teachers do not always achieve the aims of the curriculum.

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better?

Teachers and support staff present learning well for pupils. Teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge and use questioning to identify misconceptions. They check often that pupils understand and identify those who may need more practise. Leaders use creative ways to help pupils remember what they have learned. These include subject-focused assemblies and ‘pupil conferencing’.

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better?

Staff teach the phonics programme consistently well. Pupils read books that are accurately matched to the sounds that they know. Staff use assessment thoroughly to support pupils to keep up with their peers. Within reading sessions, adults demonstrate their expertise and they articulate phonic knowledge clearly. Pupils enjoy listening to the stories read to them every day by their teachers.

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better?

In mathematics, the school’s curriculum is well embedded. Learning is delivered in small steps to support pupils’ knowledge to build progressively. Within the early years, staff are knowledgeable about the teaching of early mathematics. Children are given sufficient practice to be confident in using and understanding number. 16 and 17 May 2023

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Learning activities in the early years support children’s interests well. There is a sharp focus on the development of children’s vocabulary. They learn to communicate effectively with each other and to use a wide range of vocabulary in their speech. Leaders provide ambitious learning opportunities. Children build strong foundations for their future learning. However, the early years curriculum is not currently well connected to learning in key stage 1 and beyond.

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Teachers, parents and carers work together to develop support plans for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND complete work that matches aims on their support plans. Leaders make sure that pupils are given extra support if they have specific needs. However, teachers sometimes do not adapt learning sufficiently so that pupils with SEND can access the full ambition of the curriculum.

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Leaders have implemented a range of opportunities to support pupils’ wider development. For example, pupils learn first aid and they can achieve the Archbishop of York Award. Pupils have roles of responsibility, such as reading ambassadors and playground leaders. They learn about different faiths and cultures. Leaders provide pastoral support for pupils who need it, including for their mental health. Leaders recognise and celebrate pupils’ achievements. This supports their character development. Pupils are proud of the celebration booklet that they begin to compile when they join the school. This documents their achievements throughout their time at the school.

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Leaders create a positive environment. Staff benefit from the collaborative opportunities to develop their expertise. As a result, staff morale is high. Staff feel proud to be part of the school community. The members of the local governing body are well informed about school developments and can demonstrate how they challenge leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at this school. There are effective processes in place to check that adults, including volunteers, are suitable to work with children. Staff are vigilant and know how to record and report concerns about children’s welfare. Leaders work effectively with professionals from outside agencies to support families. They demonstrate tenacity in how they successfully achieve support for vulnerable pupils. Pupils are taught how to stay safe through the curriculum. For example, the know how to stay safe online and how to be healthy. 16 and 17 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers sometimes do not adapt learning to meet the needs of all pupils. This means that pupils with SEND sometimes cannot access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders should work with staff to ensure that the way that the curriculum is taught is adapted to enable all pupils with SEND to learn the full, intended knowledge.  In some foundation subjects and in the early years, it is unclear what knowledge leaders expect pupils to know and remember. This means that sometimes, some teachers are unclear about the most important knowledge that they need to teach and when. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum continues to develop and that teachers understand clearly what pupils need to learn and in what order.

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10269232 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 Dr Sharon Tabberer

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School details

Website www.parsoncross.sheffield.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work, including pupils with SEND.  Inspectors also met with subject leaders with responsibility for art and science, and reviewed the curriculum for these subjects. 16 and 17 May 2023

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 Inspectors visited lessons with leaders to look at the provision for pupils with SEND and scrutinised support plans for pupils with SEND.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised safeguarding records, including the single central record. They also spoke to leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors spoke to governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors visited the breakfast club, and observed pupils at break, lunchtime and when moving around the school.  Inspectors spoke to leaders about personal development and religious education. They looked at plans for this aspect of the school’s work.  Inspectors spoke to parents informally on the playground and considered responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents.  Inspectors met formally with groups of pupils, and spoke to pupils informally throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Becky Austwick, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Taylor Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 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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