Parkside School

Inspection of Parkside School Parkside Terrace, Cullingworth, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD13 5AD

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 20 and 21 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

A significant proportion of pupils at Parkside School do not feel safe. This is due to the disruptive behaviour of a significant minority of pupils, particularly on the corridors and during social times. Many staff share pupils’ concerns about the impact of this negative behaviour within the school. Leaders have started to take steps to address poor behaviour. However, the impact of the school’s work has been limited. There is much more to do to ensure that pupils demonstrate positive behaviour and attitudes throughout the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons, pupils’ behaviour is more positive. However, some pupils play truant from lessons or arrive late and disrupt classes. Pupils who do follow the rules, and want to focus on their learning, can find it difficult to do so because of the actions of other pupils. Teachers do not use the behaviour policy consistently. As a result, pupils’ learning experiences from lesson to lesson can vary significantly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils have confidence to speak to an adult if something worries them. Leaders’ records show that bullying, including racist and homophobic incidents, is rare. However, many pupils do not have a strong understanding of other faiths and cultures. This limits their understanding of diversity in the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sixth-form students benefit from a more positive atmosphere in their lessons. Students are dedicated to their studies, produce high-quality work and are well supported by the majority of teaching staff.

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better?

The school has recognised that the behaviour and attitudes of some pupils at the school are poor. This negative behaviour is having a significant impact across the school. The school has used external support to increase the pace of change. The school’s focus has been specifically to improve behaviour and attitudes as well as the quality of education pupils receive. However, much of this school improvement work is recent and not embedded. Leaders and governors have an over-generous view of the impact of their work in several areas.

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better?

The school is clear about what it wants pupils to know and be able to do by the time they leave Parkside School. The school has considered which topics or skills pupils will find the most difficult. There are planned opportunities to revisit these regularly so that pupils gain a strong understanding of the curriculum. However, there is too much variation in how well the curriculum is taught. Certain activity choices do not enable pupils to learn the curriculum as well as they might.

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better?

In some subjects, teaching is not well adapted in order to meet the needs of all learners. Where this is the case, pupils do not engage well in their learning. This leads to gaps in their knowledge and understanding of important curriculum content. In contrast, students in the sixth form benefit from a better quality of 20 and 21 June 2023

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education. They respond well to teachers’ questions, understand how to improve their work and achieve well over time.

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Teachers assess what pupils know and can do regularly. In some lessons, staff use the information they collect to plan future learning well. However, this is not consistently the case across the curriculum. The activities that teachers set to reinforce learning do not always help pupils to remember important knowledge. As a result, pupils continue to have gaps in their knowledge and skills.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive a variable quality of education because their needs are not consistently well met. The school recognises that there is more to do to ensure that all teachers follow the specific learning and support plans for each pupil. The school’s quality assurance of SEND education is underdeveloped. Specific SEND training linked to pupils’ needs has been limited. However, those with responsibility for SEND are knowledgeable and have already made some improvements to processes at the school.

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Despite problems in managing pupils’ behaviour, there are strengths in the pastoral support that vulnerable pupils receive. The school and those responsible for governance have invested a significant amount of time and resources into ‘The Bungalow’, which is intended to improve pupils’ physical and mental well-being. Pupils appreciate the support this provision offers. In some cases, this is increasing pupils’ engagement in lessons and rates of attendance.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding lacks depth. Pupils understand important messages about healthy relationships, the risks of drugs and alcohol, as well as equalities. However, their understanding of fundamental British values, other faiths and cultures is weak. The curriculum for religious education is underdeveloped at key stage 4. As a result, pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they might be.

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Careers education at the school is well established. Pupils from Year 7 to Year 13 have regular opportunities for engagement with the world of work, visiting speakers and independent advice and guidance. Sixth-form students benefit from leadership opportunities which prepare them well for future education, employment or training.

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Too many staff, pupils and parents share concerns about standards of behaviour at the school. A significant number of staff do not feel well supported when managing poor behaviour. They do not have confidence in the school’s ability to improve pupils’ educational experiences, particularly in key stages 3 and 4. In the sixth form, the views of students and parents are more positive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ systems for monitoring safeguarding concerns at the school are effective. 20 and 21 June 2023

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The school’s IT system has filters in place to protect pupils from inappropriate online content. Leaders provide ongoing training and support so that staff are confident to report any concerns they might have about pupils’ welfare. The school shares safeguarding concerns with external agencies promptly to protect pupils from harm. Staff understand the specific risks pupils may face, such as those posed by county lines or radicalisation.

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Despite these actions, the negative behaviour of a significant minority of pupils affects how safe and secure some pupils and staff feel. Leaders are taking action to address this behaviour, but pupils and staff continue to have concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A significant minority of pupils display a poor attitude to their education and a lack of respect for others. Some pupils play truant internally and/or show a significant disregard for school rules and staff instructions. Pupils’ behaviour, especially outside of lessons, can be disruptive. The school should act swiftly to improve the behaviour of pupils who consistently misbehave and disrupt the learning of others.  The school has not taken effective action to tackle embedded weaknesses. In addition, governors do not carry out their core functions effectively and their oversight of statutory policies and school procedures is weak. Leaders and those responsible for governance should urgently identify how they will check the effectiveness and impact of their work. They should develop a clear, strategic approach in order to bring about school improvement and ensure that statutory duties are met.  The quality of education pupils receive across the curriculum is too variable. In

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

several subjects, teachers do not adapt learning in order to meet the needs of all pupils well. Teachers do not consistently check that pupils have understood what they have learned before moving on to the next stage of learning. Leaders should provide appropriate professional development to improve the quality of education and assessment across the school.  Plans to support pupils with SEND vary in quality, and teaching is not sufficiently adapted to meet pupils’ needs. Leaders have not routinely checked the impact of their work in order to support the education of pupils with SEND. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they might. Leaders should work with staff to better equip them to meet the needs of pupils with SEND and to check the effectiveness of their work in this area.  Some pupils’ knowledge of fundamental British values, other faiths and cultures is weak. This is particularly the case for older pupils who do not have access to a

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

comprehensive religious education curriculum. As a result, pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they might be. Leaders should ensure that all pupils have access to high-quality religious education that improves their knowledge of other faiths and cultures. 20 and 21 June 2023

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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. 20 and 21 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255591 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1165

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 March 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 It is anticipated that the school will join the Wellspring Academy Trust in September 2023.  The school has an additional resourced provision for pupils with autism.  The school makes use of three providers of off-site alternative education. One provider is registered and subject to inspection by Ofsted. Two providers are unregistered.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 20 and 21 June 2023

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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

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders and the chair of governors. Inspectors spoke to teaching and non-teaching staff, in addition to a representative from the local authority.  To evaluate the quality of education, deep dives were carried out in English, science, mathematics, art and design and physical education. Inspectors spoke with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at books and spoke to both pupils and staff. Inspectors also met with curriculum leaders for religious education and history.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for careers education at the school.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experience in lessons, enrichment

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Information about this inspection

opportunities and what it is like to attend the school.  Inspectors met with early career teachers and those who mentor them.  One inspector met with leaders responsible for literacy across the school. One inspector observed a range of reading interventions taking place.  Inspectors examined the school’s behaviour records, spoke to pupils who had been suspended from school and spoke with providers of alternative education.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator. They looked at a range of documentation, including education, health and care plans and individual learning plans. Inspectors also checked how pupils with SEND are supported in lessons.  Inspectors checked the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures, including checks made on all adults who come on to the school site. Inspectors spoke with pupils and staff to check their understanding of safeguarding procedures. An

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Information about this inspection

inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to check on their work to keep pupils safe in school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff surveys, including free-text responses. 20 and 21 June 2023

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Inspection team

John Linkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jessica McKay His Majesty’s Inspector 20 and 21 June 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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