Greatfield Park Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Greatfield Park Primary School Hulbert Crescent, Hatherley, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 3FZ

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2023

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Greatfield Park is an inclusive school which has a caring ethos. Pupils value the support they receive to help them learn and flourish. They enjoy coming to this school and attend regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn a broad and balanced curriculum. They gain the knowledge and skills they need in most subjects to achieve well. However, in some subjects the knowledge and skills the school wants pupils to know and remember are not clear.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has established comprehensive behaviour policies. However, these policies are not implemented effectively enough. At times, the behaviour of a small number of pupils disrupts learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the diverse range of opportunities on offer. These develop their skills and interests in many areas, such as sport, music and drama. The school ensures that these opportunities are open to all.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities and take their roles seriously. For example, they played a part in helping governors recruit the new headteacher. They are elected to some of these positions, which allows pupils to increase their knowledge and understanding of democracy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers effective pastoral support to pupils and their families. This ensures that pupils feel happy, safe and ready to learn. 18 and 19 October 2023

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

Until recently, the school has been through a period of significant staff turbulence. This has been detrimental to the school’s work. However, the school has high aspirations for all pupils. It has rightly focused on improving the school’s curriculum. For example, the mathematics curriculum identifies the knowledge that pupils will learn. In lessons, pupils build on their previous learning. This helps them solve complex calculations. However, the school is aware that there is more work required and school leaders demonstrate the ambition to make the necessary improvements. In some subjects, the school is not clear enough about the knowledge and skills it wants pupils to know and remember. As a result, pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge they need. In addition, the school’s approach to assessment is underdeveloped as it does not clearly show what key knowledge pupils remember. Consequently, pupils’ recall of prior learning is patchy.

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

The school ensures that the development of pupils’ reading is a priority. Children begin learning phonics very soon after starting the Reception Year. School staff deliver the phonics programme with precision. As a result, children and pupils are well supported to read with fluency and confidence. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind are quickly spotted. Extra help is put in place to enable them to catch up quickly. A love of reading permeates the school. Story time is a firm favourite. Pupils talk with pleasure about the stories they hear. A recent visit to the Cheltenham Literature Festival was a highlight for pupils.

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

The school is quick to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff make appropriate adaptations to support these pupils to learn effectively. This ensures that pupils with SEND can follow the same curriculum as their classmates. The school works well with outside agencies to make sure the right support is in place.

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

Improving attendance, especially reducing persistent absence, has been a priority for the school. The school has secure and effective systems in place to ensure that pupils attend regularly.

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

While many pupils behave well and show positive attitudes to their learning, there are occasions where some poor behaviour happens. Although there are robust behaviour policies in place to promote good behaviour, the school does not ensure that these are routinely followed by all in the school community.

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

Pupils’ wider personal development is integral to the school’s work. The school plans and sequences the curriculum for personal, social and health education with care. Pupils build knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy and lead safe, active lives. They understand different cultures, faiths, types of families and relationships. The ‘I can do it days’ are woven throughout the school year. Here, pupils relish the opportunity to experience a range of activities, including archery and climbing. This helps develop pupils’ resilience and build self-esteem.

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

Many parents and carers are delighted with the school. They welcome the recent changes that have been put in place. Parents appreciate how the school supports both pupils and families, which makes their children well prepared as they move through the school. 18 and 19 October 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school is not clear enough about the knowledge and skills they want pupils to know and remember. As a result, pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge they need. The school must ensure that all elements needed to build and deepen pupils’ knowledge and skills over time are precisely identified.  The school has not established systems of assessment that check how successfully pupils remember the key knowledge in some subjects. Therefore, pupils’ recall of prior learning is patchy. The school needs to ensure that there is effective use of assessment across all subjects to secure the important knowledge set out in the curriculum.  At times, a minority of pupils do not behave well. This can disrupt learning and hamper the amount of progress pupils make. The school must ensure that all staff follow the agreed approaches to manage pupils’ behaviour.

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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 December 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. 18 and 19 October 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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 18 and 19 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 December 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, senior leaders, other staff and members of the governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector 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.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult. 18 and 19 October 2023

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 The inspector spoke with an education adviser from Gloucestershire local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered key documentation, including school development plans and governors’ minutes.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. The inspector met with school leaders to discuss and scrutinise how they respond to behaviour incidents and pupils’ attendance.  The inspector considered the responses to the staff and pupil questionnaires, and Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text replies.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 18 and 19 October 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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