Park Hill Infant School

Inspection of Park Hill Infant School Stanhope Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 5NS

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding 8 and 9 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Park Hill, pupils are lively, enthusiastic and demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. The school’s core values are enacted by everyone. Pupils engage well with each other and there is a strong mutual respect between pupils and adults. Bullying is rare and is always dealt with sensitively and swiftly. Behaviour around the school is calm and orderly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn and demonstrate the ‘super skills’, including collaboration, communication, perseverance, confidence and curiosity. These underpin how pupils learn and are used to motivate pupils to always try their best. Pupils are confident speakers who are encouraged to share their opinions. They present their ideas clearly and listen respectfully to the views of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school takes every opportunity to help pupils develop into active citizens. For example, pupils can take on a range of additional responsibilities and develop independence as members of the school council, sports leaders or play leaders. The pupils are proud to hold these roles and take them seriously. The sports leaders are particularly excited about supporting children in Reception during their PE lessons.

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better?

The curriculum matches and, in places, exceeds the breadth and ambition of what is expected nationally. The knowledge and skills that leaders expect pupils to secure are clearly identified and logically sequenced. This allows pupils to build their understanding cumulatively from the time they start their Reception year. As a result, pupils develop a deep body of knowledge in different subjects and are confident when discussing their learning. For example, in music, pupils learn the different elements that are used when composing. This enables them to recognise these elements when listening to the work of different composers and to create their own music using the same techniques. Similarly, in history, younger pupils learn about different events through stories. This helps them to identify the different causes and effects of events such as the Gunpowder Plot or the significance of historical figures such as Mary Anning.

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better?

The teaching of phonics and early reading is highly effective. From the beginning of Reception, teachers provide ample opportunity for pupils to practise their reading. This is done using books that are carefully matched to the sounds pupils know. Over time, pupils learn to read with accuracy and confidence. Pupils achieve highly in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1. Those who struggle to read fluently are swiftly identified and well supported to catch up quickly. The school promotes a love of reading. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading. They read widely and often.

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better?

There is clear ambition for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have been well trained and have the knowledge and expertise to support pupils effectively. As a result, pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. 8 and 9 November 2023

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Behaviour is exceptional. Pupils behave extremely well in class and at playtimes. Staff have created a calm, nurturing and positive environment for pupils to learn and thrive. Staff, parents and pupils are effusive in their praise about how well pupils behave. The school has effective systems in place to manage pupils’ attendance. Most pupils attend school regularly and on time.

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Leaders have the highest ambition for pupils’ personal development. The curriculum is designed to address important themes like keeping healthy and staying safe, including when online. Pupils access a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests in areas such as art, football, swimming, ‘fizz pop’, musical theatre and street dance.

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Staff are valued here. There is high importance placed on professional development and well-being. A culture of trust and transparency helps to ensure that workload is reasonable and well managed. Those responsible for governance know the school well. They work closely with leaders to ensure that the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 ’ 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). 8 and 9 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Shariffa Mubarak

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School details

Headteacher Jane Charman (executive headteacher)

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher also leads a local nursery school.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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

 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other senior and subject leaders. Discussions were also held with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 8 and 9 November 2023

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Deep dives were completed in reading, science, history and art (other subjects were looked at, but not as ‘deep dives’). To do this, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils and looked at samples of their work.  The curriculum in other subjects was considered as part of the inspection.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  The views of staff, pupils, parents and carers were gathered through discussions and responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Sarah Lack, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Pia Longman Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 November 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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