The Parks Primary Academy

Inspection of The Parks Primary Academy Courtway Road, Hull HU6 9TA

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Michael McGrath. This school is part of Delta Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Paul Tarn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steven Hodsman. 28 and 29 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Enjoyment and inclusion are at the heart of the exceptional education that pupils at The Parks Academy receive. Pupils are consistently kind and encouraging to each other. Pupils listen carefully when others are speaking. They offer help when their classmates need it. All pupils spoken to say that they would recommend this school to their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum supports pupils to be successful learners across all subjects. Pupils make strong progress from their starting points. The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. The curriculum is highly ambitious and enables pupils to learn and use important knowledge and vocabulary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for behaviour. Pupils understand and follow the clear guidelines that staff provide. Pupils learn to manage their own behaviour exceptionally well. If a pupil’s behaviour does slip below the high expectations, they are swiftly supported. In lessons, pupils focus on what they are doing and maximise every minute of their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents, carers, pupils and staff are proud of the school. Pupils appreciate all that it offers, including the free breakfast club and wide range of after-school activities.

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better?

Leaders, in partnership with colleagues from Delta Academies Trust, have created an exceptionally ambitious curriculum. It is taught consistently well across the school to meet the needs of all pupils. Pupils relish the challenge every day offers them as they learn. Children get off to a flying start in the early years and this continues through to Year 6.

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better?

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Staff focus on developing children’s communication skills as soon as children begin Nursery. Children in Reception and Year 1 benefit from a well-structured approach to teaching phonics. Staff are highly skilled and teaching is focused and precise. This ensures that children learn sounds quickly. Children read books matched to the sounds that they are learning. They talk about stories with enthusiasm. Any child who finds reading difficult is quickly identified and given carefully planned support. This helps them catch up quickly. Older pupils talk with enthusiasm and confidence about books they have read. They appreciate that books are everywhere in the school.

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better?

Pupils show deep understanding of learning across the curriculum. In history, they enjoy finding out about what historians have said about events. They examine how events are recorded and form questions about the reliability of sources of historical information. In geography, pupils consider humans’ effect on the environment through their work on light pollution in Las Vegas and comparisons with the light from Hull Fair. 28 and 29 November 2023

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Teachers are highly knowledgeable. They receive effective training around all subject areas to help them to plan learning which builds over time. Lessons enable pupils to revisit learning, build on prior knowledge and apply what they know. This helps them to remember important knowledge.

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Assessment is rigorous. Teachers use it well to adjust the curriculum to meet pupils’ needs. Any pupils needing extra help are quickly spotted and effectively supported. Staff use the detailed planning and clear assessment procedures to check if pupils are achieving.

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Every child is seen as unique. Staff enable all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve exceptionally well. Staff are clear about individual pupils’ specific needs. Any barriers to success are reduced or removed. Pupils with SEND have clear support plans to ensure that targets are known by staff and used to help pupils to learn successfully.

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Personal development is deeply rooted in the culture of the school. Pupils model tolerance and respect and are taught to take responsibility. Enrichment activities are planned to help pupils to experience the world beyond The Parks Academy. For example, pupils worked with councillors to improve the local environment. They contributed ideas to make bus stops bee-friendly. Pupils in Year 5 meet with employers to raise their aspirations for the future. They learn about what is needed to successfully enter the world of work.

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Pupils follow a programme that teaches them about different cultures and faiths and about the importance of values such as democracy. Pupils cannot articulate their understanding of these areas as well as other aspects of their learning. Leaders recognise this and are determined to give pupils greater confidence to speak about this learning.

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Leaders work tirelessly to build on their good relationships with the local community. Parents are invited into school. Pupils enjoy presenting their learning to parents as part of their oracy work. Parents appreciate the work of the school. One parent said: ‘All members of staff are amazing! They all go above and beyond to help both the children and the parents.’

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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. 28 and 29 November 2023

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Further information

You can search for published performance information 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 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). 28 and 29 November 2023

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School details

Local authority Kingston upon Hull City Council

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 29 and 30 June 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The Parks Primary Academy is part of Delta Academies Trust.  The school currently uses one registered provider of alternative provision.  The school offers a free breakfast club for all pupils.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive principal, the principal and the vice-principal. Meetings were also held with the early years leader, the special educational needs coordinator and academy directors of learning. 28 and 29 November 2023

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 The lead inspector met with representatives of the board of trustees and the deputy chief executive officer of the academy trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into reading, mathematics, science, history and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum planning, conducted joint lesson visits with leaders, had discussions with teachers, spoke to pupils about their work and looked at pupils’ books and samples of their work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum and looked at books in religious education and design technology.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around the school and at playtime and lunchtime. They spoke with pupils about their views of the school and their learning, behaviour and safety.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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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.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and pupils, and Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. This included comments received via the free-text facility. Inspectors also talked to some parents at the beginning of the school day.

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Inspection team

Chris Jennings, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Thomas Wraith His Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 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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