Park Road Academy Primary School

Inspection of Park Road Academy Primary School Frieston Road, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 5AP

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 November 2023

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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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Kerry Hart. This school is part of the Park Road Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is a single academy trust overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jeff Marshall.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Park Road Academy Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Park Road Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as Park Road Academy Primary School as a result of conversion to academy status. 21 and 22 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are provided with the best possible start to their education at this exceptional school. The school is highly ambitious for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils embody the school’s values in all that they do. They show respect and excel in the rich range of learning opportunities provided for them. Many pupils, including those with SEND, achieve extremely well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has incredibly high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils take pride in meeting these expectations. They treat one another with genuine warmth, care and compassion. Children learn the importance of these qualities from the moment that they join the early years. Older pupils are wonderful role models for their younger peers. Across the school, pupils’ excellent behaviour means that learning is rarely interrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. They are given ample opportunity to express their views on many aspects of school life. The school listens to these views and works closely with pupils to address them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the importance of responsibility through the wide range of leadership opportunities available to them. For example, they staff the school bank and act as digital leaders and anti-bullying ambassadors.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is highly ambitious and enables pupils, including those with SEND, to be extremely successful. The school has carefully considered what children should learn in the Nursery class and how this is built on in the Reception Year. The early years staff are highly skilled. They support and nurture the children ably in their start to school life. Children leave the early years very well prepared for the demands of Year 1.

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better?

In key stages 1 and 2, pupils readily build on what they have learned previously. High-quality training enables teachers to deliver the curriculum with considerable proficiency. The learning activities that they design help pupils to connect new knowledge with what they already know. Teachers identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge skilfully. The school has effective systems to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers successfully adapt access to the curriculum for these pupils. By the end of Year 6, pupils, including those with SEND, have a deep body of knowledge that stands them in excellent stead for secondary school.

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better?

Reading is woven through the school’s curriculum. Older pupils understand that being well-read helps them to broaden their knowledge. The books that pupils read are written by a variety of authors covering a broad range of topics. Through these books, pupils learn about a range of important issues. This helps them to develop their sense of empathy and understanding. 21 and 22 November 2023

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Pupils’ journey to becoming avid readers begins in the Reception Year and key stage 1. Well-trained staff teach the phonics programme with accuracy and consistency. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. Additional support is promptly put in place for pupils who need it. This helps them to keep up with their peers. The books that pupils read are very well matched to the sounds that they have learned. Many pupils become fluent and confident readers by the end of key stage 1.

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Children in the early years behave exceptionally well. They follow established routines and cooperate purposefully with one another. Across the school, pupils display excellent manners. They do their best to treat others in the same way that they would like to be treated themselves.

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Pupils experience an extensive range of opportunities that enhance their personal development. They are considerably well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils have a profound understanding of fundamental British values. They enjoy a rich variety of trips. These include visits to different places of worship, museums, galleries and places of historical significance.

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The trust is highly effective in how it evaluates the quality of education provided by the school. Trustees and local governors are rigorous in monitoring and assessing how well the school operates at all levels. This informs very focused strategic improvements.

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Staff are incredibly proud to work at the school. They appreciate the support that they receive which helps them to deliver the curriculum exceptionally well. The school is highly considerate of staff’s workload and well-being when making decisions.

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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. 21 and 22 November 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). 21 and 22 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Park Road Academy Primary School converted to become an academy school in January 2011.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The governing body operates a breakfast club and after-school 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. As part of the deep dives, the inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, met with teachers and 21 and 22 November 2023

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looked at pupils’ work. The inspectors also looked at the curriculum and pupils’ work in some other subjects. The lead inspector observed some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors, who is also the chair of the board of trustees. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They also considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They also considered the views of pupils

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shared through Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.  The inspectors spoke with some parents and carers. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Robinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Morley Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 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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