Middle Park Primary School

Inspection of Middle Park Primary School Middle Park Avenue, Eltham, London SE9 5RX

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 28 and 29 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at school happy to begin their day of learning. They feel welcome and a part of the school community as adults greet them with warmth and positivity. They follow the routines of the school because they know how they are expected to behave, including in Nursery. Pupils’ behaviour is of an exceptional standard both during lessons and on the playground. As a result, the atmosphere in the school is calm and allows learning to occur without disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school expects pupils to achieve well, including those who are disadvantaged and have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils make an effort to reach these high standards, with many achieving well. They value the rich learning opportunities available and embrace them. For example, in art, pupils enjoy sculpting their designed creations. They consider the size and geometrical form their product will take, and how they can adopt ideas from the work of artists.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has carefully considered experiences for pupils to develop their character. Many pupils take on meaningful leadership roles which they are proud to apply for. This includes 'play leaders', who offer a friendly face on the playground and ensure that children always have someone to play with.

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

The school has constructed an ambitious and inspiring curriculum for its pupils. Expectations of learning are clearly laid out, including subject-specific vocabulary. The school ensures that all pupils learn the national curriculum in full, including pupils with SEND. In each subject this is threaded back to the early years to ensure that pupils build up what they know and understand over time.

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

Pupils mostly achieve well and in line with national averages. Where published outcomes are below expectations, leaders have taken swift action in response. For example, the way that pupils are taught to understand and make sense of what they are reading has improved. In other subject areas, pupils show significant strengths. In mathematics, pupils perform calculations accurately and can recall their times tables. They look for their own mistakes and identify if they need to correct their working. Across subjects, many pupils produce impressive work and show a command of the vocabulary they have learned. This is because teachers take the time to emphasise key language and review it regularly.

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

Teachers use resources well to ensure that pupils make the most of learning opportunities. This is evident in the early years where children have a range of rich activity choices. Adults model language and ensure that children are able to communicate with confidence by the time they finish Reception. Across the school, teachers check that pupils understand what they have learned before moving on to the next topic of learning. At times however, some pupils with SEND struggle to access their learning fully. This is because the adjustments made to help them access the curriculum are not applied consistently. 28 and 29 January 2025

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The school's phonics programme builds pupils' early reading skills with success. Expert staff ensure that pupils learn to form correct sounds right from the start. By the time pupils finish Year 1, almost all are fluent and capable readers. When necessary, those falling behind receive prompt support to help them catch up. The school keeps parents and carers involved so they can support reading practice at home. Pupils engage with the school’s efforts to make reading a priority. This includes using the book vending machine, reading to ‘Scout’ the reading dog or talking to adults about the books they are enjoying.

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The school has established kind and respectful relationships between pupils and adults. Adults share clear routines and expectations as soon as children join the Nursery or Reception class. These support positive behaviour for learning and play as pupils move through the school.

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The school has designed its provision for pupils’ personal development with care. The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education teaches pupils about fundamental British values such as tolerance and the rule of law. In assemblies, pupils learn about beliefs and cultures that differ from their own. The opportunities to take on roles of leadership are vast and embedded into the life of the school. There are some clubs and activities designed to further pupils' interests and talents, with participation rates still growing.

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Leaders know, understand and support their school well. They are considerate of the needs of teachers, who value the focus given to their workload. Governors are also mindful of how to attract and retain staff, while challenging leaders to continue to maintain high standards.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The support offered to pupils with SEND to ensure they can access the curriculum is variable. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that adaptations to teaching approaches are applied consistently as appropriate to pupils’ individual needs. 28 and 29 January 2025

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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.

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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). 28 and 29 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 May 2015, under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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. 28 and 29 January 2025

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 Inspectors spoke to the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. Additionally, they spoke to a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, history and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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.  To evaluate the early years provision, inspectors visited the Nursery and Reception classes and met with leaders.  The inspectors spoke to a range of pupils to learn their views about the school.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  The inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Karim Ismail, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Smith His Majesty's Inspector 28 and 29 January 2025

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