Park Hall Academy

Inspection of Park Hall Academy Carberry Way, Weston Coyney, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST3 5QU

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

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

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The principal of this school is Georgina Frost. This school is part of St. Bart’s Multi academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lisa Sarikaya, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Johnny Anderson. 1 and 2 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Park Hall is a school where pupils thrive. Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend regularly. Parents and carers highly commend the school for the support their children receive. Everyone feels lucky to belong to the Park Hall family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make sure that everybody feels included at their school. Pupils see that having special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a ‘special ability’. Staff treat all pupils as unique individuals. They understand how to motivate and get the best from each pupil.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils to achieve well. This ambition is realised because of the exciting and expertly planned curriculum. Pupils develop a love of learning and are inquisitive and attentive in lessons. They sing songs about kindness and display an ‘I can and I will’ attitude when they face challenges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show kindness to visitors by holding open doors to make them feel welcome. Those lucky enough to be elected pupil ambassadors show great maturity. They take their responsibilities seriously and are advocates for those who need their support. Pupil ‘safeguarding leaders’ demonstrate empathy and kindness to those who need their help. ‘Attendance ambassadors’ take responsibility for educating parents about the importance of regular attendance.

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

Kindness is the heartbeat of this school. Leaders, supported by staff, passionately deliver the best education possible to every pupil. School improvement decisions are carefully considered and researched. The school works exceptionally well with the trust, who know the strengths and areas for development extremely well. Parents appreciate the communication they receive about the curriculum.

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

Children get off to an extremely strong start in the early years. They concentrate for long periods and show curiosity and motivation when learning. Children love listening to stories and completing ‘whizzy’ challenges. Some children arrive at this school with communication difficulties. The school quickly identifies their needs and supports them to make rapid improvements. Children speak confidently to visitors and enjoy showing how well they can count and read. They form strong relationships with key adults.

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

Pupils develop a love of reading. They read books from different cultures and periods. Pupils learn new words that they use in their learning. Pupils learn that ‘Reading is the key to all learning.’ It enables them to understand other subjects in the curriculum. Well- trained staff provide effective support to pupils who need extra help. Pupils talk excitedly about completing the 50-book reading challenge.

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

The school has recently developed its approach to teaching writing. Learning sequences are linked to texts that match pupils’ interests. However, some pupils at the early stages of writing do not form letters correctly or punctuate sentences accurately. Furthermore, 1 and 2 April 2025

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some more confident writers are not provided enough opportunities to apply their writing skills independently.

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The school supports pupils with SEND well. The school identifies learning issues early. It works well with external services to develop comprehensive learning support plans. The school makes intelligent use of technology. It uses this to adapt learning to meet the needs of all pupils. Staff check pupils’ understanding in innovative ways. They leave voice notes to prompt pupils to correct mistakes and set challenges to deepen their understanding.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Their maturity enables them to discuss sensitive topics, showing empathy and kindness. Pupils display a ‘positive mindset’ because the school’s values and ‘shared phrases’ support them to do so. Pupils understand that they are responsible for their own learning. They appreciate the support they receive to do their best. All pupils understand that being away from school harms their education and social development. Very few pupils miss school. Parents work in partnership with the school to achieve this.

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The wider development of pupils is exceptional. The school provides pupils with the chance to develop talents and interests that they didn’t know they had. Trips and visits bring the school’s curriculum to life. Pupils see raising money for those who need their support as the right thing to do. They learn about different careers and how those in the emergency services keep us all safe. Children in the early years learn the value of money and look forward to Fridays, when they can spend their rewards at the school shop. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. They know who to report concerns to if they are worried.

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Staff are incredibly well supported. The school provides expert training to help staff to fulfil their roles. Morale is high because everybody is clear about the importance of their work. Workload is well managed, and staff know that their well-being matters to leaders and the trust.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils at the early stages of writing do not form letters correctly or punctuate sentences correctly. More confident writers are not provided enough opportunities to apply their writing skills independently. This means that some pupils are unable to write fluently, while others do not consolidate important writing skills. The school should support pupils to write to the best of their abilities. 1 and 2 April 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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school runs before- and after-school provision.  This school is not using 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. 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. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the principal, assistant principals, the early years leader, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator and other subject leaders.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the trust, including the chair of trustees and the Deputy CEO and CEO. He also met with six other trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, design technology and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to groups of pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered evidence from other subjects.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times. Inspectors met formally and informally with groups of pupils.  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.  Inspectors considered responses received on Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They met with parents in person at the school gates.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted surveys for school staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Tony Bradshaw, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rob Bourdon-Pierre Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 2025

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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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