Parkfield Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Parkfield Primary School Parkfield Road, Taunton, Somerset TA1 4RT

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Outcome

Parkfield Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils come to school happy and eager to learn. Staff nurture pupils in all aspects of their development. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education. Pupils speak passionately about their sense of belonging and how staff treat everyone with kindness and respect. Their warm and supportive relationships with staff help pupils to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The importance of human rights is central to the school’s ethos and is woven through the curriculum. The school’s values guide pupils in their behaviour and conduct. Pupils are polite, courteous and caring. Their behaviour in class and around the school is calm and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for pupils’ learning, starting in the early years. In most cases, pupils rise to these expectations and achieve well. Pupils recognise the importance of their education. They work hard and contribute enthusiastically in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers an extensive range of extra-curricular clubs and activities. There is something for everyone, from creative arts to various sporting activities. Pupils appreciate how these opportunities widen their interests and talents. They also develop their citizenship skills through supporting the wider community with events such as fundraising.

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

The school has designed a curriculum that is broad, balanced and ambitious. It has mapped out the essential learning that pupils need to know and remember. Knowledgeable and skilled staff ensure that the curriculums for early English and mathematics are taught well. They make sure that pupils learn the basic skills they need to do well in all subjects. This starts in the Reception Year, where children receive the help 13 and 14 May 2025

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they need in key areas such as handwriting, spelling and understanding numbers to 10. As a result, children are well prepared for key stage 1.

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The school’s approach to teaching early reading is highly effective. Staff identify pupils who need extra help quickly. They get the support they need without delay. Staff promote the importance of reading throughout the curriculum. Books that pupils read closely match the letters and sounds they have been taught. Pupils are motivated to learn and quickly become confident, fluent readers. This is reflected in pupils’ wider curriculum successes.

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Teachers use a range of effective strategies to teach the curriculum. They give helpful feedback and ask probing questions to make pupils think more deeply about their studies. Teachers also check what pupils can remember about previous learning. In most areas of the curriculum, this is well-established practice. However, in a small number of subjects, some of this work is at an earlier stage of development. Consequently, some pupils struggle to recall their learning. At times, this limits the depth of knowledge they gain over time.

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Staff identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. Pupils get the help and support they need to access the curriculum. For example, teachers use a range of techniques to adapt learning carefully. Consequently, pupils with SEND experience success in their learning and achieve well.

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In the early years, children quickly learn the school’s routines and expectations. This helps create a positive and productive learning environment where everyone can learn without disruption. Across the school, pupils live up to the high aspirations that the school sets for behaviour. They are highly attentive and resilient learners. The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ attendance. It takes effective action to support pupils who struggle to attend school as regularly as they should. Consequently, attendance rates remain above the national average.

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The school excels in its provision for pupils’ personal development. Pupils value being part of a diverse school community. The school encourages pupils to show sensitivity and understanding towards others. This helps to develop a strong sense of respect for the differences pupils have.

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Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. Their knowledge of online safety and staying physically and mentally healthy is well developed and age appropriate. Pupils understand fundamental British values. They can explain how these are lived out in the day-to-day life of the school. Pupils benefit from the many enrichment opportunities that enhance their experiences, such as trips, themed weeks and residential visits.

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Leaders set clear priorities for future school improvement. They are supported effectively by an experienced and dedicated governing body that has a precise understanding of the school’s strengths. Leaders make regular checks to assure themselves that their actions have the intended impact. Staff value the training they get in school and appreciate 13 and 14 May 2025

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efforts to reduce their workload. They are proud to be members of staff at Parkfield Primary.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, opportunities for pupils to recap and recall previous learning are not as well developed as they are in others. This means that, on occasion, pupils do not learn and remember important knowledge as well as they could in these subjects. The school should ensure that it establishes systems across the curriculum that enable pupils to consistently retrieve prior knowledge to help them to remember important concepts.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2020. 13 and 14 May 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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two alternative provisions, one that is registered and one that is unregistered.  The school provides before- and after-school care.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. He also listened to some pupils reading.  The inspector held a meeting with those responsible for governance and spoke with the school’s improvement partner. 13 and 14 May 2025

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector spent time with pupils outside of lessons to observe their behaviour at different points in the school day and speak to them about school life. He also visited the school’s breakfast club.  The inspector considered the responses made by parents to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. Responses to the staff and pupil surveys were also considered.  The inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Neil Swait, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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