Park Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Park Academy Robin Hoods Walk, Boston, Lincolnshire PE21 9LQ

p.1

Outcome

Park Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Kris Radford. This school is part of the Voyage Education Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Emma Hadley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christopher Penney.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this nurturing school. Pupils, parents, carers and staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Caring professional relationships exist between pupils and staff. Pupils know that staff will listen and help them if they have a concern. They are happy and feel safe.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Starting in the early years, the school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Staff manage any incidents consistently well. As a result, pupils behave well in a calm and orderly environment. The school wants the best for all pupils. It sets high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Consequently, pupils achieve well, particularly in the core subjects.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pastoral support for pupils is effective. The school is persistent in identifying and removing barriers to learning.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a range of opportunities to develop their character. The ‘Parkway pathway’ ensures that pupils have a breadth of experiences during their time in school. This includes older pupils taking part in a careers fair to consider what future employment might look like for them. Pupils know staff listen to, and act on, their suggestions, for example introducing the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) after- school club. This helps pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, trips and sporting opportunities. 3 and 4 June 2025

p.1

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

Outcomes in 2024 were significantly below national data. The school took swift action to identify why this was the case and what needed to improve. Training for all staff was prioritised to ensure that they are all reading experts and have strong subject knowledge. The way that teachers check on what pupils can do was developed to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) focused on ensuring that they could learn in a supported way with their peers. The school made demonstrable improvements in pupils’ behaviour and attendance. The positive impact of these developments is evident. Pupils are now achieving well.

p.2

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

Children begin learning to read and to love books as soon as they start in Reception. This enjoyment of books continues as pupils move through the school. Older pupils are keen to recommend a book that they have enjoyed. Staff swiftly identify any pupils who need support and ensure that they get the help they need to catch up. As a result, pupils soon become confident and fluent readers.

p.2

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

The school has created an ambitious curriculum. In reading, writing and mathematics, teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. In these subjects, the school has adopted a system to retrieve and revisit what pupils know. As a result, pupils demonstrate a depth of understanding.

p.2

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

The school has reviewed the wider curriculum to ensure that it clearly sets out the important knowledge for pupils to learn. Teachers use this information to plan a sequence of learning opportunities for pupils. They deliver the content clearly. However, in some subjects, activities do not help pupils to learn the important knowledge and develop their understanding as set out in the school’s curriculum. Also, teachers do not accurately identify what gaps in knowledge pupils may have. This means that pupils do not demonstrate a depth of understanding, and they do not have the opportunity to apply what they know.

p.2

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

The school identifies pupils with SEND swiftly. Staff carefully consider these pupils’ needs. They ensure that appropriate support is put in place, including, for example, through adult support, revisiting vocabulary or having a visual timetable. The support for pupils with SEND is highly effective.

p.2

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

The school has rigorous arrangements for ensuring that pupils attend school well. Its work with families and other agencies ensures that support is provided for pupils. As a result, pupils’ attendance has improved significantly.

p.2

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

The provision for pupils’ personal development is well thought out. Pupils learn about physical health and well-being. They learn about different faiths and cultures and celebrate the diversity of pupils in the school. Pupils show a deep understanding of how the fundamental British values are linked to the school’s values of ‘perseverance, respect, being open minded, unity and determination’. Pupils understand equality and inclusion. 3 and 4 June 2025

p.2

3

They talk about protected characteristics confidently. Pupils say, ‘No-one can discriminate against you for being different.’ They are well prepared for life beyond Park Academy.

p.3

3

Trustees and school leaders share a clear and ambitious vision for the school. There are effective processes in place to make sure that improvement planning focuses on the priority areas. The school has addressed the areas for improvement that were raised at the previous inspection.

p.3

3

Staff say that they are part of a supportive team and feel that their workload and well- being are prioritised by leaders.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, the school has not ensured that pupils routinely develop a depth of understanding. Activities in lessons are not consistently designed to enable pupils to explore their understanding and apply their learning. Additionally, checks of pupils’ learning do not always identify gaps in knowledge or misconceptions that can then be resolved. As a result, pupils do not always develop the necessary knowledge to enable them to achieve as highly as they could. The school should ensure that teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to support pupils in their learning to achieve highly across the curriculum.

p.3

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.

p.3

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, 3 and 4 June 2025

p.3

4

behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.4

4

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2020.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 3 and 4 June 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Park Academy converted to be an academy school in January 2013.  This school is part of Voyage Education Partnership.  The headteacher took up the role in September 2022. The deputy headteacher joined the school in January 2024.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  There is a before- and after-school club managed by the school.

p.5

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 their evaluation of the school. 3 and 4 June 2025

p.5

6

 The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the leader for SEND.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with the chair of the trustees and the chief education officer for the trust.  The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses, and to Ofsted’s survey for school staff.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons and around the school site. The inspector also scrutinised the school’s records for

p.6

Inspection team

Donna Chambers, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 June 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7