Malmesbury Park Primary School

Malmesbury Park Primary School

Address: Lowther Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH8 8LU Unique reference number (URN): 142354

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' attendance and engage well with external agencies to support pupils and their families. Leaders and staff have an informed and accurate understanding of attendance. They have established regular checks and follow-up actions. This well-established approach has led to improvements for all pupils over time. As a result, the school’s attendance data is in line with national figures and improving.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Most pupils behave well in and around the school. They generally display positive attitudes to their learning, listening attentively in lessons and participating well in activities. Leaders recently clarified the school’s rules and routines. Recent improvements to the curriculum for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have made it easier for them to learn and remain settled in school. Many pupils at risk of being suspended have received the help they need to stay in school. Together, these positive improvements to the school's approach have made it easier for pupils to behave well. As a result, pupils say that behaviour is calm and settled. This has also resulted in a reduction in incidents of poor behaviour. Pupils feel safe in school. They are confident that bullying is rare and dealt with swiftly by staff.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have thought carefully about pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. They have designed a curriculum that is inclusive for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means that everyone benefits from the broad range of activities, discussions and experiences that prepare them well for later life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has adapted the curriculum so that all pupils can learn and understand the most important knowledge. Teaching helps pupils understand and engage with important content. If pupils struggle, they get the extra support they need to engage well with the learning. Pupils are supported to think about big ideas, such as equality and how their own behaviour can affect other people. The school provides a wide range of opportunities, which pupils value. Activities such as sports clubs, choir, board games club and residential trips engage pupils and enrich the curriculum.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide pupils with a variety of responsibility roles, including the school council, prefects, peer mediators and play leaders. Pupils are proud of these roles and value the voice this gives them in the life of the school. Pupils know how to access help for their health and wellbeing. Pupils' wellbeing is supported effectively by an established team. Pupils know the range of ways they can raise concerns and worries with staff, for example, they use the school's online worry box.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils are taught about online risks and how to keep themselves safe when out and about. They have regular opportunities to learn about issues such as sharing personal information online, healthy relationships and local issues, such as knife crime and the perils of electric scooters. In this way, pupils are well supported to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, weaknesses in the curriculum and the way it is taught have resulted in pupils having gaps in their knowledge. This situation has been exacerbated by the recent instability at the school resulting from changes in leadership. Leaders have made recent improvements to teaching and the curriculum. There are early indications of the success of some of this work. For example, pupils are now more confident with multiplication tables.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils in the special educational needs unit do not progress as well as they could from their starting points. Although leaders have begun to strengthen the curriculum for these pupils, their actions are very recent and the impact is unclear.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils with gaps in essential knowledge do not receive the timely support needed to secure this important learning. For example, some older pupils have not learned how to correctly write all letters and numbers. This slows their learning and reduces the quality of their work. As a result, some pupils are not ready for the next stage in their education.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

An appropriate curriculum is in place that ensures pupils cover the knowledge they need. However, not all subjects are taught effectively. For example, what pupils need to learn and remember in writing and mathematics is not clearly set out. This means that teaching does not make sure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, quickly gain the most important knowledge in these subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have prioritised early reading. They make sure that younger pupils secure the knowledge they need to become confident readers. Leaders check the quality of phonics teaching carefully and staff have the subject knowledge they need to deliver this well.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders understand the strengths in the curriculum and the areas that need to be improved. They have recognised that while some curriculum areas have remained secure in recent years, the curriculum for some subjects does not clearly set out what pupils need to learn. Leaders have looked carefully at the way lessons are taught and identified some areas where this could be improved. As a result, the school has clarified how activities should be delivered and provided staff with training to enable them to do this.

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Early years Needs attention

Children are happy in the early years, and they know the routines and settle quickly into their activities. Although children develop the knowledge and skills they need in some aspects of the curriculum, this does not happen in all areas of learning. Sometimes, children are expected to complete activities independently when they have not secured the required knowledge and skills. When this happens, children do not have the knowledge they need to complete the task on their own. This is particularly the case for some writing activities. Younger children enjoy carefully thought-out activities that support their learning and development, with activities ranging from woodland walks to counting dinosaurs. Children in the Reception Year are well prepared to become keen readers. They benefit from a well- taught phonics programme and access to many interesting books and stories.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders have recently introduced a new curriculum in the early years to address many of the issues identified. This curriculum has a greater focus on foundational knowledge and high-quality interactions between adults and children. However, it is not sufficiently well established to ensure that all children have the knowledge they need to be ready for the next stage in their education.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Inconsistencies in the leadership and staffing of inclusion have reduced the effectiveness of the support received by some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The progress of these pupils, including some pupils in the special educational needs unit, is not monitored effectively. This means that staff, parents and carers are not well informed about the progress pupils make or the effectiveness of the support they receive.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders identify pupils' additional needs accurately. They want all pupils to do well, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Leaders moved quickly to update and strengthen the school’s approach to supporting disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have acted in the short term to improve the provision that most pupils with additional needs receive. Additional support provided by the trust is helping to ensure that all pupils get the support that they need to achieve well. The advice of external specialists is used to support individual pupils' needs and identify areas of practice that need to be strengthened. For example, staff have received training to help them adapt teaching so that it more closely meets pupils' needs. This work is enabling some pupils to feel more settled in lessons and learn more.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Recently, the school has experienced a number of significant changes to leadership and staffing. At the same time, leaders became aware of longer-term issues with teaching and the curriculum that were leading to weaker academic outcomes. Leaders currently in the school, including leaders in the trust, have a secure grasp of the issues that need to be addressed. Leaders also recognise what the school continues to do well, such as the support for pupils' personal development and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

School and trust leaders have taken steps to rapidly address the most significant challenges facing the school. In most cases, leaders’ actions are focused on the right issues. For example, leaders have secured additional support and provided staff with training to strengthen the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Although leaders’ actions have started to address the most significant problems, there is still much more to do. Leaders are aware of this and have plans in place for further improvement.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors are strongly supportive of the school. They are well informed about the challenges that it currently faces. Governors appreciate the support and improvement that the trust provides. Governors also value the support they receive to improve their ability to provide the school with challenge and support.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Generally, staff feel positive about leaders’ actions to improve the school. They feel that leaders consider their workload and wellbeing. Some staff, along with some parents and carers, remain concerned about the school’s approach to behaviour management.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Malmesbury Park has been through changes in leadership that have resulted in a period of instability. This has reduced the effectiveness of the school’s work. Although pupils remain safe and well cared for, some are not well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They say that it is a safe place to be. On the whole, pupils behave well in lessons and enjoy their learning. Pupils say that staff can be relied upon to sort out any poor behaviour or bullying that takes place. Pupils appreciate the pastoral support on offer and say that staff are always prepared to listen to any worries or concerns they may have. Older pupils value their leadership roles as these give them an opportunity to contribute positively to the school community. Although many parents and carers are positive about the school, some feel that their children do not always get the help they need. Some parents are also concerned that not all pupils behave as well as they should.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Teaching is not consistent enough to make sure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Leaders, working closely with staff, are taking steps to make sure that more pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need as they move through the school. However, these actions are very recent and have not had time to improve pupils’ outcomes.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Many aspects of the school's work are effective, for example, the teaching of early reading and pupils' personal development and wellbeing. Leaders have recently introduced successful changes to strengthen other important areas of the school’s work. As a result, behaviour has improved and more pupils with SEND now receive the help they need.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those in the special educational needs unit, receive the support they need to progress well in their key area of need so that they are prepared for the next stage in their education. Leaders should ensure that all subjects in the curriculum clearly sequence the knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember. Leaders should then make sure that staff regularly check what pupils know and remember so that pupils build their knowledge securely and any gaps are quickly identified and addressed. Leaders should ensure that pupils with gaps in handwriting, spelling and punctuation are given the support they need to quickly become accurate and fluent writers across the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is consistently well delivered in all areas of learning so that every child has the skills and knowledge they need to do well in

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Next steps

the next stage of their education. Leaders, including trust leaders, should continue to provide the school with robust support and challenge by checking the impact of the school's work to address its key priorities so that this leads to rapid and sustained improvements.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Reach South Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Tom Leverage, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Marcus Agius.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

During the inspection, inspectors spoke with the interim headteacher, regional director, senior leaders and other school staff. Inspectors also met with representatives from the trust.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school includes a special educational needs unit. This provision is for 12 pupils with autism.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Since the last inspection, 2 headteachers have left the school. The deputy headteacher is currently serving as the interim headteacher.

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Team inspectors:

Carl Thornton, Ofsted Inspector Jo Walker, Ofsted Inspector Jyotsna Paranjape, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 58% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 59% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 70% 75% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 70% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 76% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 76% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 72% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 74% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 40% 46% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 58% 63% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 60% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 55% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.6% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.4% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.2% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 15.6% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 12.5% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 17.2% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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