Orchard Park Community Primary School

Orchard Park Community Primary School

Address: Ringfort Road, Orchard Park, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB4 2GR Unique reference number (URN): 134979

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that protects pupils adequately from harm. Leaders have not put effective systems in place to make sure that safeguarding concerns are identified, recorded and acted on promptly. There have been delays in responding to safeguarding concerns. Weaknesses in leaders’ oversight mean that actions are not followed up consistently or reviewed carefully enough. As a result, leaders cannot be assured that pupils receive the help they need at the right time.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders do not have a secure understanding of all of their safeguarding responsibilities. This is particularly evident for pupils who attend alternative provision. Leaders have not ensured that there are sufficiently robust arrangements in place to check that these pupils are safe and receiving the support they need. These pupils do not benefit from the close oversight they require.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Governors have not ensured that safeguarding weaknesses are addressed with sufficient urgency. While governors are aware of weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements, limitations in record-keeping, oversight and monitoring remain.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Staff know how to report safeguarding concerns. Pupils can identify trusted adults who would help them if they were worried.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Due to significant shortfalls, safeguarding arrangements are not effective.

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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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This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Attendance remains too low, particularly for pupils who face the greatest barriers to regular attendance. Persistent absence remains high. Leaders have recently introduced a range of strategies to improve attendance, including increased monitoring, support from the local authority and targeted work with families. These actions have led to some recent improvements, particularly in reducing persistent absence. However, attendance remains too low. Too many pupils continue to miss important learning, as well as missing out on the support and wider opportunities that the school offers.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils are generally polite and respectful towards staff and one another. However, behaviour is not managed consistently across the school. In some lessons, pupils engage well with learning. In others, disruption and passive participation reduce the quality of pupils' experiences. Pupils told inspectors that bullying does occur and is not always resolved effectively. Some pupils expressed concerns about current behaviour systems. They described reflection procedures as punitive rather than supportive. Leaders have revised the behaviour policy, and staff report some improvements. However, pupils' experiences remain variable. Behaviour systems do not consistently help pupils to develop positive attitudes towards school.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders have reviewed the early years curriculum and introduced some changes to the provision. However, many of these developments are recent and are not yet embedded. Therefore, it is too early to determine their full impact on children's achievement. Because of this, the provision in the early years is not consistently effective in helping all children achieve as well as they could from their various starting points.

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Early years Needs attention

Children settle well into early years and benefit from warm and positive relationships with staff. Staff know children and their families well and work with external agencies to support those children who need additional help. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are included fully.

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Early years Needs attention

The quality of teaching and learning is variable. For example, in the Reception Year, children develop early reading skills through the school's phonics programme. However, staff do not use interactions consistently well to extend children's language, vocabulary and thinking. Opportunities for children to apply and deepen their learning are not always linked to the knowledge and skills that leaders want them to learn. As a result, children do not build their knowledge and skills as securely as they should.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have worked with external specialists and advisers to improve support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some improvements to systems and provision are beginning to emerge. However, pupils do not receive consistently effective support across the school. This hampers their learning. Leaders identify pupils who face barriers to learning and wellbeing, including pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils, pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils known to social care. Staff assess these pupils' needs and work with external agencies to provide support. Leaders have used additional funding towards academic, pastoral and wellbeing support. Despite this, gaps in pupils' attendance, achievement and classroom experiences remain.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Pupils who need extra help often have support plans in place, and leaders review these regularly. However, pupils do not always receive the help described in these plans. Some pupils with SEND benefit from extra support and visual resources. However, this is not consistent. Teachers do not always adapt learning well enough to meet pupils' different needs. Sometimes, pupils rely heavily on copying work, rather than developing their knowledge and skills independently. As a result, some pupils who need extra help do not learn as well as they should.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The school uses alternative provision for some pupils. Leaders are not able to demonstrate a secure oversight of these placements or their impact on the learning and wellbeing of pupils who attend these settings.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils do not demonstrate a secure-enough understanding of the personal development curriculum. They are not able to explain how leaders gather and act on their views, for example, through the school council. As a result, examples of pupil influence and input to school life are limited. Pupils are usually required to choose between options already identified by adults.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils experience a range of opportunities and support. However, they do not consistently develop the necessary knowledge, understanding and confidence needed to prepare them fully for life beyond school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils learn about relationships, different faiths and cultures, and life in modern Britain. Many pupils can explain ideas such as democracy and voting. Many understand the importance of treating others with respect. Pupils are able to discuss learning about Judaism, Hinduism and Islam. They can recall important messages about online safety, including protecting personal information and reporting concerns. Pupils also understand some of the responsibilities that come with growing up, for example, through taking on leadership roles in school or keeping their room tidy at home. However, some pupils rely heavily on what their parents and carers have taught them, as opposed to what they have learned in school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils can identify staff and services that may help them when they are worried or upset. They know about the pastoral support available. They can describe ways of seeking help for themselves or others. Many pupils value this support. They recognise that staff try to help pupils who face barriers to learning or wellbeing, for instance, by offering extra support for getting ready for secondary school. Pupils are very aware of issues relating to mental health and the help, both in and out of school, that is made available to them.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Too many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have not gained the knowledge and skills they need to progress successfully to the next stage of education.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Published outcomes have declined over time. By 2025, attainment at the end of key stage 2 was below national averages across most measures. Outcomes in mathematics have been below national averages for a sustained period of time. For the past 2 years, less than half of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils do not develop knowledge securely across different subjects. Work in books shows that gaps in key skills and curriculum knowledge are not addressed quickly enough.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Achievement varies too much. However, there are signs of improvement in phonics outcomes. These improvements are recent and have not yet reversed the wider decline in pupils' achievements. Too many pupils leave the school without the secure foundations they need for secondary school.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum or teaching. As a result, they are not doing enough to tackle weaknesses in pupils' education.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders have introduced several changes to the curriculum and they can describe what they want pupils to learn. However, these changes have not been implemented sufficiently well. Leaders do not know well enough how the curriculum is taught or the difference it makes to pupils' learning. Consequently, pupils' experiences vary too much.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The quality of teaching is uneven. Sometimes, teachers follow agreed approaches, and pupils engage well with learning. At other times, activities focus too much on completing tasks rather than helping pupils develop and deepen their understanding. This is particularly evident in some foundation subjects, including art and geography, where pupils frequently copy information. This means that pupils do not have enough opportunities to explain their thinking or apply what they have learned. Work in pupils' books shows inconsistencies in how subjects are taught and in teachers' expectations of pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that gaps in pupils' understanding are identified routinely. Teachers do not consistently provide feedback that helps pupils improve. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils who speak English as an additional language varies. Consequently, too many pupils do not develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of education.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders have not improved the school quickly enough. Important weaknesses in the school's work have remained for too long.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Over time, standards have declined. Leaders have not secured the improvements needed in safeguarding, the curriculum and teaching, attendance or support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Consequently, too many pupils have not received the quality of education and support that they should.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The school has received substantial support from the local authority. However, leaders have not used this support well enough to secure lasting improvements. They rely too heavily on others to identify issues and instigate change. Leaders do not fulfil all of their statutory responsibilities. This is particularly evident in their oversight of alternative provision and safeguarding arrangements.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Governors do not have an accurate-enough understanding of the school's effectiveness. They have not checked carefully enough that the school's statutory duties are met or challenged leaders effectively when standards have fallen. Governors knew about concerns relating to safeguarding. However, these weaknesses were not addressed quickly enough. As a result, governors have not provided effective oversight of the school's work or held leaders to account for improving outcomes for pupils.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Weak oversight and accountability have allowed serious shortcomings to continue. The school is not able to secure the necessary improvements without significant external support.

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

Pupils in this school do not experience high-quality education and support consistently in an environment where they are kept safe and can achieve and thrive. Attendance remains too low, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. Too many pupils miss important learning and wider opportunities.

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

Pupils' experiences of learning vary too much across the school. Activities often focus on completing tasks rather than securing important knowledge and skills. Teachers do not identify and address gaps in pupils' understanding effectively. This means that too many pupils do not learn and achieve well across the curriculum. Published outcomes have declined over time. Too many pupils leave the school without secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. They are not prepared as well as they should be for secondary school.

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

Most pupils are generally polite and respectful. Many try to behave sensibly in lessons and around school. However, behaviour expectations are not applied consistently. Some pupils experience disruption due to behaviour that affects their learning in lessons. Pupils say that bullying and unkind behaviour occur. They do not always have confidence that their concerns will be resolved effectively. While pupils can identify staff they can speak with if they are worried, not all pupils are fully confident in the systems intended to support their safety and wellbeing.

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

Pupils enjoy spending time with their friends, and many speak positively about the relationships they have with staff. They appreciate opportunities to take part in clubs, trips and leadership roles, including the school council and the young carers ambassador programme. Pupils from different backgrounds, including pupils with SEND, those who speak English as an additional language and disadvantaged pupils, are included in school life and are valued members of the school community. However, the support they receive is not consistently effective in helping them to be as safe or achieve as well as they should.

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Next steps

Leaders must strengthen the school's safeguarding systems by ensuring that concerns, referrals and actions are recorded accurately, acted on promptly and monitored rigorously, including for pupils attending alternative provision. Leaders and governors must fulfil their statutory responsibilities. They should provide effective oversight, challenge and quality assurance, particularly in relation to safeguarding, the school's use of alternative provision and its improvement priorities. Leaders must improve the consistency of curriculum implementation and teaching so that pupils build secure knowledge and skills across different subjects and are prepared well for their next stage of education. Leaders must ensure that teachers use assessment effectively to identify gaps in pupils' understanding, adapt learning to meet pupils' needs and provide feedback that helps pupils improve. Leaders must ensure that pupils who face barriers to learning, including pupils with

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Next steps

special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and pupils who speak English as an additional language, receive consistently effective support. Leaders should improve pupils' attendance, particularly for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, so that pupils attend often and benefit fully from the education and support available. Leaders should evaluate the impact of the personal development and wellbeing programme more effectively so that pupils develop a secure understanding of life in modern Britain, diversity, relationships, safety and wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Janice Fuller.

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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

This inspection took place on 7 and 8 July 2026.

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Team inspectors:

Nick Rudman, Ofsted Inspector Ania Vaughan, 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 7 July 2026

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192

Below average 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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192

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the co-deputy headteachers, governors, parents and carers, pupils and staff during the inspection.

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192

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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192

The school may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspections we carry out.

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192

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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192

Since the time of the previous inspection, there has been a new headteacher who took up the position in September 2024.

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192

The school makes use of 3 alternative provisions, 2 of which are unregistered.

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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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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 76% 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

2024/25 (final) 40% 47% 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

2023/24 (final) 71% 62% 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

2024/25 (final) 60% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 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

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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

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

2022/23 (3 term) 16.8% 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

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