Palace Wood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The determination and drive of senior leaders have brought about significant improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and to pupils' outcomes. Governors provide clear, strategic direction for the school.

They provide both good support to the headteacher and helpful challenge. Leaders check pupils' learning and progress regularly and effectively. They ensure that actions are taken quickly to support pupils who are at risk of falling behind.

Pupils enjoy their learning because teachers plan activities that are engaging. Pupils make strong progress from their different starting points in reading, writing and mathemat...ics. Pupils also make good progress in subjects beyond English and mathematics.

Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged make good progress. Leaders ensure that these pupils are well supported in lessons. Lessons capture pupils' interest and develop their knowledge and understanding.

As a result, pupils learn well and make good progress. There are positive relationships between pupils and adults and this helps lessons to proceed smoothly. Pupils behave well and work hard.

Pupils know the importance of good manners and are keen to put the school's values into practice. Pupils feel safe at school. Children are safe, settled and happy in the early years.

As a result of consistently good teaching, children make strong progress from the time they start and are well prepared for their learning in Year 1. Parents are very supportive of the school. One parent captured the opinions of many and reported: 'The school is fantastic… the children run in to school happy and with enthusiasm every day.'

Lessons are well planned and teachers set tasks that focus well on most pupils' needs. However, at times teachers do not challenge pupils well enough, especially the most able pupils. All teachers follow agreed practices for teaching and learning, mostly to good effect.

However, some teachers are less skilled at monitoring how well pupils learn during lessons. This leads to steady, rather than rapid, progress for some pupils.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

The school met the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 6, in 2016. Since the previous inspection, the headteacher and SENCo have started in their roles. There are new members of the governing body.

The school is of an above-average size for a primary school. The proportion of pupils who are supported through pupil premium funding is below the national average, as is the proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. A small proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups.

Also at this postcode