Park Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Park Academy is a happy and successful school. Pupils are polite, courteous and attentive in lessons.

All pupils, including the very youngest, know and understand the school's aim for pupils to persevere, be resilient, be open-minded and to be determined (PROUD). Pupils enjoy their social times together. They enjoy contributing to the school through their roles as house captains, mini police and playground leaders, and by showing visitors around school.

Pupils come from many different backgrounds. Many pupils speak English as an additional language. Pupils welcome every nationality to the school and many act as translators to help.

If verbal communication is ...difficult, pupils will use many other inventive ways to ensure that they are understood. The school is cohesive and inclusive.

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive.

Pupils told us that they feel safe in school. They say that bullying is rare. If it does happen, they are confident that it will be dealt with quickly and effectively.

Parents and carers, pupils and staff are positive about the school. One parent said: 'This is a lovely school. My child goes to school with a smile on their face.

Staff are nice and polite. I highly recommended this school.'

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

Leaders have designed a carefully sequenced curriculum that is well matched to the needs of the pupils in the school.

Leaders provide pupils with experiences that they might not otherwise get. Trips and visitors help pupils to remember the important bits of their learning. Leaders also make good use of specialist history and geography groups.

Pupils remember what they have learned and can recall some parts of their learning easily.

Pupils achieve better in some subjects than others. They do well in mathematics, science and personal, social and health education (PSHE) because these subjects have been taught for a long period.

Pupils do less well in art, music, and design technology because the plans for these subjects are at an early stage of being used.

The school's curriculum makes sure that pupils are developed spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. Pupils visit the local senior citizens home and join in a wide range of musical and sporting activities.

Pupils' talents are recognised and celebrated within the school. Young carers receive regular high-quality support and guidance.

Teachers plan lessons that are exciting and engaging.

Leaders give teachers time to plan with staff from other schools in the trust. Teachers then adapt these plans so that they match the needs of the pupils in their class.In class, pupils get on with their work.

Their learning is very rarely disrupted by the behaviour of others. Pupils say that learning is interesting and fun. However, some teachers do not check carefully enough how pupils are getting on in lessons.

This means that they do not pick up quickly on the mistakes that pupils make.

There are many skilled teaching assistants in the school. They watch carefully what is happening in lessons and give pupils help where they need it.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. However, sometimes teaching assistants do not check pupils' understanding carefully enough to be certain exactly what it is that pupils are finding difficult.

Early reading is taught well from the moment pupils join the school.

Teachers know what should be taught and when. Any pupils who are falling behind are quickly identified and given the support they need to catch up. Teachers plan lessons that encourage pupils to develop a love of reading.

Teachers read to pupils with expression and encourage them to participate in local events, such as the Boston Book Challenge.

Leaders make regular checks on how the large number of disadvantaged pupils at the school are doing. Those that need help get it quickly.

These pupils do well and in reading and mathematics often do better than other pupils in the school.

Children get off to a good start in the early years. Teachers provide them with a wide range of activities.

Pupils share and play extremely well together. They are helped to explore and find things out by themselves and when they are supported by adults. Adults make regular checks on how children are doing and skilfully guide them to their next challenge.

The headteacher has built an effective senior leadership team. They are skilled, well trained and understand what needs to be improved at the school. They share the headteacher's determined ambition that all pupils will be ready for the next stage of their education when they leave.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding records are detailed, fit for purpose and are shared with the staff that need to know. Safeguarding training and induction for staff are thorough.

Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular training. No one slips through the net.

The school works well with the trust's safeguarding lead and education welfare team.

Together, they make sure that any safeguarding concerns are followed up quickly and support is given to pupils and their families when it is needed. They are prepared to follow up any concerns relentlessly.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum plans make clear what pupils should know and remember over time in each subject.

Some subject plans have not been taught for very long. In these subjects, pupils are not remembering what they have learned in the longer term. Leaders should ensure that plans for all subjects are taught and embedded.

. Teachers make lessons exciting and engaging. Some teachers do not check carefully enough how pupils are getting on in lessons.

This means that pupils are making errors that are not corrected. Leaders should ensure that all teachers make regular checks on how pupils are doing in lessons and adapt teaching in light of this. .

There are many highly skilled teaching assistants in the school but some do not check carefully enough to find out exactly what pupils find difficult. This means that they cannot give just the right support and guidance. Leaders should ensure that teaching assistants receive appropriate training so that they are able to identify exactly the help that pupils need.

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