Park Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Park Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe here and are proud of their school.

Leaders and staff prioritise the well-being of pupils and their families. Pupils spoke excitedly about caring for the school's chickens and are clearly fond of tending the butterfly garden.

Teachers expect all pupils to work hard and achieve their potential.

They adapt the curriculum and provide extra help for pupils who need it. Through partnership work, leaders secure additional opportunities within the community. For example, pupils' self-confidence and motivation are boosted through visits to the local foo...tball club.

In class, pupils listen to their teachers and focus on their work. They talk respectfully to each other about their learning. Pupils enjoy learning and remember what they were taught in previous years.

Pupils behave in a calm and orderly manner. Playtimes are lively and fun. Pupils readily tidy away the playground equipment before lining up.

Pupils, parents and carers have a positive view of behaviour in the school. They said that if any bullying occurs, it is dealt with quickly so that it stops.

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

All national curriculum subjects are taught.

Leaders sequence carefully the key knowledge that pupils should learn. Clear planning sets out what subject content teachers must teach and when so that pupils' knowledge builds each year and they achieve well. For example, early geography in Reception starts with children exploring the location of their classroom within the school.

This prepares them for Year 1, when they find out about their local area and go on to learn about the countries within the United Kingdom.

The curriculum is well sequenced and embedded. Teachers have a secure understanding of how pupils build their knowledge and skills in different subjects as they progress through the school.

They use assessments to check pupils' learning and decide if plans need adjusting. Additionally, teachers revisit previous learning at the beginning of each lesson and check what pupils remember. Pupils have good strategies to support their learning.

For example, pupils practise mathematics facts every day. In the Reception classes, resources in the indoor and outdoor areas support number work and help children to make a positive early start with mathematics.

Ambition for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is high.

Pupils with SEND access the same learning as their peers. Through strong links with external agencies, staff receive appropriate training to help them to identify and meet pupils' needs.

Reading has a high profile across the school.

All pupils read aloud with their teacher at least once a week. Each classroom has a book corner with well-selected fiction and non-fiction books. Teachers read every day to their classes and pupils enjoy listening to stories.

In writing, a range of literature, including poetry and stories from other cultures, is used to support pupils to write.

Children learn phonics from when they join the Reception class. Leaders support staff to teach the phonics programme effectively.

The school has books and resources to encourage pupils to develop fluent reading. Occasionally, pupils read books that are not well selected to match the sounds they know.

Leaders ensure that enrichment activities are open to all pupils.

Every pupil experiences a trip to the theatre, for example. There are a wide range of clubs available before and after the school day. These include mathematics, dance, cheerleading, art, and homework club.

Leaders make sure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to attend a club if they wish. This includes pupils with SEND.

Pupils get involved in the running of their school.

For example, the school council has developed the school lunch menu options working alongside the school canteen staff. Travel ambassadors in Year 5 monitor road safety around school.

The new relationships and health education curriculum supports pupils to form positive relationships as well as manage their own feelings.

Pupils are encouraged to understand and respect different beliefs, cultures and religions.

Leaders support staff with regular school-based training. Senior leaders support staff by taking care of their workload and well-being.

Governors check on staff well-being and regularly ask about their workload at meetings. Mentoring is available to support staff with managing their time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff know the signs to look out for that might mean a pupil needs help. They have also had training in how to listen to pupils. Robust systems are in place and used by staff to log any concerns, no matter how small.

Leaders manage appropriately any referrals for help.

The school has strong links with a range of external services to secure help for pupils, including early health. This means that families get the support they need quickly.

Governors review the single central register regularly. This allows them to check that safer recruitment processes are followed.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few instances, pupils at the early stages of learning to read are not given books that closely match the sounds they have learned.

This makes it difficult for them to read fluently and build their confidence. Leaders should make sure that when learning to read, all books pupils read are carefully selected to match the phonics they know.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2011.