Park View Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders recognised that the curriculum in some subjects needed to improve. They have taken steps to ensure that new curriculum plans help pupils to build on what they know and can do.

However, in some subjects these plans are new. Pupils have not had time to learn important subject knowledge. Many subject leaders have recently taken on new roles.

Some are uncertain about what is in their curriculum plans. Some subject leaders have not carried out thorough checks to ensure that subject plans are being taught effectively. As a result, the quality of the curriculum is inconsistent.

Pupils at this school are safe and happy. Adults have high expectations for how p...upils should treat one another. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive.

Pupils are respectful of differences. As one pupil said, 'Being different is good. Without it, the world would be boring.'

Pupils recognise the importance of listening to other opinions and ideas.

The school environment is calm. Pupils are well behaved.

They do not have to worry about bullying in school. Pupils know about different types of bullying and say that bullying is rare. They are confident that teachers would help them if they had a problem.

The school's records confirm this positive view.

Pupils take part in educational visits to help them learn more about the curriculum. For example, pupils visit religious buildings to learn more about different faiths.

This broadens their horizons.

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

With the support of the academy trust, leaders have improved the curriculum. Senior leaders have identified the most important things that pupils must know.

However, this information has not been passed to some subject leaders. As a result, they are unsure about what is in their curriculum plans and what knowledge pupils should learn. Some subject leaders have not checked how well the curriculum is being taught.

Where checks have taken place, they have not been thorough. This means subject leaders do not have an accurate understanding of how well pupils are learning in their subject.

The head of academy has regular meetings with members of the trust to discuss standards in English and mathematics.

However, curriculum leaders do not have a good enough understanding of how well pupils are doing in their subjects. In some subjects such as physical education and history, systems to check what pupils have learned have only recently been introduced. Subject leaders have not had an opportunity to use these systems.

This means that they do not have an accurate understanding of what pupils know and can do. In English and mathematics, curriculum leaders do not use assessment information well enough to plan next steps.

Adults support children well in the early years.

The early years leader has reviewed the curriculum. Children build on what they know as they move from Nursery to Reception and then on to Year 1. Adults help children to develop language from an early age.

There are lots of opportunities for children to learn about the world around them. Routines are well established. This helps children to become more independent from an early age.

Leaders have ensured that reading is a priority in school. Children learn to read as soon as they start the Reception year. Leaders have introduced a new approach to the teaching of reading.

Adults have received effective training to use the school's phonics programme. Teachers carry out regular checks to see how well pupils are doing. Pupils receive extra help if they start to fall behind.

The books that pupils read are well matched to the letter sounds that they are learning. This helps the pupils to become more confident when they read. Pupils use their knowledge of sounds well to tackle words that they have not read before.

Pupils respond positively to the behaviour policy. The school's 'Pledge Passport' encourages pupils to take part in activities that promote good citizenship. Leaders are careful to promote equal opportunities and encourage pupils to raise their aspirations.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides useful resources to help staff to meet pupils' individual needs. Staff take part in a range of training opportunities to help them support pupils with SEND.

Pupils benefit from the support of local agencies.

Staff support each other well. They share ideas and provide advice for one another.

Senior leaders take care to consider the workload of staff. Some staff would welcome further support to carry out their roles effectively. Staff enjoy working at the school.

They are proud to be a part of the school community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders place the safeguarding of pupils as a priority.

Leaders carry out detailed checks when appointing new staff. Staff who are new to the school receive useful information about how to keep pupils safe. Leaders ensure that staff are kept up to date with important safeguarding information.

Staff record concerns in a timely manner. This helps staff to share important information that helps to keep pupils safe. Leaders work with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families have the help that they need to keep safe.

Pupils feel safe in school. They talk confidently about how to stay safe online. Pupils say that if they are concerned they can talk to an adult.

Pupils have faith that adults will listen and take action to help them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders do not have strong oversight of the curriculum in their subjects. Although the trust has supported senior leaders to develop a suitably ambitious curriculum, middle leaders are less clear about the intent in their curriculum subjects of responsibility.

This means that teachers are not sure what specific knowledge pupils should be learning. Senior leaders should ensure that subject leaders have a good understanding of their curriculum subject, so that they can support staff to deliver the curriculum effectively. ? Leaders do not carry out thorough checks to see how well the curriculum is being taught.

This means that they do not have a clear picture of how effectively teachers are implementing the planned curriculum. Senior leaders should ensure that subject leaders carry out thorough checks on their curriculum subjects and use this information to further improve the quality of curriculum delivery. ? Assessment systems to check what pupils know and can remember are not robust.

Teachers are not using existing systems to check what pupils have learned well. As a result, leaders are unclear on how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum. Senior leaders should support curriculum subject leaders to use effective systems to check what pupils know, remember and can do.