Parkside Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school? '

Come as you are and leave as a champion' is the school motto. Leaders promote this in all they do.

They have built an ethos that centres around children, families and community. Leaders welcome pupils into Reception with a golden ticket balloon. Year 6 pupils say goodbye with a final production.

These events, plus many more, help families to feel 'part of Parkside'.

Leaders provide extensive clubs, visits and opportunities that develop pupils' talents and interests and allows them to have their 'champion' moment. These include rock climbing, acting or leading a gymnastics club.

Pupils are polite and mature. They told inspectors that staff want to gi...ve them a great future. They are right.

Pupils feel safe and enjoy school. Pupils learn many interesting things that successfully build on what they know over time. They are excited by this saying, 'A whole new year of new experiences and new things to learn.'

However, the work in books is not always of a consistently high standard and there are basic errors.

Pupils mostly behave well with a few disagreements, but teachers sort these quickly. Bullying is rare.

Pupils trust that adults stop it when it happens.

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

Leaders have embedded a curriculum that allows all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to learn key information in a well-organised way. The curriculum starts from the beginning in the two-year-old provision and continues through the early years and beyond.

Consequently, with the right help, support and resources, pupils build up their learning in small steps.

Leaders have laid out clear principles for the way teachers check learning, both in the short and long term. Pupils say, 'The teachers keep our brains jiggling with good stuff.'

They remember and talk about much of their previous learning. For example, in art, pupils can recall a range of artists and the techniques they used. In geography, pupils use what they already know about oceans and continents to inform their learning on volcanoes and earthquakes.

In English, and across other books, pupils in some year groups make too many basic mistakes. Teachers are not addressing these errors. This means that pupils continue to get the same things wrong.

Their work often lacks pride. Teachers do not always challenge pupils when this happens.

Most pupils learn to read well.

Teachers teach phonics in a consistent way. Pupils read books carefully matched to the sounds they know. Pupils with prior lower attainment who are learning to read receive well-structured help and support but are not yet reading with sufficient fluency.

A love of reading begins in the early years. Books and talk are everywhere. 'Chatty snack' is a daily event.

In older years, pupils' reading scrapbooks entice pupils into an imaginary world. Older pupils read widely and particularly enjoy Shakespeare. As a result of effective teaching, pupils can debate the concept of control and slavery with a maturity beyond their years.

In early years, leaders have given thought to the way the learning environment and learning content is set out. They have trained staff to support children to grow and learn. This means adults help children to join in with a range of activities in a way that makes sure they are ready for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour in lessons is good. Pupils like the way staff are 'masters of making people happy' and 'mend friendships'. Occasionally, pupils 'fall out' or disagree and are not always sure how to sort these disagreements out for themselves.

However, they can resolve them with adult help. The 'Beach Hut' is a special place that helps pupils if they are angry, annoyed or sad. Inspectors agree.

Planned events, including a careers fair, ensure leaders prepare pupils very well for life beyond school. Pupils speak of their responsibilities with honour. These include being Reception buddies, sports leaders or mental health champions.

These responsibilities start from a young age. Reception children lay tables for their peers and fetch the milk. These opportunities extend into the community with litter picking and involvement with nearby care home residents.

Leaders, including trustees and governors, have a shared vision of being 'corporate but community-based'. They are successful in bringing this vision to life. Leaders are thoughtful and reflective.

They make effective decisions about all parts of school life in a way that helps pupils develop as unique individuals. This approach also helps staff feel valued, well looked after and proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure staff are safe to work with pupils. They make sure staff receive comprehensive training so they are confident in recognising the risks that pupils face. Staff report concerns and leaders act on these concerns swiftly.

Leaders use a range of agencies to give the right help in the right way.

Pupils understand that learning how their bodies change as they grow is important. They know the correct vocabulary and use these words respectfully and appropriately.

They know the importance of valuing yourself for who you are. They can talk to a grown up if they have worries.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils' work across several year groups lacks pride and contains many basic errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Teachers do not consistently address this. As a result, pupils repeat the same mistakes or are not being helped to present work to a high standard. Leaders should make sure that all teachers consistently have high enough expectations for presentation and that teachers address pupils' errors promptly.

• Pupils at the early stages of reading are not reading with enough fluency. This means that reading is hard work for them and they have to think about and sound out many of the individual words they are reading. Leaders should review and refine the targeted support being given to these pupils so that they can rapidly catch up and gain greater fluency.

Also at this postcode