Parkwood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The headteacher, with good support from leaders and governors, is building well on the work started by the interim headteacher, following a dip in the school's performance two years ago. Improvements in the pupils' achievement are clearly visible in reading and mathematics. School leaders have worked successfully to ensure that teaching is good and improving.

This is being achieved through well-planned training and teachers learning from each other by sharing their practice. Pupils make rapid progress in mathematics across the school and their attainment is high. This is because teaching is outstanding and ensures that pupils apply their... skills and so deepen their understanding of number.

Pupils make rapid progress in their understanding of letters and sounds in the early years and at Key Stage 1. Provision for children in the early years is highly stimulating. This enables them to make rapid gains in their learning and language development.

The school's values, such as democracy and individual liberty, help pupils understand their role in British society. The school accurately identifies the learning needs of its pupils where they have potential barriers slowing their progress. This enables it to focus support and resources, such as the pupil premium, to ensure they achieve as well as other pupils.

Behaviour is good, helping to make the school calm and harmonious. Pupils try hard at all times to live the Parkwood values of mutual respect and tolerance of others. Pupils enjoy school and their learning.

They are well motivated, work hard and are very keen to learn. This generates a real sense of purpose in classrooms. Pupils say they feel safe because they know the site is secure and adults continually keep an eye out for any risks.

It is not yet an outstanding school because: The pupils' progress in writing is good but lags behind in reading and mathematics in Years 5 and 6. This is because pupils have not developed the stamina to write extensively at length compared with younger pupils. Teachers do not always provide enough opportunities for the pupils to develop their writing skills in different subjects.

Teachers do not always set hard enough work for the more-able pupils.

Information about this school

This school is average in size compared with other primary schools. Most pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds with the largest groups being pupils of Any other White or Black African heritages.

Three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language. This figure is much higher than average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for funding through the pupil premium is well above the national average but falling.

This is additional government funding which, in this school, supports pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well above the national average but falling. The Nursery caters for 22 children on a part-time basis and 14 full time.

Children attend the Reception class full time. The headteacher was appointed in September 2014 following one year when the school was led by the deputy headteacher on an interim basis. This followed the retirement of the long-serving previous headteacher in 2013.

The headteacher supports assessment and mathematics development work across the borough. The school provides a daily breakfast club. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.