Parsonage Farm Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good school.

It has maintained the strengths identified in its previous inspection and has been successful in raising pupils' attainment in English at the end of Year 6 from being low in 2009 to broadly average for the current Year 6 pupils. Attainment by the end of Year 2 has also improved, and has been above average for the last three years. Inspection evidence and school data show that pupils currently in Year 5, and in the years below, are on track to meet the challenging targets set for attainment to be above average in English and mathematics when these pupils leave Year 6.

Pupils' achievement is good and most pupils make good progress in their learning. Currently, the progres...s of more-able pupils in mathematics is satisfactory because teachers are not sufficiently adapting their planning to meet these pupils' needs. Pupils have an outstanding understanding of how to keep safe in the school, the community and on the internet.

This is confirmed by 100% of parents and carers who returned the questionnaire agreeing that the school keeps their children safe. Provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Children make good progress in learning the links between letters and sounds but less so in developing early number skills for the more able.

Children have insufficient opportunities to choose their own activities indoors and outdoors as too many activities are adult led. There are strengths in the teaching of reading and writing across the school. Teachers and teaching assistants work successfully to ensure that pupils benefit from and make consistently good progress through working in groups based on their ability.

The provision of extra-curricular activities is good and there is a high take up by pupils of the many clubs offered at lunchtime and after school. All staff are effective in supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those whose circumstances put them at risk of being vulnerable. As a result, these groups make good progress in their learning.

School self-evaluation is broadly accurate. The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher and other senior leaders and managers, is committed to continuous school improvement. In this, she is supported by an effective governing body that provides good challenge and support.

Taking into consideration the significant improvement in attainment since the last inspection, and the quality of school improvement planning, the school has a good capacity to improve. Parents and carers receive high-quality information as to the National Curriculum levels which their children reach in reading, writing and mathematics. This information for parents and carers includes detailed next steps targets for their children in each subject.

However, these targets are not shared consistently with pupils by teachers, with the result that pupils are not always sufficiently aware of what they need to do next.

Information about the school

This is a much larger than average size primary school. Most pupils are of White British heritage.

An increasing proportion of pupils come from a range of other minority-ethnic heritages. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, most of whom have speech, language and communication difficulties or social, emotional and behaviour needs, is below the national average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average.