Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a warm and friendly community that lives out its values of belonging, kindness and resilience. Pupils are happy, and they feel safe. They know that if they are kind to someone, then they will be kind back.

Pupils want to do the best they can. They respond well to the high aspirations that the school has of them even when they find work challenging. Pupils enjoy the learning they do in class.

This captures their interest. One pupil, for example, enjoyed learning about rainforests so much that they went home and carried on fi...nding out as much as they could online.

This is an inclusive school where all pupils have access to a wide range of after-school clubs.

These include yoga and 'relax and read' as well as a range of sporting opportunities. The school celebrates the different jobs that people in the community have. Pupils enjoy thinking about their future and what they might need to do to achieve these roles.

Pupils behave well. They are clear of the expectations that the school has of them, and they work hard to meet these. Pupils are well supported by staff who know them well.

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

The school has a very clear rationale for the curriculum it has adopted. Staff work hard to ensure that this is relevant for the pupils who attend the school. The school ensures that pupils follow a broad and balanced curriculum that sets out precisely the knowledge and vocabulary that they want the pupils to know.

Staff are real experts in their subjects, and they help pupils to learn and remember plenty of useful knowledge. However, sometimes staff present new facts that do not link to what pupils already know. This confuses pupils, and they struggle to remember their learning.

The school prioritises reading so that pupils become confident and fluent readers. The staff receive high-quality training and know how to teach reading well. Books are well matched to the sounds that pupils know so that pupils can practise the sounds that they are learning.

Teachers carefully monitor all pupils so that those who need extra help to keep up receive it quickly.

The school promotes a love of reading. The recently introduced story time is very popular with pupils.

The learning council chooses the books that teachers read to their classes. Other books by the same authors are available in the class book corner. Reading comes alive when there is a focus on authors for World Book Day.

This has included a farm coming into school when reading Dick King Smith books as many of his stories are set on farms.

The provision for pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is of a high quality. Teachers adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of individuals as they know where they are in their learning and what they need to do next.

For some pupils, staff design a personalised curriculum as it is more appropriate. Parents and the school work in partnership to ensure that pupils with SEND make progress.

Staff ensure that pupils behave well.

Detailed training on the new behaviour policy has ensured that everyone is aware of the expectations. Staff manage behaviour consistently well. As a result of this, the number of behaviour incidents is reducing.

Pupils and adults have strong relationships that are rooted in mutual respect.

The school has a broad personal development programme. Pupils experience new things by completing '50 things to do before you leave the school'.

This includes raising money for charity and staying away from home for the first time. Pupils enjoy these activities and working as part of a community to complete them.

The school embraces a positive and open environment for staff and parents.

Parents are very positive about the school and the experiences their children have. Parents and the school work together. Staff feel valued and know that their well-being and workload are carefully considered.

Governors work collaboratively with the staff to ensure that the vision and values are at the forefront of the school's work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, pupils learn facts and skills in isolation without linking back to their prior knowledge.

This means that pupils cannot make links in their learning and, therefore, forget what is taught. The school needs to refine the curriculum so that pupils revisit the most important knowledge and commit this to memory.

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

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

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2018.