The Parks Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Enjoyment and inclusion are at the heart of the exceptional education that pupils at The Parks Academy receive.

Pupils are consistently kind and encouraging to each other. Pupils listen carefully when others are speaking. They offer help when their classmates need it.

All pupils spoken to say that they would recommend this school to their friends.

The curriculum supports pupils to be successful learners across all subjects. Pupils make strong progress from their starting points.

The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. The curriculum is highly ambitious and enables pupils to learn and use important knowl...edge and vocabulary.

The school sets high expectations for behaviour.

Pupils understand and follow the clear guidelines that staff provide. Pupils learn to manage their own behaviour exceptionally well. If a pupil's behaviour does slip below the high expectations, they are swiftly supported.

In lessons, pupils focus on what they are doing and maximise every minute of their learning.

Parents, carers, pupils and staff are proud of the school. Pupils appreciate all that it offers, including the free breakfast club and wide range of after-school activities.

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

Leaders, in partnership with colleagues from Delta Academies Trust, have created an exceptionally ambitious curriculum. It is taught consistently well across the school to meet the needs of all pupils. Pupils relish the challenge every day offers them as they learn.

Children get off to a flying start in the early years and this continues through to Year 6.Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Staff focus on developing children's communication skills as soon as children begin Nursery.

Children in Reception and Year 1 benefit from a well-structured approach to teaching phonics. Staff are highly skilled and teaching is focused and precise. This ensures that children learn sounds quickly.

Children read books matched to the sounds that they are learning. They talk about stories with enthusiasm. Any child who finds reading difficult is quickly identified and given carefully planned support.

This helps them catch up quickly. Older pupils talk with enthusiasm and confidence about books they have read. They appreciate that books are everywhere in the school.

Pupils show deep understanding of learning across the curriculum. In history, they enjoy finding out about what historians have said about events. They examine how events are recorded and form questions about the reliability of sources of historical information.

In geography, pupils consider humans' effect on the environment through their work on light pollution in Las Vegas and comparisons with the light from Hull Fair.

Teachers are highly knowledgeable. They receive effective training around all subject areas to help them to plan learning which builds over time.

Lessons enable pupils to revisit learning, build on prior knowledge and apply what they know. This helps them to remember important knowledge.

Assessment is rigorous.

Teachers use it well to adjust the curriculum to meet pupils' needs. Any pupils needing extra help are quickly spotted and effectively supported. Staff use the detailed planning and clear assessment procedures to check if pupils are achieving.

Every child is seen as unique. Staff enable all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve exceptionally well. Staff are clear about individual pupils' specific needs.

Any barriers to success are reduced or removed. Pupils with SEND have clear support plans to ensure that targets are known by staff and used to help pupils to learn successfully.

Personal development is deeply rooted in the culture of the school.

Pupils model tolerance and respect and are taught to take responsibility. Enrichment activities are planned to help pupils to experience the world beyond The Parks Academy. For example, pupils worked with councillors to improve the local environment.

They contributed ideas to make bus stops bee-friendly. Pupils in Year 5 meet with employers to raise their aspirations for the future. They learn about what is needed to successfully enter the world of work.

Pupils follow a programme that teaches them about different cultures and faiths and about the importance of values such as democracy. Pupils cannot articulate their understanding of these areas as well as other aspects of their learning. Leaders recognise this and are determined to give pupils greater confidence to speak about this learning.

Leaders work tirelessly to build on their good relationships with the local community. Parents are invited into school. Pupils enjoy presenting their learning to parents as part of their oracy work.

Parents appreciate the work of the school. One parent said: 'All members of staff are amazing! They all go above and beyond to help both the children and the parents.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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