Parker's Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Urgently improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that arrangements and procedures for safeguarding meet statutory requirements so that pupils who need help receive swift and appropriate support
  • ensuring that a culture of safeguarding pervades the school so that all adults are aware of their critical responsibility to keep pupils safe from harm
  • training staff to respond swiftly and appropriately to concerns about the welfare of pupils so that pupils are kept safe and develop effective strategies to keep themselves safe, both in and beyond school
  • further ensuring that all pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum, whereby pupils develop in-depth understanding, knowledge and skills of history, geography and science
  • ensuring that all members of staff share leaders’ and governors’ strategic vision for success by addressing the areas for improvement in teaching, learning and assessment
  • continuing to ensure that leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is effective by providing support and training in identified areas
  • ensuring that communications about pupils’ progress and the quality of provision are disseminated effectively to parents and carers.
• Raise the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by:
  • ensuring that teachers meet the needs of pupils by using the information they have about their achievement
  • ensuring that teachers at key stage 2 develop pupils’ reasoning skills in mathematics so that they can consider and evaluate different approaches to mathematical problems
  • ensuring that pupils at key stage 2 have access to a wider range of texts so that they can consider the ways in which writers use language to convey different ideas in more depth
  • further ensuring that pupils at key stage 2 consider audience, purpose and text type when selecting specific vocabulary and grammatical constructions for their writing
  • continuing to monitor the progress that pupils make in all areas of the curriculum so that support can be provided quickly
  • addressing the poor presentation of pupils’ work in the wider curriculum.
• Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by ensuring that teachers use the school behaviour policy consistently when addressing low-level disruption in the classroom and around the school. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

• Since the previous inspection, the school has undergone significant staffing and leadership turbulence resulting in a decline in the standard of provision for pupils. In collaboration with the local authority, leaders have attempted to address issues regarding the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. However, progress has been slowed by the changes in leadership.
• Leaders do not systematically review the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to ensure that relative weaknesses are tackled. Staff do not consistently receive professional development that is appropriate to their needs.
• The curriculum is not well rounded. Pupils do not have frequent opportunities to develop in-depth knowledge and understanding of history, geography and science. Pupils do not make strong progress in these subject areas.
• Leaders of subjects such as mathematics, English, history, geography and science have not been fully supported by senior leaders until recently. Subject leaders have not been provided with the time and resources to develop their subjects fully. Through support from the local authority, they have devised effective action plans, but these have not yet been embedded in the curriculum.
• Leaders have not ensured that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are involved consistently in the setting of targets and the review of their achievements. Additionally, leaders have not ensured that teachers provide clear targets and reviews to ensure that pupils make good progress in line with pupils nationally. The school’s use of SEN funding does not currently have the impact it should have.
• Although the number is small, disadvantaged pupils do not make strong progress and although the expenditure is monitored, it is not effective.
• Leaders and governors do not communicate effectively with parents and carers issues regarding pupils’ progress and the quality of provision at the school. Many parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, expressed their concerns about the turnover of staff and the possible impact on their children.
• Leaders have worked closely with the local authority. Frequent reviews of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment have provided accurate recommendations for further improvements. For example, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in key stage 1 has continued to improve.
• Leaders and governors have an accurate view of the quality of the school’s provision and the areas that require improvement. Leaders and governors have high ambitions for all pupils to succeed at the school and have sufficient leadership capacity to improve the school. The new headteacher has introduced new systems and approaches to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’ behaviour. For example, teaching assistants have received training to improve their support of low prior-attaining pupils and the impact is evident in the strength of their questioning that enables pupils to access the curriculum.
• Leadership of the early years is a strength of the school. With a focused vision, leaders have established an engaging and stimulating curriculum to nurture children’s inherent love for learning.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils explore democracy through campaigning for school elections and have many opportunities to express their thoughts and feelings throughout the curriculum. In addition, pupils develop an informed understanding of the range of ways in which people engage with religious faiths, such as Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

Governance of the school

• Following the disbandment of the previous governing body, the local authority appointed a national leader of governance to form an effective governing body. As a result, the current governing body ably challenges leaders regarding the quality of provision for pupils. Governors have also been instrumental in supporting leaders to ensure the physical safety of pupils by securing the school grounds.
• The governing body has a sharp understanding of the issues that the school faces. Inspection evidence demonstrates that governors challenge leaders effectively and robustly. They have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.
• Governors do not challenge leaders effectively about the impact of funding for disadvantaged pupils.
• Members of the governing body are frequent visitors to the school and demonstrate both commitment and focus to their work as governors. They ask questions about what pupils learn, how they learn and the impact of the learning to inform governors’ meetings and the challenge they pose to leaders.
• Although the budget has been delegated to the local authority, the governing body monitors the effectiveness of spending of the physical education (PE) and sport premium funding well. Pupils benefit from a range of sports and staff gain teaching skills to provide sustainable sports provision.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.
• Over time, leaders have not ensured that safeguarding arrangements are secure and have not established a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. They have not ensured that all staff recognise their critical responsibility to keep pupils safe from harm.
• Pupils who need help do not consistently receive timely and appropriate support, thereby potentially risking their physical and emotional well-being. Documentation regarding pupils who need help is not sufficiently legible and detailed. Follow-up actions are not consistently recorded. Consequently, pupils do not receive swift and appropriate support.
• Leaders, including governors, have ensured that the school grounds are now secure. Additionally, leaders and governors have ensured that checks on the suitability of adults to work with children are rigorous and meet statutory requirements.
• Leaders and governors have ensured that all staff receive statutory safeguarding training alongside frequent updates.
• Despite the turbulence of staffing, leaders have ensured that pupils know how to keep safe when online and the importance of doing so.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teachers do not consistently use assessment information to inform the planning of tasks, activities and sequences of learning to meet the needs of all pupils. Consequently, the most able pupils are not consistently challenged, while the low prior- attaining pupils are not provided with sufficient support to enable them to access the curriculum effectively. Pupils, particularly in key stage 2, do not make strong progress in many areas of the curriculum.
• Although pupils develop an understanding of the grammatical construction of the English language in key stage 2, they do not use this to improve their writing. Pupils do not consider audience, purpose and text type when selecting language features.
• Inspection evidence demonstrates that pupils’ writing often includes inaccuracies and misconceptions that are not addressed by teachers. Pupils do not review their writing to check for accuracy and to consider the effectiveness of their language choices. As a result, pupils in key stage 2 do not make good progress.
• Pupils’ writing in geography, history and science is not well developed. Teachers do not apply the same expectations to pupils’ writing in these subject areas as they do to their writing in English. Additionally, pupils’ presentation of their work in history, geography and science is poor, reflecting a lack of pride in their work.
• Pupils do not develop an in-depth understanding of history, geography and science. Teachers do not sequence learning clearly so that pupils can develop more complex understanding of scientific concepts, and historical and geographical events and themes. As a result, pupils in all year groups do not make strong progress in these subject areas.
• Pupils at key stage 2 do not make strong progress. Although leaders have accurately identified reasoning as an area that requires strengthening, teachers do not consistently develop pupils’ ability to consider approaches to mathematical problems. Teachers do not consistently develop pupils’ understanding from concrete concepts to more abstract ideas.
• Reading for pleasure is not promoted well across the school. Links between reading texts and the teaching of writing are not made explicit in lessons, particularly at key stage 2. Pupils do not have frequent access to a range of high-quality texts with which to develop their understanding of how writers use language to convey ideas, characters and settings.
• Teachers’ expectations of the conduct of some pupils are not high enough. Where learning does not regularly challenge, some pupils disengage from lessons and occasionally create low-level disruption.
• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment in key stage 1 is strong. Through well-structured lessons, pupils engage well and make very good progress. Over time, most pupils achieve above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teaching assistants are effective in supporting pupils who have SEN and /or disabilities. Through pertinent questioning, they support pupils to access tasks and activities. However, these pupils do not make rapid progress in many areas of the curriculum.
• The teaching of phonics is strong. Through regular, high-quality phonics sessions, pupils develop key skills which enable them to decode words successfully.
• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment in music is strong. Pupils develop their singing skills well. Year 6 develop strong performance skills through leading assemblies and their school show. For example, the inspector observed pupils skilfully performing a story from the Bible to the school in assembly.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported well throughout the curriculum. For example, the inspector observed Year 5 and Year 6 pupils considering the character flaws, such as boastfulness, of the pirate Redbeard.
• Pupils use talk very effectively to support each other’s learning. They discuss ideas with both their teacher and their peers to extend their thinking.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• Pupils do not consistently demonstrate pride in their work. Many pupils do not take care to present their work neatly and legibly in many areas of the curriculum.
• Most pupils told the inspector that they felt safe at the school and that they felt confident that adults would support them if they had a problem.
• Pupils are kind, welcoming and empathetic towards each other. Pupils and staff have strong relationships.
• Despite the turbulence created by changes in staffing, pupils demonstrate resilience. Most pupils like their school. Pupils told the inspector how much they enjoyed coming to school.
• Through the school council, pupils develop their ability to voice their concerns. They develop their campaigning skills well through the democratic process of elections and represent their peers well.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Most pupils’ conduct in class and around the school is good. However, where teaching and learning is not strong, some pupils become disengaged and create low-level disruption which is not addressed effectively by adults. Additionally, at lunchtime and breaktime, pupils told the inspector that a minority of pupils’ misbehaviour is not addressed by adults and can be distressing.
• Pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average. The attendance of disadvantaged pupils is slightly below the national average. The school is addressing this through the monitoring of pupils’ absences. The attendance of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is slightly below that of other pupils but largely due to medical appointments.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils are currently not making good progress in reading and mathematics at key stage 2. Pupils made significantly less progress in reading in 2016 and 2017 than other pupils nationally. Pupils’ attainment at the expected level in reading at key stage 2 was below the national figure in 2016 and just below in 2017. Additionally, pupils’ progress in mathematics was well below the national average in 2017.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities do not make strong progress across the curriculum in all year groups.
• Disadvantaged pupils do not make good progress and do not attain well in many areas of the curriculum, including in reading and mathematics, in all year groups.
• Pupils do not currently make good progress in many areas of the wider curriculum, such as geography, history and science, particularly at key stage 2.
• Pupils in key stage 1 have attained above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics in 2016 and 2017. Additionally, the proportion of pupils who attained greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics in 2016 and 2017 was above the national average. This is because leaders and teachers plan lessons that both engage and challenge pupils to make good progress.
• In the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2016 and 2017, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard was above the national average. Strong, systematic teaching of phonics in both Reception and Year 1 has ensured that pupils develop their decoding skills well.
• At key stage 2, pupils’ progress and attainment have been in line with the national figures for writing in 2016 and 2017. However, pupils do not make the rapid progress they are capable of as they do not consider the impact of the language features they select for their writing. Inspection evidence shows that pupils’ writing is not cohesive and lacks technical accuracy.

Early years provision Good

• Having joined the school with skills, understanding and knowledge just below those typical for their age groups, children in the early years make good progress from their starting points. Through strong teaching and a well-constructed curriculum, children are well prepared for the Year 1 curriculum by the end of their time in Reception. They develop strong language skills alongside early mathematical understanding, physical dexterity and strong social skills.
• Leadership of the early years is strong. With clear systems for monitoring and evaluating children’s progress, leaders have tailored activities and tasks to meet the needs of all children. For example, children who require additional support with developing their early phonics skills receive small-group teaching to ensure that they are ready for Year 1.
• Leaders ensure that all staff receive effective training in how best to support the development of Reception children’s skills, knowledge and understanding in a range of discrete subject areas. For example, the inspector observed the fascination and enthusiasm with which children responded to adults explaining the life cycle of butterflies. Children have had opportunities to observe the metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies, thereby supporting their understanding of the natural world. Children articulated their understanding by telling the inspector that moths had cocoons and butterflies had chrysalises.
• Staff design both indoor and outdoor activities to ferment and nourish children’s imaginations. Children engage with different worlds through carefully constructed play such as dressing up, mark-making in sand and discussions about the natural world.
• Through strong relationships with adults and their peers, children develop empathetic social skills such as kindness, generosity and helpfulness. They share the resources with each other and help each other to enjoy the activities. Children are well prepared for study in school as they understand the code of conduct and respond appropriately to rules.
• The proportion of children who made a good level of development was above the national average in 2016 and 2017. Due to close checking of children’s progress, tailored support and well-structured activities, most children currently make a good level of development.
• Staff have strong relationships with parents and many respond frequently to children’s learning journals.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 121101 Norfolk 10053886 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Number of pupils on the school roll Voluntary controlled 4 to 11 Mixed 100 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Helen Adshead Mark Cresswell (interim executive headteacher) Telephone number 01953 881601 Website Email address www.parkers.norfolk.sch.uk office@parkers.norfolk.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20–21 November 2013

Information about this school

• The school is smaller than most primary schools.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage, with small numbers of pupils from a range of different ethnic backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils in receipt of education, health and care plans is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities support is above the national average.
• In 2017, the school met the government’s published floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment.
• The current executive headteacher was appointed in June 2018.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed a range of lessons. The inspector also made short visits to lessons and looked at pupils’ books.
• The inspector spoke with a range of pupils from various year groups. Discussions with school staff, including senior leaders, middle leaders and five governors, were held. The inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.
• The inspector scrutinised a range of school documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, information on pupils’ outcomes and records relating to the monitoring of teaching, learning and assessment, and the behaviour and safeguarding of pupils.
• The inspector took account of the 27 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, alongside 19 free-text messages from parents. The inspector also spoke to a range of parents.

Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector