Monkton Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Monkton Park Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils experience a rich and exciting curriculum.

They say that their work is fun. Pupils work hard and achieve well because leaders and teachers have high expectations of them. Pupils admire their teachers and talk proudly about how they help them to learn.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend regularly. Staff prioritise pupils' well-being and form caring and supportive relationships with them. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe.

They know that adults will help them if they have any worries. Pupils understand how to take responsibility for their actions. Thi...s means that poor behaviour and bullying are rare.

Pupils appreciate the way staff reward and praise them. For example, pupils love attending 'hot chocolate Fridays' to celebrate their efforts and achievements.

Pupils are friendly, welcoming and polite.

Pupils behave well. They enjoy attending the clubs that the school offers, such as running club and the model railway club. The choir were proud to attend 'Young Voices' in Birmingham recently.

The headteacher and staff are highly respected by parents, who praise the school's work. They typically comment, 'All staff are approachable' and 'My child has flourished here'.

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

The school is well led by the headteacher.

He is ably supported by other leaders and governors. They are dedicated to ensuring that pupils learn well in a range of subjects. Leaders have worked hard to design an ambitious curriculum.

Changes to the school's timetable mean that pupils have more time to learn subjects in depth. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to ensure that pupils understand the key facts and vocabulary they need.

Leaders and teachers have thought carefully about what knowledge pupils should know and when they should learn it.

As a result, pupils become immersed in their work. They learn well across sequences of work. For example, in history the younger pupils gain new knowledge about the railways so that they are well informed in readiness for their trip to Chippenham railway station.

Older pupils apply their knowledge of history to talk confidently about their understanding of the Mayan civilisation.

The curriculum in the early years meets children's needs well. Consequently, children see success right from the start.

They are keen to explore and find things out. They join in with rhymes and love listening to stories.

The school prioritises the teaching of reading straight away.

Teachers are skilled in teaching phonics and regularly read to pupils. Pupils have regular opportunities to practise and consolidate their reading. As a result, pupils become confident readers.

Pupils are inspired to read for pleasure and have a wide selection of books to choose from.

Leaders and teachers identify pupils at risk of falling behind quickly. When this happens, pupils are supported well to catch up.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides teachers with effective training and guidance. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the right support to ensure that they can learn well.

Adults sensitively support pupils who are undergoing difficulties.

They help pupils to manage their emotions. Pupils are caring towards others and there are very few instances of poor behaviour. Consequently, disruptions to learning are rare.

Pupils are motivated to improve their health and fitness in physical education (PE). Teachers plan a well-sequenced curriculum to develop pupils' knowledge and skills. Pupils maturely discuss how well PE helps them to learn skills such as cooperation and team-building.

The school provides valuable experiences to support pupils' wider development. For example, older pupils take on positions of responsibility, such as lunch leaders and play leaders. Pupils sell cakes to raise money for charity.

They are able to learn a range of instruments, such as the violin and drums. Pupils have many opportunities to showcase their musical talents.

Leaders are knowledgeable about what pupils learn in reading, writing and mathematics.

However, leaders' work to gain a greater overview of the depth of knowledge that pupils gain in other subjects is at an early stage. Some subject leaders are new to their roles and have not yet had time to evaluate fully how well their curriculum subject enables pupils to know more and remember more.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding procedures are thorough. The school completes the necessary checks to ensure that all staff are safe to work with children. They record this information thoroughly.

Leaders provide all staff with training so that everyone knows how to keep pupils safe. Adults understand how to refer concerns. Leaders maintain detailed records and routinely follow up their actions.

Leaders seek specialist advice when required, so that families receive the support that they need. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, they can explain how to stay safe when using the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders' work to monitor how well the curriculum is implemented in some foundation subjects, such as PE and history, is not developed fully. Leaders do not routinely assure themselves that the curriculum, in these subjects, demands enough of pupils. Leaders need to develop a better understanding of the effectiveness of the implementation of the curriculum.

. Some subject leaders are new. They are just beginning to develop in their roles and responsibilities.

They do not yet evaluate the impact of the curriculum in their subjects well enough. Senior leaders must provide new subject leaders with the training and support they need to enable them to carry out their roles and responsibilities consistently well.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged Monkton Park Primary School to be good on 9–10 December 2010.

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