Parkfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The executive headteacher and head of school work together very well. Together with senior leaders, they accurately evaluate the school's work and know what needs to be done in order to improve further. Governors have a good grasp of the school's strengths and weaknesses and hold it accountable for pupils' achievement.

Rigorous checks on teaching, and good use of training and support for individual teachers have improved classroom practice and pupils' achievement. Teaching is good across the school because : lessons are made interesting for pupils, and so they are keen to succeed in their learning. Children in the Early Years Foundation ...Stage are taught and cared for well.

They make good progress and are well prepared for Year 1. Pupils are polite and behaviour in lessons and around school is good. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

They feel safe and are keen to learn. From low starting points, pupils make good progress and reach standards in line with those found nationally in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Pupils at risk of falling behind are given good individual support so they achieve well.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Some of the most-able pupils do not reach the higher levels of which they are capable. Pupils are not always given opportunities to respond to teachers' marking to improve their work. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are not given enough interesting and exciting things to do when learning and playing outdoors.

Levels of attendance are below average.

Information about this school

Parkfield Primary is a smaller-than-average sized primary school which is federated with St Stephen's Church of England Primary School. The federation is led by an executive headteacher.

There is one governing body for the two schools in the federation. Each school has its own head of school. Around a third of pupils are from White British backgrounds; a quarter are of Indian heritage and the remaining pupils are from various minority ethnic backgrounds.

About two in five of the pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who join and leave the school at different points in the school year is above average. At around 18%, the proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils (those supported by the pupil premium, which is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority) is high at over 68%. The executive headteacher is a Local Leader of Education who helps other schools to monitor the quality of their work. One teacher left the school last summer and there are two newly qualified teachers.

The Early Years Foundation Stage comprises a Reception class which pupils attend on a full-time basis. Two pupils currently attend the Kingston Centre, a pupil referral unit, full-time. The school meets the government's floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.