Shaftesbury Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Achievement is good. Pupils reach average standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6, which represents good progress from their low starting points. Teaching meets pupils' needs well so that pupils from different groups make equally good progress both in lessons and over time.

Teachers are thoughtful in the way they approach their work and are keen to be given constructive ideas that will improve their practice. The school has worked effectively to increase attendance, which, as a result, has risen rapidly over the last few years. Pupils behave well in and around the school.

A focus on respect ensures they get on ...well, and playtimes and lunchtimes are therefore harmonious and enjoyable. Parents and carers are very positive about what the school has to offer and increasing numbers are actively involved in supporting their children's learning in a range of ways. The school provides excellent opportunities for developing pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through a rich and vibrant curriculum.

Governors support school leaders well to check and continually improve the quality of teaching. It is not yet an outstanding school because : There is not enough outstanding teaching to ensure that pupils make rapid and sustained progress across all year groups. Not all pupils contribute equally to whole- class question and answer sessions, which means teachers cannot assess progress and understanding equally well.

The marking of pupils' work in Key Stage 1 is not as effective as it is in Key Stage 2 because : it does not indicate to pupils as clearly how to improve their work. Occasionally, tasks set for groups working away from the teachers' direct supervision are not as sharply focused and well resourced as for those groups being led by a teacher or teaching assistant.

Information about this school

This is an average-sized primary school.

The proportion of disabled pupils or those with special educational needs supported through school action is higher than average. The proportion supported though school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is more than a third as much again as the national average. Over half the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for children looked after by the local authority, those entitled to free school meals or other groups), which is over double the national average.

There are currently no children looked after by the local authority or from service families on the school's roll. Over two thirds of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, much higher than the national proportion. Twelve different groups are represented in varying numbers, reflecting the diverse community that the school serves.

Over a quarter of pupils speak English as an additional language, some of whom are at the early stages of learning English. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. A higher number of pupils leave or join the school other than on entry to Early Years Foundation Stage than is the picture nationally.

The school recently opened a bilingual stream and children in the current Reception Year are taught in one bilingual class and one mainstream class. The school runs a breakfast and after-school club on the premises to support families with childcare arrangements. The school has achieved the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award at Level 1.