Little Parndon Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 June 2023

Pupils look forward to coming to school. They want to learn and focus on doing their best. However, rules, routines and high expectations are not consistently established at this school. As a result, sometimes pupils distract one another in lessons, or do not listen to their teachers. Pupils feel safe. They know how to stay safe online. They know who they can talk to if they have a worry. Bullying does happen but staff deal with it appropriately. However, unkind behaviour from some pupils does happen and sometimes this behaviour reoccurs. Pupils make good use of the learning mentor within the school if they have worries. They use lunchtime clubs to help manage their emotions. Pupils keep active with a range of activities organised during playtimes and lunchtimes. Pupils do not always make the academic progress that they should. This is because the curriculum, teaching and activities do not consistently help pupils to learn and remember more. Pupils can take on a range of leadership opportunities such as 'digital leaders.' They enjoy the clubs on offer such as dance and colouring club. Pupils look forward to the school trips.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum, including in the early years, has not been fully developed. It does not sufficiently set out, in a logical order, what pupils will learn. Staff lack knowledge about how to teach some subjects well. As a result, pupils have gaps in their learning and cannot recall what they have learned in these subjects. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum clearly defines content, knowledge and skills that pupils will learn in all subjects. Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to teach the full range of subjects in the curriculum effectively.
• Subject and phase leaders lack the support and knowledge required to lead their subjects well. As a result, expectations for pupils in some subjects are low and pupils to do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders have the guidance and expertise to lead and evaluate their areas of responsibility effectively.
• Staff lack knowledge about how to support some pupils with SEND. As a result, some pupils are not getting the support they need. Leaders should ensure that all staff know how to support the learning of pupils with SEND and meet their needs effectively.
• Staff in the early years lack knowledge about how best to support children's social, emotional and language development. As a result, children miss out on vital opportunities to learn how to communicate, make friends and behave well. Leaders should train staff in how to support children's development of social and communication skills.
• Leaders have not ensured that rules, routines and expectations for pupils' behaviour in class are followed consistently and understood by all. As a result, disruption to learning and unkind behaviour are not always addressed effectively. Leaders should ensure that expectations of behaviour are communicated and understood by all. They should support staff to apply these consistently to help all pupils develop positive attitudes towards learning.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)