Parklands Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 January 2023

Under the guidance of the Preston Hedges Trust, Parklands is flourishing. With the aim of 'Fun, Creativity and Achievement', leaders have swiftly brought about change and raised standards. The six values at Parklands are not just words. One pupil summed it up perfectly when they said, 'We don't have rules here, we live by our values.' Pupils strive to show respect, kindness, independence, determination, perseverance and aspiration. By doing so they earn coloured badges, which they wear with pride. In the early years, children learn the school's values through everyday activities, such as not giving up when fastening their coats and independently changing into wellies for the sand pit. Pupils feel happy and secure. They told inspectors 'Parklands is a safe place to be, the teachers give you a boost about everything' and 'There are so many good things about Parklands, I love it all.' Pupils have inclusive and welcoming attitudes. They show good manners and respect towards staff and each other. Leaders have empowered pupils to sort out any issues they might have by following the '3 Steps'. Pupils know that bullying is never tolerated and that, if it happens, it will be dealt with seriously by all members of staff.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, assessment is not aligned closely enough to the curriculum. Where this is the case, teachers do not always have a precise understanding of what all pupils know and can do. Leaders need to refine their approach to assessment, so that teachers closely check on pupils' progress in all subjects and quickly address misconceptions where they arise.
• Some pupils in the early stages of reading do not read as fluently as they might. This is because pupils sometimes sound out words when they do not need to, and staff do not always make sure that pupils know what fluent sentence reading should sound like when they listen to them read. Leaders should ensure that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading fluency, so that pupils who find reading more difficult get the help the need to become fluent readers as quickly as possible.

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