Parkwood Hall Academy Trust

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 July 2025

A friendly greeting welcomes visitors to this school. Staff support pupils to make a positive start to the school day. Clear and consistent routines help pupils to settle quickly and focus on their learning. Pupils know what staff expect of them, so they feel safe. Staff know the pupils very well. They treat pupils with utmost dignity and respect. High-quality care and support encourage pupils to reach their potential. Pupils give their best effort and behave exceptionally well. Staff apply consistent language and use thoughtful approaches to respond to individual needs. These strategies help pupils to understand their emotions and the impact that their behaviour can have on others. Pupils manage their own behaviour effectively. They help their peers to overcome worries if needed. This fosters a calm and purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. The school has reviewed and carefully organised its curriculum to meet pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have high expectations of what pupils will learn and do. The broad and balanced curriculum and staff's teaching build pupils' confidence and help prepare them with important life skills. As a result, pupils thrive and are well prepared for their next steps.

What the school should improve

• The school's strategy to support pupils at the earliest stages of reading and communication lacks structure and ambition. This means that a few pupils do not develop the skills they need to learn well. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to support pupils to be ready to learn to read and communicate.
• Some teaching is not adapted sufficiently to help pupils to address misconceptions and learn from their mistakes. Consequently, some learning activities do not provide pupils And with opportunities to secure and deepen their knowledge sufficiently well. The school should ensure that staff have the expertise they need to help pupils to act on feedback and address misconceptions.
• The school's careers programme is not yet fully developed. As a result, it does not provide all pupils with the important experiences and knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their future. The school should ensure that the careers programme is suitable and ambitious, so pupils have the knowledge they need about the world of work and career pathways.

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