Shephalbury Park Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 October 2022

Shephalbury Park is a motivating, calm and friendly place for pupils to learn in. There is a culture of learners at this school. Pupils take risks in their learning. Pupils feel safe and happy because staff are kind, caring and help them to learn. Staff have high expectations of pupils' achievement and personal development. Pupils want to do their best. They enjoy learning a broad range of subjects and take great pride in their achievements. Pupils have rich experiences that develop their character and help to shape their view of the world. Leaders use real-life scenarios to capture and capitalise on pupils' interests. Pupils show tolerance and respect for others and have a strong understanding of why this is important. They learn about different communities and have meaningful discussions about their importance in modern Britain. Pupils develop independence and take on responsibilities, for example when selecting resources for a specific task in the classroom. Pupils play happily together at breaktime and lunchtime. Pupils say that bullying does not happen in their school and that they know the right ways to resolve friendship issues. Pupils have a can-do attitude to learning, listen well and respond positively to having ownership of their learning.

What the school should improve

• In the early years, adults do not always plan activities that focus precisely on what they intend children to learn. Children sometimes miss out on key learning, fail to make connections with previous learning and struggle to remember what they have learned. Leaders should ensure that all planned activities in the early years are focused clearly on the intended learning and help children to remember more.
• In some subjects, leaders have not ensured that pupils have the opportunity to practise and apply what they have been taught. Pupils have gaps in knowledge and skills. Leaders must check more rigorously that teachers provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to practise and apply using their knowledge in all subjects to ensure that pupils' learning is secure across the full curriculum.

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