Malmesbury Park Primary School

Overview

Pupils are described as being “at the heart of this diverse school,” where they feel “safe and respected” within a community that acts as “one big family.” Leaders maintain “high expectations” and foster “strong and trusting” relationships through effective pastoral care. The school is judged as “Good” across all inspection categories, including the quality of education, behaviour, and leadership.

Strengths

• Phonics and reading are leaders’ “highest priority,” with a “structured effectively” programme that ensures pupils “crack the phonics code” and access “carefully structured texts.”
• The mathematics curriculum is “well sequenced,” enabling pupils to “build their knowledge well” and develop “strong mathematical vocabulary.”
• Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the specially resourced provision is “tailored skilfully,” allowing these pupils to “achieve well.”
• Pupils experience a “wide range of opportunities” for personal development, including leadership roles and enrichment activities, and are taught to “celebrate cultural diversity.”
• Governance provides “effective challenge and support,” and staff value steps taken to “reduce their workload.”

Areas to improve

• Curriculum content in some subjects, including the early years, is “not broken down precisely enough,” leading to gaps where pupils “do not always remember key concepts.”
• Support for some pupils with SEND in the main school is “not as effective” because the curriculum is “not always adapted well enough to meet their needs.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective,” with “rigorous” checks on staff suitability and leaders who “act with tenacity to address any concerns raised.”