Old Park Primary School

Overview

Old Park Primary is described as a “happy, friendly school” where “creativity and community are at the heart” of provision. The report states that leaders have “high ambitions for all pupils,” which are matched by positive attitudes and a determination to succeed. Overall effectiveness is judged as Good, with strong outcomes in literacy and numeracy.

Strengths

• Pupils “behave well” and “care for each other,” benefiting from a supportive approach to behaviour and a clear “Stop Stop” strategy for bullying.
• The curriculum in most subjects is “clearly sequenced,” allowing teachers to check learning regularly and help pupils “know and remember more.”
• Reading is a high priority; pupils read daily, and staff receive “high-quality training” to ensure effective phonics teaching and early intervention.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs “quickly identified” and receive clear support plans to work alongside classmates.
• The school fosters personal development through activities like school orchestras, where pupils develop “personal resilience and collaborative skills.”

Areas to improve

• In a few subjects, leaders have not set out the smaller components of knowledge or their order, meaning learning is “not designed well enough to build knowledge in a logical sequence.”
• Leaders lack a “precise enough understanding” of strengths and weaknesses in each subject and do not consistently focus on how pupils build cumulative learning across the year.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff understanding their roles, knowing local risks, and acting swiftly to secure support for pupils and families.