Parkhill Infants' School

Overview

Pupils at Parkhill Infants’ School “really enjoy coming to this school” and are “eager to talk about what they do and learn.” The inspection found that staff maintain high expectations for behaviour, resulting in pupils who “behave well” and are “proud when they are ‘Going for Gold’.” Leaders have established a “strong vision” for a curriculum designed to be “meaningful, memorable and magical,” creating an atmosphere where pupils “really want to learn.”

Strengths

• The curriculum is carefully designed to interest and motivate pupils, with whole-school themes evident throughout classrooms.
• Early reading is prioritised through a “highly structured approach to phonics,” ensuring pupils, including those with special educational needs, become “confident readers.”
• Personal development is rated Outstanding, with pupils taking on roles such as “Unicef ambassadors” and “friendship heroes” to help others.
• A wide range of enrichment activities, including sports clubs and author visits, helps “broaden pupils’ interests.”
• Staff feel that leaders are “considerate of their workload,” and governors work closely with senior leaders to support the school’s vision.

Areas to improve

• In some subjects, activities do not “focus precisely enough on the skills and knowledge identified in the curriculum,” leading to less depth of understanding.
• Teachers do not consistently check for understanding quickly enough, meaning “errors and misconceptions are not consistently addressed.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”