Parson Cross Church of England Primary School

Overview

This is a “happy and welcoming school at the heart of the community” with a “culture of belonging.” Leaders maintain “high expectations for all pupils” and strive to enact the vision of ‘finding the spark of genius with everyone’. The school fosters strong relationships, with pupils who “feel safe and supported” and behave well.

Strengths

• Staff demonstrate “secure subject knowledge” and use effective questioning to identify misconceptions, particularly in reading and mathematics.
• The phonics programme is taught “consistently well,” with books “accurately matched to the sounds that they know.”
• Pupils develop a “good understanding of empathy, forgiveness and compassion” through the school’s core Christian values.
• Leaders provide “ambitious learning opportunities” in the early years, with a “sharp focus on the development of children’s vocabulary.”
• Staff morale is high, and governors are “well informed about school developments” and can “challenge leaders.”

Areas to improve

• Teachers should adapt learning so that pupils with SEND can access the “full, intended knowledge” of the curriculum.
• Leaders must clarify what knowledge pupils need to know and remember in some foundation subjects and the early years, ensuring teachers understand the sequence of learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a “strong culture of safeguarding” and vigilant staff who know how to record and report concerns.