The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
School requires improvement
A Peterborough primary school has been told it needs to improve because standards are not high enough.
Parnwell Primary in Saltersgate was rated as ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted following a visit in July.
It was reported that children were not doing well enough, and that many changes to the teaching staff meant that the quality of teaching was not consistently good.
Inspectors also noted that there was“particular unevenness” in how well staff taught subjects other than English and maths.
However, there was praise for the school. It was said that the senior leadership “form a strong team and have begun a momentum of improvement across the school.”
Pupil progress in Years 2 and 6 during 2016 were also said to be good, which was“reflected in improved outcomes for these pupils.” The school, which has 284 pupils, was also rated as ‘requires improvement’ when it was last fully inspected in May2014. Before that it was rated as ‘good.’
Interim headteacher Shân Oswald said the school was now closer to a ‘good’ rating, and she was pleased inspectors had praised the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils.
She also highlighted a paragraph from the Ofsted report which she thought summed up the school’s situation well. It said most pupils make “at least the expected progress” and that results are not a true reflection of the school’s performance.
This is because“large numbers of pupils join the school outside normal times, often speaking no English, or having no experience of school. Other pupils, who have been doing well, leave the school before their performance is formally recognised at the end of a key stage.
“This means that the full impact of the school’s work is not represented in the end-ofyear data.”
Gary Perkins, assistant director of education for Peterborough City Council, said: “We are working with Parnwell Primary School’s governing board to deliver effective, rapid improvements in the areas identified in the report so that outcomes improve quickly for all pupils.
“A comprehensive support programme is in place, agreed with the school, and weare advising them on future governance arrangements to ensure there is a clear strategic vision for the future direction of the school and detailed plans for its improvement.”