Ofsted Reports

Everything is Good at Palace Fields Primary School as Ofsted praise “mammoth improvement”

Pupils and staff at Palace Fields Primary School, Runcorn, are celebrating after receiving a GOOD rating across every category from Ofsted.

Following an inspection by the education watchdog in April, inspectors reported that “the focused and effective leadership of the principal and the new senior leadership team has led to mammoth improvements across the school.”

The lead inspector stated that “the principal and vice-principal are ambitious for the school and its community. Staff and governors share this ambition, as do pupils…the school provides pupils with a good standard of education.”

As part of their evaluations, inspectors also remarked that “recent improvements have been made to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics, resulting in pupils’ rapid progress” and that “parents speak positively about the raft of improvements made…they told inspectors that ‘a genuine feeling of positive change has been injected into the school’.”

Paul Holloway, Principal at Palace Fields Primary School, said: “While there is so much in the report that I am proud to read, I am most delighted about the comments made about our children. The inspectors praised their behaviour, attitudes to learning and noted how friendly and polite they are.

“Everything we do is about providing rich and fulfilling learning experiences for our pupils. It is clear that they are benefitting from the hard work that has been put in by all staff over recent years. Through a relentless focus on academic standards and a nurturing environment our children are happy, confident and successful citizens of the future.”

Jane Ainsworth, Chair of Governors, added: “This report is testament to the strength of our community and is without doubt one of the proudest moments in the school’s recent history.

Within their report, inspectors also noted that: 

• Staff have a good understanding of the early years and ensure that the children now get off to a flying start. They know the children and their families well. The quality of teaching is strong…[it]captures children’s imagination and enthusiasm for learning. 
• Attendance is high and reflects the extremely positive relationships between the early years team and families. 
• The new senior leadership team has brought about significant improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. 
• Phonics is taught well. Younger pupils read, pronounce sounds, and write the letters that these sounds represent, with confidence. 
• Older pupils told inspectors they know that learning is at the heart of helping them to secure a good job in the future. 
• Leaders have planned and embedded a broad curriculum which includes religious education and personal, social and health education. Visits and visitors bring learning about other cultures, tolerance and British values to life. Teachers ensure that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is integrated into the curriculum... Music and performing arts are strengths of the school. 
• Pupils attending the resourced provision and those across the school with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress in a wide range of subjects. 
• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are respectful towards each other. They have positive attitudes to learning and say that they feel safe.

Palace Fields Primary School is part of The Heath Family Multi Academy Trust, of which David Donnelly is the CEO. He said: “The Heath Family is committed to raising standards of achievement and aspirations for all pupils."

“I am delighted that Ofsted have recognised the great strides we have made in transforming standards here and that our school has now been rated as ‘GOOD’ across every measure. Our fantastic team of staff value our children and their families and are providing the quality of education that this community so richly deserves.

“What is most exciting now is the future. Looking back over what has been achieved in just a short time, we are all energised about where this school and our pupils will go from here. I know there are some big plans, and I look forward to seeing Palace Fields Primary School evolve further.”