Ofsted ‘Good’ judgement for Trumpington Park Primary School

Trumpington Park Primary School is celebrating its first Ofsted outcome, which has seen it judged ‘Good’ following a visit by inspectors in February.

The 324-pupil school, which opened in September 2017 under the oversight of Cambridge Primary Education Trust trustees and leaders, received the ‘Good’ grading across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.

Positive comments in the Ofsted report included:

• The actions of trustees, leaders and staff display the hallmarks of their commitment to pupils’ effective development. They are building strong links with parents, and this means they get to know pupils extremely well.
• Curriculum planning throughout the school is clear and established across the full range of subjects that pupils study. The important knowledge pupils need to learn builds in precise steps from the moment they start school.
• The foundations for positive attitudes are laid in early years. Children show enjoyment and high levels of concentration as they learn and explore.
• Parents say that the school is a nurturing place where individual pupils’ needs are catered for, regardless of their background or the challenges they might face.
• Pupils at Trumpington Park share repeatedly that they enjoy coming to school. They say it is because of caring adults in school that they can be successful in meeting the high standards expected of them. 
• Pupils say that ‘everyone is welcome’. There is an established culture of acceptance, and this is valued by staff, pupils and the wider parent and carer community.
• Pupils’ safety in school has a high priority.
• Leaders, including trustees, monitor systems for safeguarding regularly and effectively. They make sure that issues of safeguarding are at the forefront of adults’ minds, so nothing is missed.

Headteacher Mel Shute said: “We are really pleased with the Ofsted report. All our staff, supported by CPET and our School Advisory Board, work together to provide a friendly, caring and safe community enabling children to flourish in their learning and that comes through in the report. The inspectors have clearly seen that we are here for all children, that all children matter in our school, and that our staff care for them. We have high expectations for all our children and provide a nurturing environment which ensures that they make significant personal achievements in their own unique ways.”

Inspectors spoke with parents/carers and also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, which brought 136 responses. “The feedback was overwhelmingly favourable with our parents/carers routinely praising areas such as commitment of staff (often going above and beyond) and dedication to inclusion,” Mel explained. “They also reported that the school is well managed, communication is good, and that children are happy. I would personally like to thank our parents/carers for their input, not just to the Ofsted process but for their support and goodwill to us over the last five years.”

Next year will see the first cohort of Year 6 children completing their Trumpington Park Primary School journey, a significant milestone in the school’s brief history, and Mel outlined the school’s determination for future success as it eventually grows into a three-form entry school for up to 630 children. “We want to see our children achieving academically, and will continue to provide rigorous support for them to do well across all areas of the curriculum whilst also bringing to fruition ambitious ideas for their wider development,” she said. “Linked to that, we want to encourage children’s personalised and independent learning. We feel we are an innovative school, always open to trying new things, and wish to develop and continue that journey to prepare children for secondary education.”

Lesley Birch, CEO of Cambridge Primary Education Trust, said: “We are delighted and proud of our children, staff and community. This report reflects the hard work and commitment of all involved in the development of our school. Our Trust has been integral to the school’s evolution – from original planning and build to this Ofsted outcome – sharing vision, best practice and resources to deliver the best possible primary education. At all stages we have sought to offer an exceptional learning experience for all pupils, which in turn prepares them for a successful future. As a Trust, we place considerable emphasis on recruitment and investing in excellent teachers and staff, providing opportunities for development and promotion within our schools. We also recognise that school life goes beyond the classroom. All our schools offer a wide range of after-school activities, community interaction, residential and educational visits to enrich our children’s education.”

Barbara Ashwood, Chair of the School’s Advisory Board, added: “The amount of effort that our Headteacher Mel Shute and the team put in to support the children is quite extraordinary. The relationship between staff and pupils is wonderful. There are areas we are excelling in, as evidenced in the Ofsted report, but speaking from first-hand experience I absolutely love the buzz and the vibe going into the school. It has a lovely, snuggly feel, and the children are always so happy and relaxed. The multi-cultural community we have now is just amazing, and this is where the flexibility in our curriculum comes in – it cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach – it is tailored to the needs of individual cohorts.”