Setting

Miss K Brown Headteacher Cubert School Chynowen Lane Cubert Newquay Cornwall TR8 5HE

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Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 24 November 2010, for the time you gave to our phone discussion and for the information which you provided before and during the inspection. Please pass on my thanks also to the pupils, chair and vice-chair of the governing body for the time they gave to our discussions.

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As a result of the inspection on 17–18 November 2009, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement, which are set out in the annex to this letter.

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Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made good progress in making improvements and good progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.

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Pupils are making more progress than previously in the majority of lessons due to an appropriate range of activities that meet their differing needs. They particularly enjoy the opportunities for art, problem solving in mathematics, role play in English and investigating in science. These activities enable them to progress at a suitably challenging pace. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities progress as well as their peers as a result of effective support from teaching assistants. While pupils in Year 6 in 2010 were not entered for the national statutory assessment tests, there is clear evidence to show that their attainment had improved on the attainment of pupils in 2009 and it was above average. The rate of progress of current pupils across the school, as seen in lessons and in the school’s data from monitoring pupils’ progress, is improving and sustaining the upward trend in

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attainment. The school is closing the gap in achievement between boys and girls. It Tribal 1-4 Portland Square BRISTOL BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0845 123 6001 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email :sarah.cartlidge@tribalgroup.com Page 2 can now be confident in setting more challenging targets. The school has received good support from its school improvement partner in evaluating its performance data.

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Leaders and managers have made good progress in improving the consistency and pace of lessons. The quality of teaching and learning, in the majority of lessons, is developing well and an increasing proportion of lessons are good. Teaching is supported by effective planning that builds on the pupils’ prior learning and identifies different tasks for groups of pupils to ensure they all achieve well. Resources, including a significant increase in computers and non-fiction books, are as appealing to boys as they are to girls. Good use of interactive whiteboards to model expectations of learning supports pupils in applying skills independently. Teachers’ marking of their workbooks, together with targets for writing, helps pupils to know how to improve their work. However, the use of probing questions and regular feedback in lessons is not applied consistently to challenge more pupils to attain the higher levels. A consistent approach to behaviour management in lessons and across

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the school has led to pupils’ much improved behaviour.

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Good improvements in developing the curriculum enhance pupils’ learning by making interesting links between subjects. Leaders and managers have implemented effective changes to the curriculum that are based on developing pupils’ learning skills, such as investigating and researching, across subjects. Recently introduced topics, including ‘The Unidentified Flying Object’, ‘The World Cup’ and ‘Eco-Rangers’, engage boys as much as girls. Pupils talk enthusiastically about visits from the police and fire services and a local artist. Their enjoyment of school is evident in their improving attendance, which is now above average.

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Good progress has been made in improving the way the school promotes community cohesion by developing its association with local, national and international communities. The governing body provides a strong channel for communication between the school and parents and carers, and engages them in regular surveys. Family learning programmes are popular with all parents and carers. The school is beginning to form links with schools serving contrasting communities in London and Essex. It supports a school in Kenya and has hosted visits from a Ugandan children’s choir and Chinese and Sikh visitors. While the harvest festival was an event the school provided for the local community, it engaged pupils in a Christian Aid project which developed their understanding of children’s lives in India. As a result of these good improvements, pupils work and play together in a more harmonious way and they are making an increasingly positive contribution to the community. In addition,

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pupils are more aware of the local, national and global world. Page 3 I hope that you have found the inspection helpful in promoting improvement in your school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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place in November 2009:

 By July 2010, raise attainment, especially of boys, by: - improving the consistency and pace of lessons - introducing topics and activities that engage boys more closely - providing resources that are as appealing to boys as they are to girls.

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place in November 2009:

 By December 2010, develop the curriculum so that it enhances pupils’ learning by making interesting links between subjects.

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place in November 2009:

 By December 2010, improve the way the school promotes community cohesion by developing its association with local, national and international communities.

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