St Kew Community Primary School

St Kew Community Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 111919 Local Authority Cornwall Inspection number 357004 Inspection dates 3–4 November 2010 Reporting inspector Stephen Dennett

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 71 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Leanne Sproull Headteacher David Rushton Date of previous school inspection 16 January 2008 School address St Kew Bodmin PL30 3ER Telephone number 01208 841306 Fax number 01208 841306 Email address head@st-kew.cornwall.sch.uk

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 3–4 November 2010 Inspection number 357004 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 1234 234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. The inspectors visited eight lessons, observed all three teachers and held meetings with members of the governing body, staff and groups of pupils. Talks were held informally with parents and carers before the start of the school day. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at policies, pupils' records, safeguarding records and the monitoring of teaching and learning. They also analysed 50 parent and carers questionnaires received and 31 pupil questionnaires. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following.  Whether pupils' attainment is high enough in English and mathematics, especially for boys.  If pupils make sufficient progress in investigative science at Key Stage 2.  Whether assessment is being used effectively to support pupils' learning and whether they are fully involved in the process.

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Introduction

 How well the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils, especially boys.  How effectively the school's partnership with the local community promotes pupils' awareness of community cohesion.

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Information about the school

St Kew is a smaller than average rural school with three mixed-age classes. It has an informal cooperation arrangement with a neighbouring school and the headteacher of St Kew is also executive headteacher of this school. Far more pupils join or leave the school part way through their primary education than is typical nationally. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is higher than in other schools. Most of these pupils have difficulties related to learning, speech and communication. There are a small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. The balance of boys and girls varies very considerably from year group to year group. The proportion of pupils eligible to receive free school meals is lower than the national picture.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

St Kew is a good school. It is improving and all of the issues raised by the last inspection have been tackled well. Substantial improvements have been made to the outdoor area for the Early Years Foundation Stage. In addition, improvements to pupils' behaviour and relationships with parents and carers mean that these aspects are now outstanding. The school has robust systems for evaluating its own performance and its targets for improvement are accurate. All these factors show that the school has a good capacity for sustained improvement. Children make good progress in all areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and successfully build on this as they move up through the school. By the end of Year 6 pupils' attainment is average and pupils' achievement is good. Currently, girls are attaining higher standards than boys in writing because boys are reluctant to write at length and so develop their writing style. Pupils' attainment in English is higher than in mathematics

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Main findings

because pupils' problem solving and calculating skills are not as well developed as they should be. The school has focused on improving pupils' investigative skills in science, and these have improved rapidly as a result. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because of the well-focused support they receive. The curriculum is well adapted to their needs and individuals receive one-to-one sessions, which boost their confidence and achievement. The few who speak English as an additional language make good progress because teachers and support staff ensure they understand tasks and provide vocabulary sheets to improve their English. All pupils clearly enjoy learning and say they feel safe and secure at school. Their excellent behaviour ensures a positive ethos and results in an ordered environment very conducive to learning. Pupils are keen to come to school, as seen in their good attendance and

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Main findings

punctuality. Pupils make effective use of their good basic skills including information and communication technology in all subjects. Although pupils undertake a range of duties around the school, they have too few opportunities to contribute to decisions made about their learning and wider school issues. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Significant improvements have been made to promote their understanding of other cultures in Britain today and the wider world. Teachers provide exciting and engaging lessons that enable pupils to learn effectively. Assessment is used effectively to identify targets for improvement and to inform pupils about the next steps they need to take in their learning. The curriculum has been adapted carefully so that it better meets the needs of boys, although it does not yet fully meet the needs of the most-able pupils. The 'small school' ethos means that there is a family

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Main findings

atmosphere where older pupils take good care of the younger ones. Pupils potentially vulnerable due to their circumstances are looked after well and the school has effective systems for safeguarding and ensuring pupils' health and safety.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The leadership of the school by the headteacher and members of the governing body shows a driving ambition to raise attainment and progress. The headteacher oversees two schools and has effectively built a good management team at St Kew. The governing body is effective in analysing the school's performance and in influencing its strategic direction. There is excellent engagement with parents and carers and the school's contribution to community cohesion is effective across the three strands.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure all pupils are helped to improve their problem-solving and calculating skills and boys especially are helped to develop their writing skills by: giving pupils more problem-solving and investigative activities to help them apply their skills and ensuring work in lessons challenges them to write at length.  Develop the curriculum so there are more opportunities to challenge and engage the most-able pupils.  Provide pupils with more opportunities to contribute their views about learning and wider school issues and strengthen the role of the school council.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Children's attainment on entry to the school is below those expected of four-year-olds, especially in communication, language and literacy. Pupils achieve well and pupils' learning and progress in lessons is good. They really enjoy school and all that it offers. Pupils who join the school part way though their primary education make good progress because they settle quickly and are given extra support where needed. In an English lesson in Years 4, 5 and 6, pupils made good use of their language skills to produce interesting figurative phrases to add to their poems. In a Year 1 and 2 science lesson, when pupils investigated properties of light, their high levels of concentration and enthusiasm led to rapid progress. However, in lessons and in pupils' work it is evident that pupils' problem-solving and calculating skills are not as well developed as other aspects of mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs and/or difficulties have targeted support in language and

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

literacy, which enables them to progress well. The small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language are helped to acquire English quickly, so that they, too make good progress. Pupils have a good understanding of healthy living and enjoy keeping fit; for example, older pupils enthusiastically organised lunchtime 'huff and puff' games. The school council has not met for some time and pupils say they do not feel their views are taken into account sufficiently by the school. Pupils regularly take part in local and county activities and a group of pupils have worked with a local artist in Port Isaac.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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2

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Teaching is consistently good throughout the school and effective in raising pupils' attainment. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which is used effectively. Occasionally, the pace of lessons slows, so that learning is not as rapid as it could be. Marking and assessment are used well to inform pupils about what they need to do next to improve their work. The activities provided by the curriculum are usually well matched to pupils' individual needs and pupils sometimes help plan what they are going to learn. However, the activities provided for the most-able pupils do not always challenge them sufficiently to achieve their best. The curriculum for children in the Early years Foundation Stage is good and is tailored to support and challenge individual children. Enrichment activities are many and varied, and include a good range of clubs that are well attended. The school is careful to ensure that pupils are well cared for, supported in their learning

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How effective is the provision?

and guided in their choices. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well through intervention groups and one-to-one sessions and good use is made of the local authority support services to provide expert advice on specific learning difficulties.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher and members of the governing body demonstrate determination and ambition to improve the school still further. They have been effective in moving the school forward and the steps taken to monitor teaching and learning have contributed significantly to this improvement. The chair of governors is highly effective and as a result, the governing body is totally involved in the self-evaluation process and the school improvement plan. The school is diligent in ensuring all safeguarding requirements are met and all staff are aware of health and safety issues. The governing body monitors safeguarding recruitment robustly. The school has worked hard to promote equality and tackle any discrimination, and this is seen in the narrowing of the gap between boys' and girls' achievement. The previous shortcomings in the school's promotion of community cohesion have been fully addressed and pupils are now very aware of different communities and cultures

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How effective are leadership and management?

represented locally, in Britain and the wider world through, for example, links with schools in Uganda. The effective parents' association has contributed significantly to the school for example, by providing resources that the school otherwise would not be able to obtain. The school and members of the governing body engage very well with parents and carers and the local community. This, together with rising standards and effective management of resources, indicates that the school gives good value for money.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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2

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Many children join the school with little pre-school experience and have relatively weak language and social skills. Outcomes for children are good because children thrive in the caring and very well-organised environment. Their social development is particularly strong; as a result, behaviour is excellent and children work amicably in pairs and groups. Special emphasis has been placed on developing the outdoor area, which is now good. There is a good range of resources and activities that are extensive and stimulating. However, occasionally opportunities for children to develop their independent learning skills are missed. The Early Years Foundation Stage leader manages the class well. Parents and carers are actively engaged in their children' learning because of the excellent partnerships established.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Views of parents and carers

The overwhelming majority of parents and carers who responded to the Ofsted questionnaire have positive views of the school and all think it is very well led and managed. All think the school keeps their children safe and nearly all said their children enjoyed school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at St Kew to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspection team received 50 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 73 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 33 66 16 32 1 2 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 41 82 9 18 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 34 68 16 32 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 34 68 15 30 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 37 74 13 26 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 38 76 11 22 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 34 68 14 28 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 33 66 13 26 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 35 70 13 26 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 30 60 16 32 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 29 58 17 34 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 43 86 6 12 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 42 84 8 16 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures include those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of St Kew Primary School, St Kew PL30 3ER

Thank you for making us welcome to your school when we visited you recently. We were very impressed with your politeness and excellent behaviour. I want to thank the group of children who talked to me particularly, because you gave such good answers to all my questions and you told me how much you enjoyed your school. Yours is a good school and there are a number of good things about your school that we particularly liked.  You enjoy science and like investigating.  You know a lot about how to be healthy and keep yourselves safe.  Everyone is happy and older pupils look after the younger ones very well.  Your teachers and helpers work hard to make your lessons interesting.  The headteacher and governors make sure the school is well run.  Your parents are very happy with the quality of education you are receiving.  The youngest children really enjoy learning and have a great start to their education.

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Inspection of St Kew Primary School, St Kew PL30 3ER

These are the things we have asked the school to work on.  Helping you to be even better at maths, so that when you go on to your next school, you will be really confident about solving problems and using your mathematical skills. We also want boys to be even better at writing longer stories.  Checking that those of you who find learning really easy do even better by being given interesting and more challenging work to do.  Making sure the school council is even more involved in helping make decisions about what happens in school and give you more opportunities to share your ideas about how to make the school better. You can help, too, by helping to make more decisions about what you will learn. I wish all the best for the future.

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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