St Winnow CofE School

St Winnow Church of England Primary School Downend, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0RA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Achievement is good, reflecting the good teaching pupils receive, and has rapidly improved since opening as an academy.  All pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, make good progress in English and mathematics. Most of them have made substantial gains, exceeding what would normally be expected.  The headteacher provides the school with inspirational and committed leadership. Together with her small team, and supported by the multi academy trust leaders, she has established a culture where everyone is expected to do their best.  Leaders and governors, who share a common vision for the school, have achieved the substantial improvement in the quality of teaching. This has led to the improved outcomes for pupils and has helped secure the future for this small school.  Pupils are very proud of their school. They are highly respectful and feel safe in school. Their

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

behaviour is good around the school and in lessons, where they demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning.  Pupils’ progress is monitored accurately and this regular assessment is used to set challenging targets. These have successfully driven the accelerated improvement in pupils’ progress and standards.  Governors provide the school with outstanding support and challenge. They have been instrumental in securing high quality education at the school, through their determination and passion to improve the future life chances for all of the pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always help pupils to understand when they have been successful and can move onto harder work.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to apply their basic skills in mathematics with problem solving activities.  Next-step comments in pupils’ books to help improve their work by teachers are not always as clear as they could be and are often written using language that some pupils find difficult to read.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector visited seven lessons and observed two teachers. This included observations to look at the teaching of phonics (linking letters and sounds). The headteacher joined the inspector for a number of observations.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, staff, pupils, parents, governors and the Principal of the Saints Way Church of England Multi Academy Trust.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including the school improvement plans, priorities for development, achievement data and documents relating to safeguarding children.  The inspector took account of the 11 responses to the staff questionnaire during the inspection and spoke to some parents at the start of the day. However, too few responses were received from parents to the Parent View on-line questionnaire, so the inspector was unable to use this information.

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Inspection team

John Cavill, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Winnow Church of England Primary School is a much-smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  St Winnow Church of England Primary School became an academy school on 1 December 2012. When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be satisfactory. The school is part of the Saints Way Church of England Multi Academy Trust, consisting of five Church of England primary schools in the local area.  The executive headteacher shares her responsibilities with St Winnow and Lerryn Church of England Primary School. She took up her post in September 2012, initially as part of a partnership arrangement between the two schools and is now formalised within the multi academt trust. Additional leadership capacity was provided by an experienced leader from another school within the trust who undertook the role as head of school in September 2012.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a Reception and Key Stage 1 class.

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Information about this school

There are only two classes currently at the school and the other one contains pupils who are in Key Stage 2.  Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. A very small proportion of pupils has English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average, as is the proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, for children from armed service families and for looked after children, is below average.  There are no data available for this ‘new’ school to compare with the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this school

 Governance for the school is shared between the local governing body representing St Winnow and Lerryn Church of England Primary Schools and the Saints Way Multi Academy Trust’s Board of Directors. Representation on the Board of Directors is drawn from individual governing bodies.  A privately run Nursery is based on the school site but is inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding overall in order to increase pupils’ achievement by ensuring:  pupils take more responsibility for their own learning, enabling them to think and learn by themselves  teachers help pupils identify and understand what they can achieve, and will be able to do by the end of the lesson, so they can accurately decide themselves when they are able to move onto harder work  teachers plan more opportunities that help pupils apply their basic skills in mathematics  teachers provide clear, age-appropriate next-step guidance for all pupils when marking their work to build on the good assessment practice already in place.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in the Reception class with skills and abilities that are generally similar to what would normally be expected for their age, but the small cohort contains pupils demonstrating a range of abilities.  Good teaching in a stimulating environment ensures that all children make good progress in Reception. Lessons are structured well to take account of the different needs of the children and ensure that pupils across the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 are taught by ability rather than age as much as possible. Consequently, most children have already exceeded levels of attainment that would normally be expected by the end of the Reception Year in most areas of development.  Achievement has improved rapidly since the school became an academy. All groups of pupils now make at least good progress, with many individual pupils recording exceptional gains. This is leading to attainment in both English and mathematics that is on track to be broadly average

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The achievement of pupils is good

at the end of Year 6.  Progress in English and mathematics is broadly similar and this is effectively closing the gap between the two subjects. However, pupils are not currently being provided with enough opportunities to develop their problem solving skills in mathematics, which is limiting their ability to attain the higher levels.  Most pupils have already made more progress than they would normally be expected to make during the year and for many pupils their achievement has been outstanding.  Disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and pupils with English as an additional language all make good progress throughout the school from their individual starting points. This is an inclusive school where additional support is expertly targeted to meet individual needs and provided by teaching assistants to complement the work done in lessons. This promotes equality of opportunity.  The progress of the small number of pupils who benefit from the pupil premium funding is at

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The achievement of pupils is good

least good in both English and mathematics and similar to all other pupils. There are no eligible pupils currently in the final year of either key stage.  A programme to support the teaching of phonics has rapidly improved pupils’ progress in reading and writing. Children in the Reception class were able to read signs around the school fluently and write their own information signs for use in the outdoor role-play area.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good, and often outstanding. This is resulting in the pupils’ good achievement across the school.  Lessons, in the mixed age classes, are planned effectively and designed well to enthuse and engage all pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Pupils have positive attitudes and work together well, keen to succeed.  Teachers use questioning effectively to monitor pupils’ progress in lessons. They use pupils’ responses to reshape their work so pupils are able to make accelerated progress. Teachers limit the amount of time that pupils have to spend listening to instructions and they settle to their work quickly. However, teachers are not challenging pupils to make their own decisions about what they have to do and how they will undertake tasks. This is limiting slightly their ability to think and learn for themselves.  In the best lessons, teachers challenge pupils well to achieve their very best. In a Key Stage 2

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The quality of teaching is good

personal learning lesson, pupils worked quickly to complete their personal literacy or numeracy work for the lesson, recognising when they had completed it correctly, moving on seamlessly to the next task, wasting no time and increasing their progress. This is not always the case and teachers do not always help pupils to understand how and when they have been successful so they can move onto harder work independently.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and provide comments to both praise pupils for good work and indicate the next steps they need to take in order to improve. Pupils use this information well, with regular opportunities to review and improve their work. However, sometimes the next- step comments cannot be easily understood as they are not as clear as they could be or they are written using levels of language that some pupils are unable to read unaided. This is limiting their ability to learn independently and make faster progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of phonics is effective and helps pupils to read and write better. Pupils in the Key Stage 1 class were using an image of a forest to develop their writing skills in fiction and non- fiction texts with great accuracy and creativity.  All parents who spoke to the inspector thought that their child was taught well and made good progress at the school. They were very eager to say how much teaching has improved since the school became an academy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are very proud of their school. All pupils, including those in Reception, are positive about how the school keeps them safe and say that behaviour is good. One pupil commented, when they reflected on improvements since becoming an academy, ‘We are doing much better now.’ All parents spoken to share these views.  Pupils are keen to learn and motivated to take an interest in, and concentrate on, their work. They arrive at lessons with good attitudes towards their learning, quickly settling to their tasks with enthusiasm. Very occasionally, pupils do not focus on their work enough, and this results in some low-level inappropriate behaviour, such as coming off task or chatting to each other. However, this is rare and is usually when they are not able to move forward with their learning unaided.  Pupils are respectful and the relationships between pupils and adults are strong. They are polite

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

and courteous to staff and visitors. Teachers have high expectations for good behaviour, which is understood by children who demonstrate this in the way that they work and play together. Assemblies and collective worship extend a real sense of community within the school that is appreciated by both parents and pupils. Pupils have a strong moral code that they show in their understanding of right and wrong. This ensures that they all keep each other safe.  Pupils understand all about the different forms of bullying and say that there is very little of it, including physical, emotional and cyber bullying. They are quick to say that teachers and other adults at the school quickly resolve any problems that they may have. School records show that there have been a very low number of behaviour incidents recorded at the school, all of which have been quickly and successfully resolved.  Attendance is above average and pupils are punctual arriving at school and getting to lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

Leaders and governors work hard with parents to ensure they recognise the importance of their children’s regular attendance at school, and absence from school is followed up swiftly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and she has successfully galvanised her staff to work together and they share a determination to continue to improve. There is strong teamwork among staff and morale is high.  The strong team of leaders and governors has secured rapid improvements in the quality of teaching, pupils’ achievement and attendance since opening as an academy. This school provides a good education and pupil numbers have risen by over 25% since the start of the year. Projected numbers to attend the school from September show a further increase and demonstrate future sustainability.  Parents and school staff are highly positive about the way that the headteacher and her team lead the school. ‘This school is fantastic now!’ This comment summed up the views of parents.  The leadership of teaching is good and effective systems to manage teachers’ performance are in place to make sure that the levels of pay awarded to individual teachers reflect how well their

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The leadership and management are good

pupils learn and any leadership responsibilities that they have.  Leaders and managers regularly collect data on pupils’ progress and attainment and the information is analysed accurately. Meetings to discuss pupils’ progress are held regularly with staff to identify those pupils who would benefit from some additional support to accelerate their progress. The effectiveness of this additional provision is measured, using pupils’ progress data, to ensure it is having the desired effect.  The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and improvement planning is sharply focused on continuing to raise pupils’ achievement. Training, now coordinated across the trust, is linked to whole-school improvement issues, ensuring it has the maximum impact on raising standards.  The topic-based curriculum is well matched to pupils’ needs and aspirations. It is effectively planned to ensure literacy and numeracy skills are developed at every opportunity. Careful

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The leadership and management are good

mapping of the topics, along with visits and activities out of school such as singing at a recent diocese event, ensures that pupils are able to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.  Following the success of this good school since opening as an academy, the trust now provides only the normal level of support that exists for all schools within the trust.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body have been highly successful in challenging the school to become sustainable, including providing outstanding support to leaders through the changes into an academy. Governors are committed and passionate about the future life chances of the pupils and demand that achievement at the school is at least good. They know how well the pupils are doing in relation to all pupils nationally and have a clear understanding of what comparative information is telling them about the effectiveness of the school. Performance

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The leadership and management are good

management is well understood and teachers’ performance is monitored well. The governors have drawn on the experience of governors from the two predecessor schools to build capacity and take part in suitable training. Governors are fully involved in making checks on all aspects of the school, including whether funding, including the pupil premium, is being spent wisely and having the desired effect on pupils’ achievement. Governors use information about the school well and hold the school rigorously to account, understanding the school’s strengths and areas needing to improve. This helps to ensure that all pupils have the best opportunity to succeed and has resulted in good, and rapidly improved, achievement for all. Governors ensure statutory requirements relating to safeguarding are implemented rigorously.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 139093 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 418336

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Academy converter School category Foundation Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 32 Appropriate authority The Board of Directors, The Saints Way Church of England Multi Academy Trust Chair Christopher Taylour Headteacher Fiona Corfield Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01208 872665 Fax number 01208 872665 Email address secretary@st-winnow.cornwall.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

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. 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

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . 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 information 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’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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