St Giles-on-the-Heath Community School

St Giles-on-the-Heath Primary School St Giles-on-the-Hill, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 9SD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children have a successful start and make good progress in Reception.  Pupils make good progress through Years 1 to 6, and attainment is above average by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics.  Pupils receive good teaching and there are examples of outstanding practice.  Teachers’ explanations and demonstrations are clear and informative. Good questioning promotes pupils’ learning well.  Demanding tasks are usually well suited to pupils’ abilities and learning needs, especially in mathematics.  Pupils are courteous, friendly and show considerable respect to others.  They are enthusiastic learners and their behaviour is outstanding.  Pupils feel safe and very well cared for by staff.  Attendance levels are well above average.  An experienced headteacher provides good leadership and is well focused on raising achievement, teaching and learning.  The headteacher and staff have created a very

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

caring and positive school environment for pupils to learn and develop in.  Other leaders and governors make an effective contribution to school improvement.  Pupils enjoy the interesting range of learning activities, with art, sport and clubs being a strength.  The school has established strong partnerships with parents and the local community.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a few lessons, pupils are not sufficiently clear about what they are expected to learn.  At times, learning in lessons does not move on quickly enough.  A below average proportion of pupils attain the higher levels in writing by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in 11 lessons and many of these were with the headteacher.  He held discussions with the headteacher, staff, parents, members of the governing body and pupils.  The inspector took account of the 30 responses to the on-line survey (Parent View).  Responses to an inspection questionnaire from 11 staff were analysed.  The inspector examined school policies, information about pupils’ attainment and progress, teachers’ plans, pupils’ work and the school’s planning for improvement.

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Inspection team

Derek Watts, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  Almost all of the pupils are White British.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and those with a parent in the armed services, is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and learning by making sure that: − all lessons have a sharp learning focus and that pupils know what they are expected to learn − learning in all lessons moves on a quick pace.  Accelerate the progress of more able in writing in Years 3 to 6 so that a higher proportion of pupils reaches the higher levels by the end of Year 6 by:  increasing opportunities for pupils to write detailed and extended pieces in English lessons and in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter Reception with a range of knowledge and skills. Attainment can vary because of the relatively small numbers of children in the year group. In most cases, attainment is broadly as expected on entry. Children make good progress in all the areas of learning because of good teaching and the interesting range of indoor and outdoor activities provided.  In a highly effective lesson, children made exceptional progress in exploring with paints and in creating symmetrical butterfly paintings. They made rapid gains in acquiring new mathematical vocabulary and in painting and mixing techniques.  Pupils are making good progress in Key Stages 1 and 2 and attainment is above average in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The more-able pupils make good progress in lessons because they are usually set challenging and demanding activities. An above average proportion of pupils attain the higher levels in reading

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The achievement of pupils is good

and mathematics, but this is not the case in writing. Pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to write detailed and extended pieces in English and in other subjects.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. This is because of the well-planned and specific support they receive.  In 2012, the few Year 6 pupils supported by the pupil premium attained lower test results than the other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. These pupils were about 16 months behind the others in reading and mathematics and eight months behind in writing. However, some of these pupils were recent arrivals to the school. The funding is being used well to provide additional support to accelerate the progress of pupils eligible for it.  Pupils make good progress in speaking and listening because teachers provide plenty of opportunities for them to discuss their learning and to explain their learning to the class.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In reading, pupils make good progress. They have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy reading the wide range of books on offer at school. Parents make a valuable contribution to pupils’ reading at home. Some also support pupils’ reading in school.  Raising achievement in writing is a school improvement priority. Pupils write for different purposes. Their spelling, punctuation and grammar are usually accurate. In a Years 3 and 4 lesson, pupils made good progress as they used imaginative words and phrases in trying to persuade people to buy a cereal product.  Pupils make good progress in acquiring mathematical knowledge and understanding. They also make good progress and applying numeracy skills to solve problems. In Years 1 and 2, pupils make good progress as they used a range of learning resources such a counters and lolly sticks to solve interesting number problems. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 made good progress in accurately

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The achievement of pupils is good

calculating the area and perimeter of compound shapes.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils receive good teaching and this has a positive impact on their learning and achievement. There are examples of outstanding practice.  Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely well. They establish very positive relationships with the pupils and create an attractive and purposeful classroom environment for learning. Pupils are cooperative and show consideration and respect for others. They work extremely well together in a range of activities.  In the Reception class, children are provided with an interesting range of indoor and outdoor activities. They benefit from high quality demonstrations, instructions and guidance by the teacher. Children are inspired by the teacher’s enthusiasm. They are provided with good opportunities to explore, be creative and learn on their own.  In a successful English lesson, pupils in Years 5 and 6 made exceptional progress in writing a

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The quality of teaching is good

diary in the role of Macbeth. The teacher provided extremely clear guidance, instruction and feedback. Pupils rose to the challenge of exploring and identifying the feelings of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In their writing they included dates and times, emotive language, time connectives and different feelings and viewpoints very well. They took pride in their work and successfully reviewed their own and others’ writing.  In most lessons, teachers share the purpose of the lesson with the class so pupils know and understand what they are expected to learn. Teachers also set specific steps to success to guide pupils’ learning towards learning intentions. In a few lessons, the teacher does not share the learning intentions well enough and pupils are less clear about their learning and why.  Teachers and teaching assistants expect pupils to do their best in their studies and to behave well. Pupils respond very positively to these expectations. Questioning is used successfully to

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The quality of teaching is good

challenge pupils’ thinking and to check their understanding of new learning.  Teachers generally make good use of the information about pupils’ attainment to plan their teaching and to set tasks at the right level for different groups of pupils. As a result, pupils are challenged well and make good progress. This is particularly strong in mathematics.  Reading skills, including phonics (letters and the sounds they make), are effectively taught through a discrete, regular and well-structured programme. Those who need it receive one-to- one support in reading. The teaching of writing skills is good, but pupils do not always have enough opportunities to write long extended pieces.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well taught. Activities and support are modified to suit their learning needs. Teaching assistants are well deployed and make a good contribution in guiding and supporting pupils’ learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Occasionally in lessons, pupils’ learning does not move at a quick enough pace. This happens when teachers’ introductions are too long or too much time is spent consolidating previous learning when pupils are eager to tackle the main task.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour and safety of pupils are particular strengths of the school.  Children in the Reception class settle into school very well because of successful induction arrangements and the very positive relationships established with adults. Children thoroughly enjoy the exciting activities provided as they learn and play together.  In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils show much enthusiasm for learning. In lessons, their concentration and levels of participation are high. Pupils are cooperative, friendly and show consideration and respect for others. Relationships in the school between adults and pupils and between pupils are of a high quality.  Behaviour in lessons and around the school is often exemplary. Pupils, parents and the low number of incidents confirm that behaviour is typically of a high standard.  Pupils have a very clear understanding of bullying and the various forms it can take, including

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

name calling, physical bullying and cyber bullying. The group of pupils who spoke to the inspector were unanimous that bullying was not a problem in the school. They had every confidence in the fact that the headteacher and staff would always swiftly deal with inappropriate behaviour, including bullying.  Parents are very supportive and pupils are eager to come to school. As a result, attendance levels are consistently well above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers are successfully promoting good achievement for pupils, good teaching and outstanding behaviour and safety.  The experienced headteacher is highly regarded by pupils’, parents and staff. The school’s atmosphere is extremely welcoming and positive. The partnerships with parents and the local community are considerable strengths.  Parents are particularly pleased with safety, their children’s progress, the quality of teaching and the leadership. Their concerns are very few. A number of parents were keen to inform the inspector of how good the school was. They praised the school’s ethos, the leadership and the high quality support provided for children and their families. The inspection findings reflect these positive views.  Leaders of English, mathematics and the Early Years Foundation Stage play an effective role in checking performance and improving their areas of responsibility.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher carefully checks the quality of teaching. There are effective procedures for appraising staff performance and developing their professional skills. Targets to improve performance and training are carefully linked to pupils’ progress and to the school’s main improvement priorities.  Staff have developed an interesting range of learning activities which promote good achievement and outstanding personal development for pupils. Art, clubs and sport are clear strengths of the school’s curriculum. Outdoor learning is given good attention through the use of the environmental and gardens areas. Parents make a valuable contribution to activities. For example, code club, a computer programming club and the gardening club are run by parents.  Pupil premium funding has been properly planned and allocated to accelerate the progress of eligible pupils.  There are no signs of discrimination in the school. All pupils have access to the full range of

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The leadership and management are good

activities provided, and the staff show determination to ensure that different groups of pupils all do as well as they can.  The local authority provides light touch support because the school’s performance has been positive over the years. The local authority has confidence in the leadership and in the school’s capacity to improve.  The governance of the school:  Governors are supportive and enthusiastic. They have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and the key areas requiring improvement. They know how pupils’ attainment and progress and how these compare to schools nationally. Governors receive clear reports from the headteacher about the quality of teaching. The governors’ knowledge of the school’s performance enables governors to raise questions and hold the school to account. Governors understand the requirements relating to the management of staff performance, and ensure that promotion and salary are linked to pupils’ progress. They check that the pupil premium is

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The leadership and management are good

properly spent. Governors have attended a range of useful courses to increase their effectiveness. Steps are taken to ensure that all safeguarding requirements are meet.

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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 113165 Local authority Devon Inspection number 408935

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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 Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 100 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Janet Barriball Headteacher Holly Torvell Date of previous school inspection 2 July 2008 Telephone number 01566 772191 Fax number 01566 772191 Email address admin@st-giles-heath-primary.devon.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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