Kilkhampton Junior and Infant School

School report Kilkhampton Junior and Infant School Kilkhampton, Bude, EX23 9QU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  The above average standards that pupils attain in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 reflect their good progress and achievement.  Teaching is typically good across the school. Some is outstanding, particularly the way that teaching helps pupils to excel in physical education.  The behaviour of pupils is good. In particular, pupils in Years 5 and 6, including those with most ability, welcome the teachers’ high level of challenge and apply themselves wholeheartedly to their learning.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have fun and develop their social and physical skills extremely well when learning outdoors.  Staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development strongly through supportive relationships and a caring atmosphere.  All staff work effectively to make full use of the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school’s extensive indoor and outdoor facilities to promote pupils’ full enjoyment of school.  Senior leaders, including governors, share the headteacher’s determined commitment in sustaining stimulating learning activities and driving improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Over time, pupils’ basic writing skills, especially handwriting, have not been emphasised and developed consistently well in Years 2 and 3.  There is not enough outstanding teaching to ensure pupils’ excellent progress. Occasionally pupils are not moved on to harder work quickly enough when they find it too easy.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector visited 12 lessons and was accompanied by the headteacher for some of these observations.  The inspector observed morning playtime and lunch breaks and also visited a reward assembly.  Meetings were held with members of the school council and many other pupils were spoken to during lessons and breaktimes.  The inspector also met with school governors.  The inspector held meetings with staff, including senior leaders.  The inspector received 11 staff questionnaires. The inspector also spoke informally with a number of parents as they brought and collected their children from school.  The inspector took account of 23 parents’ responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning and undertaking the inspection.  The inspector observed the school’s work, and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’ progress, planning and leaders’ checks on the quality of

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Information about this inspection

teaching.  The inspector also examined records relating to behaviour and attendance, and safeguarding policy, procedures and practice. The inspector also considered the school’s sports premium action plan.

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Inspection team

Alex Baxter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is a below average-sized primary school.  Most pupils attending the school are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  Only a very small number of pupils are supported by the pupil premium. This additional funding is for children in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are accommodated in a combined Reception and Year 1 class. Other pupils are also taught in mixed-age classes.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school is a member of The Bude Communities’ Schools’ Trust, which is a partnership of

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Information about this school

seven schools. The school retains its own governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Move the quality of teaching and learning from good to outstanding by teachers:  more consistently developing pupils’ basic writing skills, especially in Years 2 and 3, including by ensuring that pupils act on the advice given to improve their work  moving pupils on to harder work more quickly when it is clear they find work easy.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There is a relatively small number of pupils in each year group so the results at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 vary from year to year. Even so, the mostly above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics reached by pupils by the end of Year 6 in national tests show good achievement. The school’s own checks of pupils’ progress and observations of pupils’ work and responses in lessons also reflect their good progress.  Currently, the increasing number of pupils in Year 6 taking the higher Level 5 and 6 tests shows that the most able are challenged well and also make good progress.  Children start school with skills that are often below those normally expected for their age. Very supportive links with the adjacent pre-school and with parents help children to settle quickly and make a confident start to full-time schooling.  Children make good progress during their time in the Reception and Year 1 class and are

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The achievement of pupils is good

enthused by the teacher’s well-planned use of the much improved outdoor learning facilities.  Children make good progress in reading in response to effective teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) and good support of reading at home. This effective focus on developing pupils’ basic reading skills continues through the school and leads to pupils’ above average standards by the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ mathematics skills are also developed well by effective teaching as they move through the school.  After a good start in Reception and Year 1, pupils’ progress in writing in Years 2 and 3 has fluctuated in recent years. Pupils are now using a wider range of words to construct more meaningful sentences, in response to more specific teaching of basic skills.  However, this renewed emphasis on aspects such as handwriting and spelling has not yet been in place long enough. As a result, pupils’ writing is not yet good enough in Years 2 and 3.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop their writing skills well through the remainder of Key Stage 2, and especially in Years 5 and 6. This is because teachers set high expectations and pupils themselves more readily work hard to present their work neatly.  Pupils also make good progress in extending their speaking and listening skills. They think carefully before confidently posing their own questions and extending their vocabulary as they do so. This was seen, for example, in Year 5 when pupils discussed how to improve their writing by using more descriptive adverbs and adjectives.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs also make good progress and are fully included in learning by sensitive support staff.  In this school, the pupil premium is used well to support individual pupils. For example, additional adult assistance enables them to achieve as well as their peers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good because it promotes pupils’ good achievement across the school.   Pupils’ learning is enriched in all classes by the caring way that teachers and teaching assistants promote supportive relationships and value the pupils’ efforts. These qualities are particularly strong features underpinning pupils’ good progress in reading, which is also supported by the skilled teaching of phonics.   Pupils’ good learning in mathematics stems from the teachers’ probing questioning that encourages pupils to think carefully before explaining their ideas.   Pupils’ learning is also developed well because teachers provide tasks and activities suitable for pupils’ needs. For example, children in Reception develop speaking and listening skills successfully when sharing ideas about ‘Dragons’ and during role-play in ‘Kilkhampton Museum’.   Teachers also ensure that capable teaching assistants provide additional support when pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

need it most, for example examining their work carefully to check their understanding. This enables disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and others in receipt of additional adult assistance to progress as well as their classmates.   Teaching in the Reception and Year 1 class and in Years 5 and 6 places a strong and successful emphasis on developing pupils’ writing skills. This is also accompanied by high expectations ensuring that pupils are careful with their work and always give of their best when writing. As a result, pupils produce qood quality well-presented expressive writing in these classes.   Teaching is not yet outstanding because in Years 2 and 3, the teachers’ focus on developing pupils’ basic writing skills, such as handwriting, has not always been strong enough. The teachers’ improving emphasis on basic skills when they mark pupils’ work is encouraging pupils to do better. Even so, pupils’ writing in these years still lags behind their reading and

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The quality of teaching is good

mathematics skills.   Older pupils rise to the teachers’ high level of challenge presented to them, for example often recording positive responses to teachers’ marking in their books. By this means, teaching ensures that the most able are fully stretched. On a few occasions in other classes, pupils are not moved on to harder work quickly enough to sustain their interest and progress slows.   The teaching of physical education and sports is a strength across the school because staff make full use of the school’s excellent facilities to help pupils learn well, as, for example, during gymnastics in Years 2 and 3 where the teacher’s high expectations and emphasis on safe practice advanced pupils’ understanding. This enabled the pupils to make excellent use of the good range of climbing and balancing equipment to extend their skills. 

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils really enjoy school and this is reflected in their joyful participation in ‘Wake and Shake’ physical exercise at break times and in their above average attendance.  Staff present caring role models, which the pupils follow willingly. Adults and pupils share very warm and encouraging relationships, which also support good learning in lessons by encouraging pupils to share ideas.  All staff diligently offer all pupils the equal opportunity to take part and do well in school life and there is no discrimination. One pupil thoughtfully summarised the views of others when saying, ’It’s almost like we have a connection with teachers and this helps us to learn.’  The behaviour of pupils is good. Older pupils mostly show excellent attitudes to learning in lessons and relish the challenges presented to them. ‘Team captains’ talk knowledgeably about how lining up with ‘buddies’ after play has improved behaviour.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Occasionally, in other classes, a few pupils become restless and need adult guidance to keep them learning. At times this is because pupils lose interest and are ready to move on to more difficult work.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Parents and pupils have few concerns about behaviour and this is borne out in school records, which show few incidents and no exclusions in recent years.  The vast majority of parents responding to the questionnaire recognised the school as a safe and happy community. When questioned, a pupil said, typically reflecting the views of others, ’We feel safe because teachers would always put us before anything else.’  Pupils insist there is no bullying, but that a few pupils can be silly and thoughtless at times. Pupils are very confident that should there be any misbehaviour, then adults would deal with it swiftly and effectively.  Pupils have a good understanding of the different types of bullying, including physical, racial and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

cyber bullying. They enjoy using computers and are mindful of e-safety when seeking information.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher leads with a passion that promotes a common sense of purpose among all staff and morale is high. Leaders, including governors, share a strong drive for improvement.  Leaders and managers work well with parents and carry out clearly established routines to keep pupils safe. The staff’s intolerance of discrimination means that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are fully included and progress well. Senior leaders also ensure that pupils supported by the pupil premium achieve as well as their classmates.  The headteacher, well supported by senior staff and governors, makes effective checks on teaching and training for staff. Aspects identified for improvement and decisions about teachers’ movements up the salary scale are closely based on how teaching promotes pupils’ learning.  This has sustained improvement, for example ensuring stimulating use of extended outdoor

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The leadership and management are good

facilities to enrich children’s learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage. It has also brought improvement in upper Key Stage 2 where the most able pupils in particular, are stretched to attain higher standards. These developments show a secure capacity to improve further.  More recent actions have also improved pupils’ standards in reading and mathematics across the school. However, leadership and management are not outstanding. This is because actions, including additional teaching to improve pupils’ writing in Years 2 and 3, have not been in place long enough to fully lift pupils’ skills.  The school provides a wide range of indoor and outdoor practical learning activities that strongly promote the pupils’ pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The staff develop the pupils’ joy and success in learning through visits and participation in community events.  The headteacher sustains an inspirational lead in ensuring that much learning is linked to

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The leadership and management are good

developing pupils’ social and physical health. As a result, pupils develop these qualities extremely well by engaging enthusiastically in a stimulating range of competitive sports, clubs and multi- skills activity.  The school is also using new sports funding extremely well to improve the teaching of sport and further enrich pupils’ skills and fitness. For example, specialist coaching is improving staff skills and enabling more activities such as multi-skills for younger pupils. The school continues to check this work and has already noted that a majority of pupils in both Key Stage 1 and 2 are now attending at least one sports club.  The local authority provides ‘light-touch’ guidance and supports the school’s partnership with local schools, which involves sharing teachers’ training and good practice.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has managed change well since the previous inspection to drive

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The leadership and management are good

improvement. Governors strongly support the excellent provision for sport and have approved the focused use of new sports funding to provide more clubs for younger pupils. Governors have taken effective action this school year by providing additional teaching in Year 2. This has quickened pupils’ progress in reading and mathematics. New governors bring a wide variety of expertise and have taken full advantage of training opportunities to meet their statutory responsibilities. These include, for example, vetting new staff and keeping pupils safe. Governors visit the school regularly to see the work of the school and talk to staff, pupils and their parents about pupils’ progress. Governors frequently question the headteacher and, on regular occasions, an outside specialist, to check the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning. By these means, governors ensure that teachers’ performance and salary progression are

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The leadership and management are good

linked to improving pupils’ progress. Governors play an active role in maintaining the high quality of the school’s facilities and manage finances efficiently. Governors know how the achievement of pupils in this school compares with other schools nationally. This enables them to ensure that the pupil premium enables eligible pupils to achieve as well as other pupils.

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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 111930 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 439542

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 85 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jeff Cherrington Headteacher Jane Adams Date of previous school inspection 18 March 2009 Telephone number 01288 321259 Fax number 01288 321936 Email address admin@kilkhampton.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 and 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

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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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