Pensilva Primary School

Pensilva Primary School School Road, Liskeard, PL14 5PG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has successfully improved the quality of teaching and rigorously checks how well pupils are doing so they make good progress.  Governors are extensively involved in ensuring sustained improvements in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. They challenge school leaders and hold them to account to promote the school’s good performance further.  The behaviour of pupils is good throughout the school. The school’s work in keeping pupils safe is good. Children are very positive about their experiences in school.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of the care and highly effective support they receive.  The quality of teaching is good. Teachers plan a range of tasks which successfully promote pupils’ learning and lead to good achievement.  Pupils make good progress and by the end of Year 6 their achievement is good, especially in writing

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and English grammar, punctuation and spelling.  Children make good progress in the early years provision because their basic skills are effectively developed.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils do not always achieve quite as well in mathematics as they do in reading and writing because they do not have enough chances to practise their mathematical skills in problem solving.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to respond to teachers’ written guidance to improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning in six lessons, all of which were jointly seen with senior leaders. The inspector listened to pupils read and looked at their work.  The inspector met with pupils and talked with them about their learning. Meetings took place with governors and with both senior and subject leaders. A telephone conversation took place with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation including, for example, that related to safeguarding, behaviour, and checks on pupils’ attainment and progress.  The inspector took account of the 44 responses by parents to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and 16 staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Howard Jones, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The early years provision consists of one full-time Reception class. For some sessions, children are also grouped with some pupils from Year 1.  Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 are taught in mixed-age classes, apart from Year 3.  When compared with national figures, the proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is higher than other schools.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is average. The pupil premium is additional funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school is part of the Caradon Co-operative Educational Trust which involves four other primary

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Information about this school

schools within the area.  The current headteacher has been in place since January 2014.  There is an executive headteacher who works across a group of schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it leads to pupils making outstanding progress by:  providing more opportunities for pupils to master use of their mathematical skills in problem solving to enable them to attain higher standards  ensuring pupils have a chance to act upon advice given by staff and make necessary improvements to their work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is highly effective in implementing well-thought-out plans to improve the school’s work. As a result, since the previous inspection, pupils’ achievement has improved rapidly. This is because the quality of teaching is ensuring pupils make good progress across the school.  Leaders of subjects routinely check the progress of pupils. Good quality planning and leaders’ actions sustain improvements in pupils’ achievement.  Teachers are effective classroom practitioners and seek to enrich their skills further to support pupils’ learning. Staff are clear about their targets to improve pupils’ progress and appreciate the training they receive which enables them to achieve these. Their success is linked closely to both their career and salary progression.  The headteacher systematically checks how well pupils are doing, so that pupils at risk of underachieving are effectively supported. Collaborative work with the executive headteacher, together with the

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The leadership and management are good

engagement between teachers from within and beyond the learning trust, ensure pupils’ work is rigorously scrutinised and standards continue to improve.  The school uses additional funding well in order to support disadvantaged pupils. As a result, these pupils are making more rapid progress and gaps between their achievement and that of others, both within the school and nationally, are closing.  The local authority provides good support and recognises the improvements school leaders have made since the previous inspection. It accurately regards the school as having the capacity to sustain and build on these further.  The provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, an improvement point from the previous inspection, is now highly effective. This is a school characterised by positive relationships in which all pupils have equal opportunity to do well, whatever their need.

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The leadership and management are good

 The provision for physical education and sporting opportunities is effective. The additional primary funding is used to secure the expertise of a sports coach. This serves to increase the proficiency of staff in teaching sports skills. The school provides a wide range of competitive activities for pupils, such as cross country running, and opportunities to enhance their competency of indoor apparatus skills.  The range of subjects taught is planned well so that pupils develop their knowledge and understanding as they move through the school. English and mathematics are taught as discrete subjects and topic themes extend pupils’ learning, as do homework activities. There are also effective opportunities for pupils to extend their learning through the outdoor environment. Leaders are rightly ensuring there are more opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills in problem solving so that standards improve

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The leadership and management are good

further.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision for pupils is comprehensive. Pupils reflect on themes around right and wrong and the concept of ‘conscience’. They act as entrepreneurs and organise events to donate their profits to fund charitable work. Pupils also explore their Cornish heritage. They discuss current events in the news and the values such as respect and tolerance, all of which helps to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.  Safeguarding procedures meet requirements and systems work well. Risk assessments address all aspects of school life, including educational visits so that these are safe for pupils to attend.  The governance of the school:  Governors challenge school leaders to sustain improvements in pupils’ achievement. Governors have extensively developed their expertise through training, and accurately use data to compare the school’s performance to that of others nationally. They take actions to strengthen the provision for all pupils,

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The leadership and management are good

whatever their needs. They do not tolerate discrimination and check that additional funding is used to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. Governors successfully secure strong leadership and effectively prepare for planned staff absences. Governors routinely check the performance of the headteacher and only reward teachers with salary progression and promotion if their teaching ensures good progress for pupils. Governors have allocated the primary sport funding to increase teachers’ competency in providing effective physical education. They appropriately manage the school’s budget so that resources promote pupils’ learning. Governors regularly review the school’s day-to-day work and are involved in checking the quality of the school’s work.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils enjoy learning and are keen to do well in their tasks. Pupils work very well together and talk confidently about their learning and are happy to share their ideas. They remain fully absorbed in their work, including when their activities are more demanding.  Pupils are polite and courteous and behave appropriately when attending events such as inter-school sport competitions. Movement in and around the school is always calm and the dining hall is a typically orderly, yet happy, place to be during lunchtimes.  Pupils willingly assume responsibilities across the school and older pupils act as sports coaches and support younger children, for example during break time. Pupils also run writing and art clubs and others write weekly articles in the school newsletter.  The school’s behaviour records indicate that pupils’ behaviour is typically good. Pupils’ behaviour is not

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Behaviour

outstanding because their attitudes to learning are not exemplary in all classes across the school.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils are aware of routines in place to keep them safe. Pupils spoken to say they feel safe at all times and that their teachers are always helpful should they have any concerns.  Pupils say there is no discrimination of any type within their school. They say they always feel ‘comfortable’ at school because everyone is friendly. They say there is a strong sense of being part of a team because everyone works together to help each other during lessons and sports events.  Pupils talk confidently of how to keep themselves safe when using the internet because of the school’s work in this area. Pupils say that bullying of any kind or name calling are very rare.  Attendance is above average and pupils are punctual. The very large majority of parents say their child feels safe and happy at this school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection. Leaders’ actions ensure it is now consistently good so that pupils make good progress as they move through the school.  Pupils are developing their literacy skills effectively. For example, pupils are increasingly confident in using these skills to deepen their comprehension of a range of text, as seen in a Year 3 guided reading session. As a result, previous gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding are closing.  Numeracy skills are well taught. However, pupils are not always given the chance to develop their problem-solving skills in mathematics.  Teachers have high expectations and use questioning skilfully to deepen pupils’ understanding. For instance, this was evident in a Years 4 and 5 discussion around the use of personification, in which pupils were enabled to use vocabulary accurately in their writing.  Teachers review pupils’ learning to check how secure their understanding is. In a Years 5 and 6

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The quality of teaching is good

mathematics class, the teacher reshaped tasks so that pupils knew how to move rapidly forward in their investigations.  Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning because the range of activities planned by teachers is well matched to their learning needs and tasks are set at the right level of difficulty. For example, in a Year 2 mathematics session, the activities were suitably challenging for all and pupils of different abilities remained absorbed until they were successful in solving number problems.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are taught well and have positive learning experiences. Other adults in the classroom provide appropriate levels of support to enable them to engage confidently with their tasks and demonstrate how they apply their understanding.  Pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to respond to teachers’ written guidance. Teachers’ marking enables pupils to see the next steps they need to make in becoming more successful, but pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

do not always have a chance to reflect and act upon this so that their subsequent work improves.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The achievement of pupils is good. It has improved since the previous inspection because of the actions taken by school leaders. Most pupils reach the level expected in reading, writing and mathematics in national tests at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils are especially successful in writing and English grammar, punctuation and spelling.  The most able pupils achieve well. They consistently achieve the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics so that their attainment overall compares well with similar pupils nationally.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Individual support effectively meets their learning needs so they develop their basic skills and achieve well. Some do particularly well in their mathematics and writing.  The gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils, both within the school and nationally, is closing. At the end of Key Stage 2 in 2014, compared to other pupils at the school, they were

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The achievement of pupils is good

behind by 12 months in reading, 22 months in writing and 14 months in mathematics. Compared with other pupils nationally, they were 15 months behind in reading and 10 months behind in writing and mathematics. Actions by school leaders are now leading to gaps closing further for these pupils, all of whom are now making good progress from their different starting points compared to their peers and others nationally.  Pupils enjoy reading a range of books, including informational text. Previous gaps in pupils’ skills in reading are being effectively addressed and pupils’ achievement is improving. School evidence shows current pupils are making good progress and are on track to achieve well.  Pupils’ achievement in mathematics, although good overall, is not as high as in reading, writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar. This is because pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to master their use

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The achievement of pupils is good

of mathematical skills in solving problems and so deepen their understanding to attain higher standards.

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The early years provision is good

 Leadership and management of the early years provision are good. Staff maintain strong links with parents so that children quickly settle into routines in school. Adults effectively check how well children are developing and use this information to create learning opportunities which ensure children make good progress in their basic skills.  There is a range of activities, including those in the outside setting, which serves to inspire children both in the use of their imagination and their creative skills. Children’s learning is captured and recorded so that parents are informed of their child’s development. This information on children’s progress is used well by staff.  There are good systems to ensure that children are kept safe and secure and provision for their well-being is comprehensive. Children behave well; they move around safely and play well together. They listen carefully to adults and are eager to look at story books and participate confidently during phonics (the

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The early years provision is good

sounds letters make) sessions.  Teaching is good and all adults consistently endeavour to extend children’s understanding. They use conversation effectively to question children and require them to use sentences when talking about their learning. Adult-directed tasks, such as a picture treasure hunt, are developed well so that children are extended in developing their use of basic writing skills.  The majority of children enter Reception with skill levels broadly typical for their age. Most go on to achieve a good level of development by the end of their Reception year. A good proportion exceeds this, especially in communication and language and in personal and social development. Children are, therefore, well prepared for Year 1.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 111963 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 453728

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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 133 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Craig Vaughnley Headteacher Teresa Clinick Date of previous school inspection 19–12 March 2013 Telephone number 01579 362546 Fax number 01579 363424 Email address secretary@pensilva.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

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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