Stoke Climsland School

Stoke Climsland School Stoke Climsland, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 8ND

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Senior leaders, managers and governors have not been effective enough over the past few years to improve the quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievement. Too few of the actions they took in the past were successful.  The governing body is new to its role and is only just beginning to challenge leaders about pupils' progress and the quality of teaching.  Leaders have not made sure that all pupils achieve well in English and mathematics, or that teaching is consistently good.  Pupils’ progress in Key Stage 1 is too slow.  Achievement of the most able pupils across the school is not high enough.  Teaching is too variable. The work teachers plan does not always match pupils’ abilities. Expectations of pupils' progress are often too low.  Marking lacks the rigour needed to help pupils to improve their work. It does not regularly challenge them to improve.

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The school has the following strengths

 Governors ensure that additional funding for pupils, who are entitled to receive it, is appropriately used. These pupils make at least similar progress to their classmates.  Pupils’ progress in English and mathematics across Key Stage 2 is accelerating.  Pupils' behaviour is good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and get on well together. Their attendance is improving.  Pupils feel safe at school and there are good arrangements in place to keep them secure.  Children get off to a good start in the early years and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  The subjects and topics that pupils study provide an effective breadth of learning to ensure that pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.  The good range of after-school clubs contribute well to pupils' personal development.  Provision for music is strong; a high proportion of pupils learn to play an instrument.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 10 lessons. They also listened to some pupils read. Inspectors spoke to pupils about their work.  Members of the inspection team held meetings with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body. The lead inspector held telephone conversations with two representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a range of documents. These included the school’s own information about pupils’ progress, planning and monitoring documents, and safeguarding information.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books jointly with school leaders.  Inspectors took account of the 56 parent responses to the Ofsted online survey (Parent View) and 25 responses to the staff inspection questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Denise Morris, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  The school caters for pupils from the local area and nearby villages although about half of all pupils come from outside the designated area for the school.  A very small proportion of pupils have special educational needs.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below average. This is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and looked after children.  The school receives the primary sport funding.  There is full-time early years provision for children from the age of five. Children have their own accommodation, which includes an outdoor learning area.  The school works closely with its federated partner school, Calstock Primary School. The two schools share a headteacher and governing body.  The results of the Year 6 national assessments for mathematics and for English grammar, punctuation and

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Information about this school

spelling were annulled last year. This action followed an investigation into the school’s administration of the tests by the Standards and Testing Agency. Therefore, it is not possible to report whether the school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress. In addition, it is not possible to report the attainment of disadvantaged pupils’ at the end of Year 6 in 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils' achievement, particularly in English and mathematics, by:  ensuring that work for all pupils is suitably matched to their abilities  providing challenge for the most able pupils across the school to accelerate their learning so that they reach higher levels  ensuring that marking is accurate and helps pupils to improve their work.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  developing the effectiveness of monitoring by senior leaders and key staff to ensure that initiatives are followed through rigorously and raise standards further  building on governors’ recent training so that the governors challenge the school in depth about the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The steps taken by the headteacher and other leaders to improve achievement and teaching since the previous inspection have not all been effective. Initiatives to improve progress in English and mathematics have not had a significant impact on pupils' outcomes in these subjects. Teaching has not been led well enough to raise pupils' achievements in these subjects.  Standards of attainment are below average by the end of Year 2 despite pupils leaving Reception and entering Year 1 with average levels in the early years areas of learning. Achievement in Year 2 is better this year.  In Key Stage 2, there is some acceleration in pupils' progress, but it will take time for this to be rapid enough to make up for their underachievement during Years 1 and 2. Attainment at the end of Year 6 has remained average for the past few years, but is improving this year.  Leaders are aware that progress in Key Stage 1 has been too slow for pupils' skills to improve as they

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The leadership and management require improvement

move through the school. However, the school’s own evaluation of its work in the past did not identify ways to improve teaching and achievement. Teachers’ assessment of pupils' work has not been rigorous or accurate enough to bring about the improvements necessary.  The local authority has not had an accurate enough view of the school. While analysis of information about the school’s performance correctly identifies areas of concern these are not always followed up with sufficient rigour to make sure that leaders tackle them swiftly.  Senior leaders have created an atmosphere in which good relationships and behaviour flourish. The behaviour and safety of pupils are monitored well by leaders, resulting in pupils' good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning.  With staffing issues during the last academic year now resolved, the school is moving forward and dealing with the underachievement in the past. Middle leaders are beginning to lead their subjects effectively and

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The leadership and management require improvement

have recently begun to have a positive impact on improving literacy and numeracy.  The management of staff performance is improving, with relevant training to improve teachers’ skills and match activities more closely to pupils’ needs. For example, training on teaching phonics (the sounds letters make) has helped children in the early years to make good progress in their reading and writing. Targets are set for all teachers that relate closely to the progress that pupils should make. Increases in salary are linked to whether teachers fully meet these targets.  The school’s curriculum has been updated, so that pupils continue to learn about a broad range of subjects and make good progress in some of them. All pupils enjoy music. Singing during assemblies is of a very high quality. A wide range of instrumental tuition also helps pupils to develop their musical talents well.  Pupils benefit from an interesting range of visits that contribute well to their physical skills and their

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The leadership and management require improvement

personal development. There are beneficial links with schools in China and the United States of America that widen pupils' horizons. Visits to the local church and effective links with the community also support pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  The school provides an interesting range of activities to develop pupils’ awareness of British values and prepares them well for life in modern Britain; for example, there is an annual trip to London. There is a good range of clubs, such as gardening and cooking, which are well attended. These help to widen pupils' experiences promote their positive attitudes and their awareness of safety.  Additional support is provided for those pupils who fall behind, those who have special educational needs and for disadvantaged pupils. They make similar and sometimes better progress than their classmates, particularly in English and mathematics.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 School leaders are working to develop their preferred method of assessing pupils’ progress because there will no longer be levels in the future National Curriculum.  Leaders make sure that all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed through the improving curriculum. Pupils learn about different cultures and faiths in assemblies. The school makes it clear that any form of discrimination is not tolerated.  Leaders make effective use of pupil premium funding to provide additional support and extra resources for eligible pupils. These pupils receive good support and guidance from teaching assistants.  The primary sport funding is used well to engage pupils in a wide range of sporting activities. Sport funding has enabled pupils to take part in sports with other local schools. This has helped to improve their physical skills as well as their personal development.  Links with the school’s federated partner school are good. Close working relationships have developed

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The leadership and management require improvement

recently and these are now generating opportunities for teachers to link with other teachers and develop their skills.  Parents who responded to the online questionnaire are pleased with the school, although a few would like their children to receive more homework. Inspectors concluded that teachers give pupils the right amount of homework.  Staff are extremely supportive of leaders.  Safeguarding procedures at the school, and during trips and visits, meet all statutory requirements and are effective. All staff receive training in identifying pupils at risk of harm, and procedures to ensure pupils’ safety are clear.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is relatively new. Since the school federated with another local school last year, the two governing bodies have become one. Several governors have left and some new governors have been appointed. This has affected the amount of support governors have been able to provide.  Governors have now received training and completed an audit of skills, which shows that they have the capacity to challenge leaders and take the school forwards. They have developed a team approach and are beginning to monitor all aspects of the school so that they can challenge leaders about pupils' progress. They understand information about pupils’ progress and realise that it is not yet good.  Members of the governing body receive information about the quality of teaching and understand the process of setting targets for teachers so that they can make sure the best are rewarded. Governors

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The leadership and management require improvement

have been particularly supportive of senior leaders and a good, trusting relationship has developed.  Financial management is effective. Governors make sure that additional funding is used effectively to support eligible pupils’ progress. These pupils are now improving their achievement in English and mathematics because they receive individual teaching on a regular basis. This ensures that they achieve their targets.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite to staff and visitors and get on well together.  There have been no exclusions or behaviour incidents in the past few years. This is due to the good quality of support provided for pupils.  Behaviour in the school such as during lessons and assemblies is good. Pupils take part in collective worship on a regular basis. This teaches them about right and wrong. Year 6 pupils say that they enjoy school very much.  Pupils know about different forms of bullying. They told inspectors that they do not think that there is any bullying at the school because pupils get on very well together.  School staff are positive about pupils' behaviour and the school’s procedures to keep them safe.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good because of the activities and opportunities provided for them to reflect on relevant topics. Pupils learn about several different world faiths. During

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Behaviour

assemblies, for example, local visitors from different faiths sometimes talk about their lifestyles.  There is an upward trend in attendance this year, so that it is now average. Pupils benefit from a good programme of sports and visits, which help them to learn about the wider world. Pupils regularly raise funds for charities.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Year 6 pupils say that they feel safe and that staff take good care of them. Pupils know about staying safe on the internet and older pupils understand about e-safety.  Pupils have a good understanding of risks. Effective risk assessments are in place for any trip or visit and safety procedures are good on trips and visits. As a result, pupils feel safe.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is too variable between classes and does not enable pupils to make consistently good progress in English and mathematics from their average starting points. This is evident in pupils’ books, where there are differences in the amount and quality of work seen in each class.  The quality of marking is also variable and in some classes, it lacks rigour. Marking is not making a positive enough difference to pupils' work. Errors in punctuation, spelling and sentence construction are not picked up consistently so that pupils can learn how to improve.  In mathematics, tasks are not consistently well matched to pupils' abilities. For example, in one mathematics lesson, pupils were calculating perimeters. Staff did not check whether pupils who did not volunteer answers to questions had understood the work. As a result, some pupils' learning dipped.  Expectations in lessons are not consistently high enough to ensure that pupils work at a fast enough rate

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

to deepen their knowledge and skills. The most able pupils are not regularly challenged by the work set for them. As a result, their progress over time is limited  There are examples of good teaching in Key Stage 2, enabling pupils to make good progress in English and mathematics. The teaching of reading has improved over the past year due to regular and effective support provided during sessions of guided reading. This is helping pupils to improve their reading and enjoy books.  Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils with special needs and for those who are disadvantaged. As a result, these groups achieve at least as well as other pupils, and sometimes better than this.  Teachers manage pupils' behaviour well. They ensure that lessons are now focused and that pupils have many opportunities to work and play together. There are no disruptions in lessons caused by pupils' behaviour.  Teachers provide useful homework for older pupils, while younger ones regularly take their reading books

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Most pupils usually enter Year 1 with skills that are at least average for their age. In Key Stage 1, their progress dips and they do not build on their previous learning. By the end of Key Stage 1, their attainment does not reach the national average for pupils of their age in reading, writing and mathematics. A below average proportion of pupils attained the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics test last year.  Pupils' progress across Key Stage 2 is better than at Key Stage 1, but has not been sufficiently rapid to ensure that the pupils atttain standards that are above average by the end of Year 6. There is some acceleration in their achievements and current evidence shows that standards are now rising in Year 2 as well as in Key Stage 2. However, pupils’ handwriting, grammar, punctuation and spelling are not strong enough in all classes.  The most able pupils across the school are not always challenged well enough to enable them to attain

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

the higher levels. This is because expectations of what they can achieve have been too low, but are now getting better.  With staffing changes and greater stability, there is now some good learning in English and mathematics in several Key Stage 2 classes; achievement in these years is improving. In mathematics in Year 4, for example, pupils were using decimals accurately to divide by 10 and 100. They tackled the tasks confidently and worked enthusiastically. Their books showed few errors and the work set was challenging, leading to at least good achievement.  Good progress is also evident in reading across Key Stage 2. Pupils' reading skills have improved rapidly because of effective teaching this year. The high quality range of books engages pupils' interests; many pupils were eager to read to inspectors. The school's assessments, that have been checked by other teachers show that standards in reading and writing are close to average this year.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Gaps between those pupils who are disadvantaged and receive additional funding, and other pupils in the school are closing due to the additional support that the funding provides such as extra tuition.  Pupils with special educational needs also benefit from additional support and tracking which ensure that they make good progress from their starting points and achieve well.  Pupils work well together and respond well to their teachers. They are keen to achieve and do well, so lessons are calm.  A high proportion of pupils are learning to play an instrument and thoroughly enjoy this.

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The early years provision is good

 Children in the early years make an effective start to their school lives. A high proportion makes good progress during their time in the class, benefiting from a wide range of tasks that engage them well.  The education provided has depth and breadth across the seven areas of learning. It provides some exciting activities, which children enjoy. For example, children improved their mathematical skills when pretending to buy ice creams in the class shop. They organised themselves well, understood the roles of shopkeeper and customer and were happy to queue up for their turn. They used the correct money to buy their pretend items, and were able to give change.  Adults have good expectations and plan activities that are set at the right level. For example, children enjoy playing together and having fun while they learn because there are many colourful and exciting toys.  Planning for learning is well organised and contributes well to the development of children’s physical and

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The early years provision is good

emotional health, safety and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The outdoor learning area is large, safe and secure. However, pupils’ learning outdoors is not quite as creative or exciting as learning in the classroom. Children are not always challenged to extend their skills by answering questions in the outdoor area, although there are well-planned activities to develop their physical skills.  Children are taught phonics effectively and regularly so that they quickly learn how to match letters and sounds by playing games; many are starting to read.  Staff work extremely well with parents, keeping them fully informed about their children’s progress.  Safeguarding and child protection policies are implemented very well, so that children are safe and secure.  Leaders have an accurate understanding of the importance of staff training and development, so that all

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The early years provision is good

staff have the necessary qualifications and skills to support pupils of this age.  Children behave and interact with adults and other children well. These qualities make a positive difference to their personal development and learning.  The early years provision is led effectively, ensuring that children are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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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 111967 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 449551

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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 189 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mark Whittaker Headteacher Vicki Rigby Date of previous school inspection 26–27 May 2010 Telephone number 01579 370457 Fax number 01579 370457 Email address head@stokeclimsland.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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