Carbeile Junior School

Carbeile Junior School Trevol Road, Torpoint, Cornwall PL11 2NH

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 As a result of the headteacher’s clear vision and purposeful leadership, the school has improved rapidly since the last inspection.  The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the time of the last inspection because best practice is more consistently applied across the school.  Different groups of pupils in different year groups make good progress. They achieve standards of attainment that are higher than the national average.  All pupils, but particularly the most able pupils, are routinely challenged to aim high and think more deeply.  The school has received valuable external support that has helped to improve aspects of leadership and teaching.  Pupils are well mannered, polite and confidently self-assured. They understand the importance of treating others with consideration and respect.  Governors are keenly involved in the life of the school. They are committed and loyal, providing

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This is a good school

both support and challenge to the headteacher.  Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning because the curriculum, and the activities that teachers plan, stimulate their interest and curiosity.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Middle leaders’ skills are rapidly developing but they do not yet play a fully strategic role that has a direct impact upon achievement.  Governors are not yet fully effective in supporting and challenging leaders to maximise the impact of planned actions on school improvement.  Pupils are not always moved on swiftly enough once they have met their targets.  Not all teachers routinely use questioning effectively to deepen pupils’ learning further.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership by: – continuing to develop middle leaders so that their role has greater impact on the improvement of teaching and the raising of achievement – ensuring governors’ understanding of leaders’ plans enables pupils in all year groups to achieve well, regardless of ability, starting point or background.  Increase pupil progress by ensuring that all teachers monitor targets closely and move pupils on swiftly when targets have been met.  Improve the quality of teaching, so that a greater proportion is outstanding, by ensuring that teachers use effective questioning more often to deepen pupils’ understanding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has provided strong and determined leadership since he took up post shortly after the last inspection. As a result, the school has improved rapidly because the quality of teaching is now good. This, in turn, has improved pupils’ achievement.  School leaders are clear about the school’s strengths and areas for development. Their self-evaluation is accurate and precise. Consequently, this has enabled leaders to develop a school improvement plan that is focused sharply on the quality of teaching and on raising pupils’ achievement.  The headteacher has created a culture in which all staff are increasingly taking greater ownership of their work. This is because staff feel that there is a renewed drive for success in the school, they are trusted to do their work and expectations of them are high. As a result, leadership at different levels in the school is strengthening.  The impact of middle leaders is not yet being felt fully. This is because they are relatively new in their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

roles and they do not yet have the strategic influence that the headteacher wants them to have. However, middle leaders are keen and committed, appreciate the responsibility they have been given and work effectively with other staff.  The leadership of teaching is strong. The systems used to manage teachers’ performance and improve their practice have focused individual staff on key priorities, raised accountability and enabled staff to work collaboratively with each other and with other professionals. One newly qualified teacher who spoke to an inspector commented that she received ‘massive support’. As a result, there is more sharing of best practice so that teaching is consistently good.  The culture in the school is underpinned by a focus on key values and the development of personal qualities. Consequently, members of the school community are respectful towards each other, and understand the importance of good manners and the need to work hard. Pupils learn how to become

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

more resilient, to take more risks and ‘have a go’, and to look for creative solutions to problems.  The deputy headteacher is directly responsible for the provision for disadvantaged pupils. As a result, they are well supported because their progress is closely monitored and pupil premium funding is spent effectively. For instance, funding has been used to create smaller class sizes in Year 3, which has boosted progress.  The curriculum inspires pupils because leaders have adapted it to suit the interests of pupils. It covers a broad range of subjects that foster a curiosity in pupils about the wider world. Leaders have made the curriculum relevant to the locality where possible. For example, pupils study a geography topic called ‘From Source to Sea’, and teachers use the school’s location close by the River Tamar, along with a boat trip, to make the topic more meaningful.  The curriculum is well supported by a range of extra-curricular clubs – up to 15 throughout the year.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

These might include baking, field gun competitions (teams transport the parts of a field gun over obstacles), upcycling and a variety of sports clubs. These clubs are attended well by different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils.  The sport premium additional funding is used effectively by the school to increase pupil participation in sports activities, provide training for staff and set up further inter-school competition with local schools.  The school has received effective external support from a national organisation made up of advisers and school leaders. This organisation has brokered links with other schools and provided a mentor to the headteacher. Furthermore, it has provided training to improve leadership and teaching practice. The headteacher speaks highly of this intervention because of its impact on the school’s work.  The local authority has monitored the school’s progress regularly since the time of the last inspection,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

which has provided an extra layer of accountability.  Although the majority of parents are happy with their child’s experience of school, some parents expressed concern in the online survey Parent View about the quality of information they receive about their child’s progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school Governors are highly committed and take their work seriously. They have detailed plans that outline how they will meet their responsibilities. Deadlines and lines of accountability are also clear. As a result, governors work closely with the school and visit frequently. Governors now provide a higher degree of challenge to the headteacher. This is because of recent training they have received and because new governors who have joined the board have increased the range of expertise and experience. Governors ask the right testing questions about the achievement of groups of pupils so that school leaders are held to account appropriately. Governors are able to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of the school. However, their awareness of leaders’ improvement plans is not yet detailed enough for them to maximise the impact of planned actions on school improvement.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The school’s records to check that all staff are suitable to work with children are complete, accurate and comprehensive.  A representative of the governing body monitors the school’s safeguarding arrangements so that there is an additional layer of scrutiny and leadership accountability.  Staff have been provided with relevant training. For instance, all staff have received ‘Prevent’ training (on the Government’s anti-radicalisation strategy) and understand its relevance for pupils at the school. Staff and governors who are responsible for vetting and employing new staff who join the school have received safer recruitment training.  Staff are aware of the procedures to follow and which staff to talk to should they have safeguarding concerns. Policies and procedures are prominent and visible around the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Pupils of different abilities are set tasks that challenge them to try harder, think deeply and try the more difficult option. This is because the bronze, silver, gold and extra challenge system is applied consistently across subjects and year groups. Every task set has four levels of challenge and teachers ensure that pupils access the level of challenge that is most appropriate for them.  Teachers use their good subject knowledge to set activities that appeal to the interests of pupils and allow pupils of different abilities to access tasks at the right level. Often teachers use ‘hooks’ – intriguing and fascinating ideas that interest pupils in their learning from the outset.  Attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils enjoy their learning because teachers are adept at making the learning interesting, fun and suitably challenging. In a high-ability Year 6 mathematics lesson, the most able pupils were visibly excited when the teacher introduced a more difficult problem.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for, and to talk about, their learning. For example, it is common practice for pupils to come to the front of the class and explain how they approached a problem or to demonstrate their working. Other members of the class then have the opportunity to question them about their thinking. As a result, pupils are able to learn from their peers.  Teaching assistants have received training so that they are able to provide effective targeted support to pupils with special educational needs or disability. The most able pupils also receive support from teaching assistants if it enables them to achieve more rapid progress.  Classrooms and corridors have become more purposeful learning environments. Displays showcase exemplar work as a model for other pupils and, in an attractive and colourful way, provide learning resources that have a practical value in lessons. For example, pupils are encouraged to go up to ‘learning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

walls’ to check rules or methods, and see how other pupils have applied them.  The feedback that teachers provide to pupils to help them improve their work, in accordance with the school’s policy, is highly effective. This is because the system is firmly embedded across subjects and year groups, and used well by all teachers. Consequently, pupils are very familiar with it and regularly act upon the advice they receive. This enables pupils to make greater progress.  Positive relationships exist between staff and pupils. Teachers are encouraging and supportive. As a result, pupils feel that classrooms are safe places where they can ask questions, make contributions and take risks.  Although targets set by teachers help pupils to improve their work because they provide practical next steps, they are not monitored closely enough. Consequently, not all teachers are sufficiently clear about when targets have been met, so that new targets can be set to move pupils on in a timely way.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are confident, articulate and self-reliant young people. This is because the school is a safe environment where all pupils are known and respected. Staff provide a strong level of support to pupils. One Year 6 pupil commented to an inspector that ‘child protection is taken seriously here’. Pupils feel able to talk to staff if they have concerns.  Bullying happens rarely in the school. When it does occur, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively. One pupil commented to an inspector, ‘We don’t have bullying now; the headteacher just won’t stand for it’. A minority of parents reported on the online survey Parent View that they had concerns about bullying but inspection evidence and the views of staff and pupils do not support this.  The school environment is a warm, inviting place that encourages pupils to feel that they belong. There is

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Personal development and welfare

a variety of rich and colourful displays that celebrate children’s work and achievements. Communal areas are well used. For example, soft chairs are arranged next to an array of library books to encourage pupils to read at breaktimes.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well supported in the school. The curriculum provides many opportunities for pupils to find out about other cultures and religions through research and exploration. An example of the school’s efforts to develop pupils’ moral learning is the whole-school sponsorship of a young boy from Kenya, which has prompted pupils to consider his culture and reflect on equality and diversity.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe. They know that their mature conduct around the school contributes to everyone’s safety. Pupils report that they feel safe in school because there is a good level of supervision. They are confident that if they hurt themselves there are first-aiders on hand to help.

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Personal development and welfare

They also know that if they require emotional support there are ‘buddies’ (other pupils) on hand as well as staff.  Pupils have a growing understanding of e-safety. They learn how to stay safe online, in class and assemblies. Pupils are able to provide good examples of inappropriate internet requests and how they would react. For example, they know not to provide personal details online. The school recognises, however, that there is further work to be done in this area.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are particularly polite and courteous because school leaders underscore the importance of respectful, considerate behaviour. A number of pupils greeted the lead inspector with ‘good morning’. Pupils were often seen to be smiling, asking after the welfare of other pupils and staff, and holding doors open for others to pass through first.  Pupils’ good behaviour means that the school is a calm place, inside and out. In lessons, there is very little low-level disruption because teaching captures interest and good use is made of rewards. Pupils move swiftly and purposefully between lessons, although there is occasional running and boisterous behaviour.  Attendance overall is in line with the national average. Where attendance for certain groups of pupils has been lower than average, leaders have been proactive in their efforts to deal with it by working more

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Behaviour

closely with parents and the education and welfare officer. Pupils are also provided with attendance rewards. As a result, attendance for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs or disability has improved this year.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The attainment of pupils leaving the school at the end of Year 6 has been in line with, or higher than, the national average for the last two years. Attainment in writing has been consistently higher than the national average over time.  The proportion of more able pupils achieving Level 5 in reading was higher than the national average. Their performance in writing and mathematics was in line with the national average and an improvement on the previous year.  Published performance information does not provide a complete picture of the progress that pupils make by the time they reach the end of key stage 2. The school’s own information, which is based on accurate, externally verified assessments when pupils enter the school, indicates that most pupils are making more rapid progress than at the time of the last inspection.  Current pupils, particularly in Year 6, make good progress. This is especially notable in reading and

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Outcomes for pupils are good

mathematics. Year 4 progress is not as strong as in other year groups because there has been a lack of continuity in staffing. School leaders are well aware of this issue and have taken steps to address it; the deputy headteacher has taken over the teaching of this class, providing stability and high-quality teaching so that pupils are better able to catch up.  Gaps between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and their peers have narrowed since Christmas when achievement team meetings were introduced. These meetings focus the attention of staff on under- achieving pupils, some of whom are disadvantaged. As a result, these pupils are now making greater progress.  The most able pupils in the school are encouraged to achieve their best. The bronze, silver and gold challenge system is particularly effective at ensuring that pupils are not left to ‘coast’. Pupils report that they do not find the work they do too easy and that staff are quick to move them on. This is borne out by

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Outcomes for pupils are good

the high-quality work they produce.  The range of work scrutinised by inspectors shows that pupils of all abilities take pride in their subjects; they produce a large quantity of well-presented work. There are many opportunities to practise different types of extended writing in subjects such as topic and religious education, as well as English. These include letters, stories, poems and non-chronological reports. In mathematics books, pupils are encouraged to explain their reasoning and show their working, which enables the teacher to correct misconceptions. Scrutiny of work over time shows that pupils make strong progress, supported by the quality of feedback they receive.  Pupils with special educational needs or disability make good progress in most year groups because they receive effective support. For example, staff are successfully applying recent training to support pupils with particular social and emotional needs. Additionally, work to further improve relationships between

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Outcomes for pupils are good

staff, pupils and parents is paying off and supporting progress.  Pupils are prepared well for life at secondary school by the time they leave Carbeile. Pupils’ communication skills are developed well because they achieve good standards of literacy and numeracy. Furthermore, the development of qualities such as confidence and resilience means that pupils take an optimistic and positive view of secondary school.

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School details

Unique reference number 111969 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 10012351 This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 319 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Delia Wilkinson Headteacher Mr Pete Hamlyn Telephone number 01752 812 474 Website www.carbeile.cornwall.sch.uk Email address secretary@carbeile.cornwall.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 16–17 July 2014

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Information about this school

 Carbeile Junior School is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The headteacher was appointed just before the last inspection in 2014 and took up post shortly afterwards.  The deputy headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection.  The school receives support from the National Association of Headteachers Aspire programme and a local authority school improvement partner.  The majority of pupils are from a White British background.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding to support pupils who are eligible for free school meals and those who are in the care of the local authority) is above average.  The proportion of girls in the school is in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability requiring support is well below average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability who have a statement or an

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Information about this school

education, health and care plan is just below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in lessons, some observations being conducted jointly with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, teachers, teaching assistants, groups of pupils and representatives from the local governing board.  The lead inspector spoke to the school’s improvement partner by telephone.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school development plan and information on the progress of current pupils. Inspectors also scrutinised records relating to the moderation of baseline assessments, behaviour and attendance, the monitoring of teaching, learning and assessment, the work of the governing body and the safeguarding of pupils.  Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work and observed their conduct at break and lunchtimes.  Inspectors took account of 75 responses to the online survey Parent View and 19 responses to the staff

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Inspection team

Stephen Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Michael Brady Ofsted Inspector Susan Costello Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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