Coads Green Primary School

Coads Green Primary School Coads Green, Launceston, Cornwall PL15 7LY

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the previous inspection, leaders have not tackled weaknesses with the rigour needed to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  Leaders’ expectations are not high enough and they have too generous a picture of the quality of pupils’ achievement.  Teaching and pupils’ progress in mathematics have not improved since the previous inspection. Teaching over time does not develop pupils’ deep understanding of basic arithmetic skills  Training for teachers does not equip them with the knowledge of mathematics needed to meet the full requirements of the new national curriculum.  The absence rates of pupils who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are too high. Extra support is not closely matched to their needs to ensure they catch up with their peers.  Feedback to pupils does not inform them of the progress they make. This means that pupils are unsure of how well they are learning.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teachers’ expectations are not sufficiently high to ensure that pupils, particularly the most able, are regularly challenged to do their best and make good progress.  The presentation of pupils’ work, especially their handwriting, is too variable.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching and learning are beginning to improve outcomes in some areas. For example, leaders’ actions to re-organise the teaching and provision for the early years are proving successful.  Children in Nursery and Reception achieve well and make good progress from their different starting points.  The school has a strong caring and nurturing culture that parents and pupils value. Pupils feel safe and their self-confidence develops well.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/ or disabilities receive effective care and support. Leaders work hard to involve outside agencies to meet further pupils’ needs. Relationships with parents are strong.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that pupils make at least good progress from their starting points by: – extending teachers’ subject knowledge of mathematics to meet the requirements of the new national curriculum – strengthening teachers’ planning and the questions they pose so that pupils frequently use reasoning skills when solving mathematical problems. – raising teachers’ expectations of how pupils should present their work, particularly the quality of their handwriting – developing teacher’s feedback so that pupils know how well they are making progress and what they need to do next to make their work better.  Raise the achievement of all pupils, especially the most able, by: – providing regular opportunities to deepen pupils’ learning and extend their thinking – developing pupils’ fluency in using basic numeracy skills.  Persevere with efforts to improve attendance, especially of pupils who are

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Since the previous inspection, leaders have not secured consistently good or better teaching and learning over time. Their views of the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress and standards are too positive. As a result, lower rates of progress by some of the most able and disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have not been resolved.  Weaknesses in pupils’ progress in mathematics, identified at the previous inspection, have not been addressed rigorously; pupils’ progress in mathematics remains below their capabilities. The use of additional funding is not effective in enabling disadvantaged pupils to make good progress.  The headteacher has recently developed a culture that is beginning to raise the expectations of teaching and learning. Leaders have developed information about pupils’ progress to hold teachers to account better for how well pupils are doing.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

However, the changes in practice and the improvements in teaching are not evident every day across the school. Teachers’ subject knowledge needed for the new mathematics national curriculum remains insecure.  The local authority rigorously challenges leaders to improve the quality of teaching and learning. This took a while to have the desired effect but recently school leaders have responded well and pupils’ progress is beginning to accelerate. Similarly, pupils’ attendance at school is improving with the appropriate use of external support.  Leaders, having reorganised the support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, now use the new code of practice well to make sure that pupils receive the level of support needed to develop their personal and social skills. However, the re-organisation has not been in place long enough to result in improved progress for these pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Middle leaders have helped to develop a more engaging and broad curriculum based on well-chosen themes. Over the year, there is a breadth of study and a balance between different subjects. A block of topic time develops greater depth of learning. For example, the topic ‘a Viking who came to tea’ excited pupils to study independently what Vikings ate and to write high-quality long pieces of storytelling. Teaching across a wide variety of other subjects is beginning to improve learning.  The effective use of sport premium funding promotes pupils’ standards in sport and improves their health and fitness. The increased range of sports that pupils take part in is increasing their participation and performance.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is enhanced through a wide range of trips, such as to Truro Cathedral, and within the curriculum, such as a celebration of local mining heritage during ‘tin week’. The strong development of an

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

understanding of British values is a regular focus of pupils’ learning. Recently elections to the school council modelled a democratic process. Councillors take responsibility for organising, such as for charity fund-raising.

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Governance of the school

 Governance has strengthened since the last inspection.  Governors are loyal to the school and are very supportive of senior leaders and the school’s community. To improve pupils’ outcomes, they are beginning to strengthen the way they monitor the school and how they hold leaders to account.  Governors know the strengths and weaknesses in school and have developed their skills in order to have an independent view of the quality of provision at Coads Green School. They increasingly use their knowledge effectively to challenge leaders to improve.  While governors accept that the progress of pupils needs to improve, they have too generous a view of the standards in the school.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders work successfully with other agencies to protect children. They are tenacious in their follow-up to secure the best support for each child.  Teachers and school leaders are strong advocates for the pupils. They take swift action to follow up concerns in school, with parents and with external agencies where appropriate. Pupils feel safe in school and understand about a range of potential risks, for example when using social media. Pupils are well aware of how to use online social networks safely.  The record-keeping to keep pupils safe meets statutory requirements, is up to date and is administered thoroughly. School leaders comply with the requirements of safer recruitment. Governors carefully monitor the school’s safeguarding practice.  Staff training means they know how to keep pupils from being radicalised or susceptible to extremism, and regular safeguarding training means they stay updated.

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Safeguarding

Teachers know the level of vigilance required and what responsibilities they have when protecting pupils from risk of harm.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is variable across the school and between subjects because teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. The questions they pose do not routinely require pupils to give reasoned answers. As a result, there is too little challenge for pupils to make good progress and achieve well.  Mathematics teaching does not help pupils to make good progress. However, school assessment indicates that pupils’ progress is starting to improve. In key stage 2, mathematics teaching focuses on basic numeracy skills through learning within a context, such as buying from a shop. In key stage 1 pupils’ mathematics learning is better because pupils build from securely learned skills. However, teachers lack a sound understanding of the requirements of the mathematics national curriculum. This has resulted in the development of pupils’ reasoning skills being incidental, so they do

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

not develop deeper understanding as a matter of routine. This especially lowers the most able pupils’ progress, which should be better.  The teaching of reading is improving so pupils make good progress. Pupils read widely and enthusiastically. The teaching of writing shows an improvement in books and on display. Pupils have the opportunity to complete extended writing in topics which they enjoy doing, but the quality of their handwriting is too variable.  Teachers are willing to try innovative ideas that interest pupils when teaching subjects through topics. Learning is effective in the mixed-year classes so that the most able pupils and those that want more challenge can do harder tasks.  Additional adults are deployed well, often to work with particular groups or individuals, for example teaching phonics to small groups which supports pupils’ individual learning needs. For example, phonics teaching for those with special educational needs and/or

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

disabilities is effectively helping them to gain confidence in linking sounds with letters.  Pupils receive regular homework. This is typically reading or learning as part of topic themes. Pupils show increasing enthusiasm as the design and content of topic work motivate them, such as a theme of seashores or when studying the second world war. Most parents who responded to Ofsted’s online Parent View survey reported that they felt their child received the right amount of homework.  There is little low-level disruption in lessons and pupils willingly cooperate with staff and follow instructions. In addition, teachers have very good relationships with pupils, so they feel safe to try new styles of learning. However, teachers do not insist that pupils take care over their handwriting so its quality fluctuates.  Assessment of pupils’ work is accurate and increasingly thorough as recently leaders and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

teachers have checked work with several partner schools. Teachers are able to judge the expected standards that pupils are working at or above. However, they are not telling pupils clearly how well they are doing, which slows down their learning at times.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Parents praise highly the caring and nurturing culture in the school. Many pupils who have found difficulty settling in other schools find Coads Green School a safe and secure place to learn, and their self-confidence grows.  Pupils have a well-developed understanding of how to learn successfully. They join in discussions and are willing to do more. Even when challenge is low they usually demonstrate good learning habits.  The school’s caring culture means that teachers routinely notice changes in pupils’ behaviour and are alert to when pupils need extra social and emotional support.  The majority of parents who responded to Parent View confirmed that they felt their child was safe at school. Pupils spoken to reported that they feel safe at all times, including from bullying. They know how to stay safe when using new technologies,

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Personal development and welfare

such as social networking.  Care for those who need additional support, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, is provided thoughtfully. Strong working relationships with a range of outside agencies, such as social care, help to ensure the safety of pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  School leaders work closely with the local authority to improve pupils’ attendance. Leaders inform parents if a pupil is absent too often and are willing to use legal powers if necessary. As a result, overall attendance has improved to being broadly in line with the national average. However, disadvantaged pupils or those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities continue to miss too many days of school.  Most pupils play happily together and adults and older pupils work hard so that groups learn to play cooperatively in the small, hard-surfaced outdoor area. Pupils are polite and respond quickly to instructions to get ready for lunch or to return to class.  Pupils work hard to be neat but they are not reminded often enough about the importance of clear and legible presentation.  Incidents of bullying or poor behaviour around the school or in class are rare. Parents

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Behaviour

and pupils are confident that leaders take appropriate action when incidents do occur. While leaders keep records of these incidents it is unclear what happens after they have taken action.  Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and to visitors. They are proud to be part of the school’s community.

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Outcomes for pupils Require improvement

 There has been too little improvement in achievement in the last two years. Despite improvement in some individual subjects, pupils’ progress is not yet good. Across a range of subjects, and especially in mathematics, the most able and disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are not consistently challenged to do their best work.  Too few pupils make good progress from their starting points in writing. However, writing in books shows some improvement from previous years in that pupils now use grammar skills accurately and are able to write with greater fluency.  Pupils do not make good progress in mathematics. School information and an examination of pupils’ work shows that pupils are beginning to catch up, through a focus on improving basic numeracy skills during key stage 2; however, for older pupils this improvement is too recent for them to reach the standards of which they are

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Outcomes for pupils Require improvement

capable.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well cared for so that they gain in self-confidence, show positive attitudes and enjoy learning as a consequence of the close support they receive. However, activities and interventions, particularly in key stage 2, are not closely matched to their needs and as a result they are not catching up with their peers.  Across the school the most able pupils do not make sufficient progress to gain the highest standards in writing and mathematics. The challenge they receive on a day-to- day basis often consists of similar tasks rather than more challenging work. Opportunities for pupils to develop a deeper understanding and improve reasoning skills are incidental rather than planned.  The small number of disadvantaged pupils, who receive pupil premium funding, make progress broadly in line with other pupils. However, given their starting points in

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Outcomes for pupils Require improvement

reading, writing and mathematics these pupils receive insufficient challenge to make better progress, particularly in mathematics.  The proportions of pupils reaching the nationally expected standards in writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 in 2015 are below the national averages. However, there is evidence in pupils’ work that standards have begun to improve in Years 1 and 2.  From their starting points, pupils make stronger progress in reading than in other subjects. Children in the early years are developing better reading skills so that an increasing proportion reach the expected standards in the phonics screening check by the end of Year 1. Those that are weaker readers use phonics skills to read more challenging words. In lessons and in work throughout key stage 2, pupils’ reading skills continue to develop so that the older ones read with conviction and enjoyment.  Carefully planned topics enable the effective study of other subjects; for example,

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Outcomes for pupils Require improvement

when reading ‘Tutankhamen’s Treasure’ pupils learned about the pyramids and hieroglyphics.

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Early years provision Good

 Children enter the Nursery with different starting points. Some have underdeveloped listening skills and find it difficult to follow instructions. During their time in the Nursery, as teachers focus carefully on key learning skills, children quickly learn to respond and adhere to school routines.  Recent improvement has meant that three-year-olds are better prepared to make a good start in Reception. This means that by the end of Reception most children have reached expected levels and are ready for Year 1. The small number of children who go straight into Reception often arrive with skills below those expected for their age. Good teaching means they quickly write letters and want to read – they enjoy writing their name as they register in the morning.  From a variety of different starting points, children make good progress. The proportion of children who are ready for learning in Year 1 has improved and is now

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Early years provision Good

broadly in line with national averages.  Children are keen to attend and want to learn. They understand the well-established routines and are clear about expectations. Children respond well to the variety of learning opportunities to practise number skills, reading and writing while playing, such as writing a postcard and posting it. Children learn happily in small groups where they work and cooperate together well.  The teaching of early phonics is good and this helps children to make a good start to learning reading. For example, children can say the different sounds in a simple word and then blend them.  The teaching of number and shape is good. Children have many opportunities to practise counting and develop their knowledge of different shapes while they play because of the carefully planned activities.  Leadership of the early years is effective and has established a vibrant early years learning area where children can develop their knowledge and skills well. Initial

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Early years provision Good

assessment of children’s starting points is detailed and leaders carefully monitor each child’s progress. This leads to precise and personalised planning that ensures learning matches children’s individual needs.  Parents are very supportive of the leadership and teaching in the early years. They recognise improvements since the last inspection. For example, the re-organised, dedicated teaching room and outside area for early years children is helping children to make better progress across the curriculum.  There is a strong culture of maintaining children’s safety and well-being. The child- teacher ratio ensures that each child is known well, and parents appreciate the close individual attention their children receive. Child protection procedures are effective and monitored carefully. Staff are vigilant and share and report any concerns.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address secretary@coads-green.cornwall.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14–15 October 2014

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school is much smaller than the average primary school.  The school has more boys than girls.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is broadly in line with the national average.  There is a higher proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities than the national average.  The proportion of pupils who join the school in the middle of a key stage is higher than is typical of other primary schools.  There are four classes in the school: Reception and Nursery, Year 1 and 2, Year 3 and 4 and Year 5 and 6.  The school runs a breakfast club and after-school clubs.  The school serves the community of Coads Green village and beyond.  In 2015 the school did not meet the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector examined past and present pupils’ performance and attendance data, school leaders’ self-evaluation and the school’s improvement plan.  The inspector had discussions with an adviser from the local authority. He also held meetings with groups of pupils, governors, senior and middle leaders.  The inspector examined a range of documentation. This included information concerning safeguarding, health, safety, and the recording of incidents.  The headteacher and inspector visited lessons together to observe teaching and learning.  The inspector observed pupils outside during morning break, at lunchtime and in breakfast club.  Pupils were heard reading and, with the headteacher and teaching staff, the inspector scrutinised a variety of pupils’ work, from the current and previous year.  The inspector took into account the views of 26 parents who responded to Parent View, conversations with parents, letters from parents and 16 further written

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Information about this inspection

comments. He considered responses to the pupil and staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Mark Jenner, lead inspector Her Majesty’s 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

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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