Tintagel Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Sue Cox Executive Headteacher Tintagel Primary School Treven Tintagel Cornwall PL34 0DU

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Short inspection of Tintagel Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 1 November 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since your predecessor school was judged to be good in February 2014.

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Short inspection of Tintagel Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Your school is welcoming and inclusive. Pupils, regardless of their ability, are supported well in becoming confident learners and responsible citizens. Consequently, pupils are very well prepared for secondary school. In 2017, outcomes at the end of Year 6 put the school in the top 5% of schools nationally in reading and mathematics. Parents greatly value the support and encouragement that help their children to thrive.

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Short inspection of Tintagel Primary School

You and your directors are ambitious for the school. You have inspired your leadership team to be equally driven. Despite the many strengths of the school, you have maintained a keen focus on weaker aspects of the school’s work. You have fostered a culture of ‘accountability without blame’ where leaders, staff and governors reflect on what works well and what could be improved further. You have earned a great deal of respect from the whole school community because of the way that you have dealt with particularly challenging issues over the past year.

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Short inspection of Tintagel Primary School

Since joining the school in 2015, you and your team have developed a curriculum that inspires pupils to be inquisitive. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 eagerly shared their work in science with me. They were eloquent in their explanation of rollercoaster designs and could explain the effect of changing rail gradients on the speed of the rollercoaster car. They demonstrated a clear understanding of the role of forces in keeping the rollercoaster on its rails. Safeguarding is effective.

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Short inspection of Tintagel Primary School

Pupils are well looked after and cared for by staff. Training has ensured that staff are vigilant in identifying and referring any concerns about children’s welfare and safety. When you refer pupils for specialist support, you ensure that responses are timely and address pupils’ specific needs. Your team works hard to ensure that pupils and families are well supported. They are swift to insist on the very best service for your families. In particular, you have embraced the challenges raised by mental health issues and provide a safe environment where pupils can express their feelings and receive the support they need. In doing so, you successfully reduce the barriers to pupils’ learning.

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Short inspection of Tintagel Primary School

Pupils work and play happily together and appreciate the support of ‘anti-bullying buddies’ who help them to make friends and resolve disputes. Pupils say that bullying is rare and they are confident that if buddies cannot help then adults will. Pupils enjoy coming to school and eagerly race into school in the mornings. In addition, you have successfully implemented changes in parents’ parking following your concerns around pupils’ safety at ‘drop-off’ and ‘pick-up’ times.

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Short inspection of Tintagel Primary School

Adequate recruitment checks are in place for staff and volunteers. Governors are vigilant in ensuring that these checks are carried out. The governor responsible for safeguarding carries out thorough monthly checks to ensure that all safeguarding records are up to date. Her reports support directors in having a full understanding of the effectiveness of safeguarding. In addition, local authority audits of the school’s safeguarding practices confirm their effectiveness.

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Inspection findings

 My first line of enquiry focused on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment of phonics and writing in key stage 1. Outcomes in phonics at the end of Year 1 have been below the national average for several years, though there was a rise in the number of pupils who met the expected standard in 2017. Leaders have identified that some pupils lack confidence in using phonics. Closely matched support for pupils’ needs is helping them to catch up and by the end of Year 2 attainment matches national average.  The end of key stage 1 outcomes show that too few pupils meet the expected standard in writing. In particular, too few of the pupils who left the early years with skills below those typical for their age caught up by the end of Year 2. Closer work with a local pre-school and an increased focus on the teaching of writing in the early years have led to significant improvements. More children left

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Inspection findings

the early years having achieved the early learning goal in writing last year. A greater proportion of children achieved a good level of development in 2017. Consequently, children are better prepared for Year 1. Fewer pupils are requiring additional support in Year 1. Leaders are making sure that adequate resources go into helping the few pupils who need support to catch up.  I was also interested in the impact of the support provided to pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Your senior leader, who is also the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), has a very deep understanding of each pupil’s needs. She takes a very systematic approach and works closely with teachers to ensure that plans are implemented. Consequently, pupils’ needs are met and they make good progress.  My next line of enquiry focused on directors’ use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Disadvantaged pupils achieve well, particularly by the time

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Inspection findings

they leave the school. In 2017, differences between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and that of others nationally were eliminated. Your leaders make close checks on pupils’ progress and act swiftly to provide the support that pupils need, whether it be in their academic or personal development. Consequently, these pupils thrive and achieve well.  My final line of enquiry focused on pupils’ attendance. Absence rates have been higher than the national average for the last few years. You are aware of this and explain that this is principally due to holidays taken in term-time. While you have taken a firm stance and have not authorised holidays, absence rates remain too high. Directors have not given sufficient thought to other ways to tackle this matter.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 those pupils in key stage 1 who have fallen behind in writing continue to be supported to catch up quickly  pupils attend school more regularly.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the executive board, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Cornwall. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, you and your senior leaders joined me observing learning in classrooms and we looked at a number of pupils’ books. I listened to pupils read in classrooms. I also reviewed the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities with your SENCo. I spoke with pupils in lessons. Meetings were held with you, senior leaders, a member of your governing body and your chair of directors. I also met with some parents. I spoke with an officer of the local authority by telephone.

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Information about the inspection

I scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, assessment information and safeguarding records. I considered the views of 45 parents who responded to Parent View and the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires of 16 members of staff.

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