Callington Community College

Inspection of Callington Community College Launceston Road, Callington, Cornwall PL17 7DR

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected 24–25 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Callington Community College is an improving school. In recent years, there has been a turnover of staff. This has resulted in pupils not receiving a good quality of education in many subjects. A new headteacher, and her leadership team, have begun to secure improvements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. Pupils told inspectors that the school was a strong community where different year groups mixed well. Pupils are kind, respectful and supportive of each other. There is a harmonious learning atmosphere throughout the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they feel safe at school. Pupils know that staff care about them. They know there is an adult they can talk to if they have a problem. They say that the school helps pupils to respect and understand differences. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. The school’s systems help pupils to focus in lessons well. Pupils say that staff deal with bullying issues effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the many opportunities to develop their understanding of the world. For example, Year 11 pupils have leadership roles within the school. Pupils have set up a club to help Year 7 pupils settle into school life. Pupils have many clubs where they can debate human rights, play sports and learn new skills.

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better?

Leaders have introduced systems recently to support pupils’ love of reading. Pupils enjoy listening to high-quality texts read by their teachers. They have opportunities to discuss the ideas in the texts. However, leaders acknowledge that pupils do not yet read widely for pleasure. Leaders have used government funding well to help pupils to read fluently. Pupils use their knowledge of letters and sounds to work out unknown words. Pupils told the inspector that staff helped them to read more accurately in Year 7. However, pupils do not learn a wide vocabulary in each subject to help them read well across the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have worked very hard to design the curriculum. Most subject leaders have reviewed their curriculums to help pupils gain secure knowledge. In many subjects, it is too early to judge the impact of these changes. Senior leaders have developed strong approaches to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, staff do not use these approaches consistently across the curriculum. Senior leaders have designed strategies to help disadvantaged pupils succeed. These approaches are not yet consistently applied in every subject area.

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better?

In art and photography, pupils learn progressively more complex techniques and ideas. As a result, pupils successfully apply what they have learned to their own work. Similarly, in music, pupils apply their knowledge to their own musical interpretations.

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better?

The sixth form provides students with a good quality of education. Students study a 24–25 September 2019

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wide range of courses and achieve well. Students told inspectors how much they value the support and high-quality teaching they receive. Staff enrich students’ study of the curriculum with visits to art galleries and theatres and listening to visiting speakers.

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Pupils receive high-quality careers guidance which enables them to make informed decisions about future employment or education. Pupils have opportunities to do work experience. In addition, they learn about the worlds of work and education from visitors.

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Relationships between staff and pupils are particularly strong. Pupils told inspectors how much they liked their teachers and are able to talk about their feelings. Pupils’ personal development is a priority for leaders. Through the curriculum, pupils debate issues such as climate change with well-formed opinions. Pupils learn about the importance of democracy. They experience free speech through elections for the student leadership group. Pupils told inspectors that the school is highly inclusive of all people. This means that pupils are very well prepared for life in 21st-century Britain.

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Staff manage behaviour consistently well across the school. Pupils focus on activities as soon as they start their lessons. This helps pupils to concentrate on their work. Pupils listen to each other and maintain their focus. One pupil told an inspector that the school was like a shell as it looked the same but had changed for the better inside.

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Leadership has improved since leaders from the multi academy trust stepped in to lead the school. The new headteacher has brought a clear and insightful strategy to the school. As a result, staff morale is strong. Staff told inspectors how much they valued the clear direction that leaders provide. Leaders have considered staff workload. Revised meeting schedules have eased the pressure of work. Governance is a strength of the school. Governors bring a breadth of expertise to their roles. Governors both support and challenge leaders in equal measure.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise the protection and care of pupils. Leaders have introduced strong systems to ensure that pupils are safe, both physically and emotionally. Records are well organised. Governors check the school’s records and safeguarding systems vigilantly to ensure that pupils are always safe. Leaders provide families with early help and support when they need it.

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Safeguarding

There is a culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Staff show great care for the pupils and understand the risks that they face. Training for staff is effective, enabling them to identify vulnerable pupils and refer them for support.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Although curriculum leaders have redesigned their curriculums, they are not fully established across the school. Leaders need to ensure that subject-specific curriculums are implemented effectively so that pupils achieve well.  Pupils do not have strong reading habits. They do not read widely for pleasure. Leaders need to embed reading for pleasure across the school.  Pupils do not develop strong vocabularies to enable them to access complex texts. Leaders need to ensure that pupils develop a wide vocabulary throughout the curriculum to enable pupils to access the reading required in every subject successfully and confidently.  Leaders have plans in place to improve the support that pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils receive. Leaders need to ensure that these are implemented fully so that these pupils achieve well.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 24–25 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111452 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Callington Community College is larger than the average-size secondary school. It is part of the Westcountry Schools Trust.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the principal, senior and curriculum leaders, five members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, a member of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer of the Westcountry Schools Trust.  We evaluated the quality of education by looking in detail at the teaching of English, mathematics, science, art and music. Inspectors discussed the curriculum design with leaders, conducted lesson visits, scrutinised pupils’ work and spoke to 24–25 September 2019

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pupils and teachers about the respective subject curriculums.  We evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding at the school. The school’s single central record was reviewed. We met with the designated safeguarding lead, scrutinised safeguarding documentation, including a sample of case files, and spoke to pupils and staff.  We met with pupils to discuss their views and talked informally to pupils about the school. No pupils responded to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  We listened to two groups of pupils, from Year 8 and Year 11, read and discussed their views of reading.  Inspectors considered the views of 115 parents who responded to the Ofsted parent survey, including 111 text messages from parents.  Inspectors spoke to teachers during the inspection to gather their views about the school. No members of staff completed the online staff survey.  The lead inspector spoke to the school improvement partner on the telephone.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carol Hannaford Ofsted Inspector 24–25 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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