Ludgvan School

Inspection of Ludgvan School Lower Quarter, Ludgvan, Penzance, Cornwall TR20 8EX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding 5–6 November 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff work hard to ensure that pupils have the best possible education, and can discover their talents and widen their experiences. Pupils are enthusiastic about how teachers use the local area to bring learning from the classroom into a real-life situation. Year 2 pupils, for example, spoke of their trip to the seal sanctuary. This gave them first-hand experience to write a report describing a seal, where it lives and the food that it eats. Pupils also enjoy contributing to local cultural traditions, such as creating floats and sculptures for the Mazey Day parade.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the importance of school rules and help to decide these. Most pupils follow them, so the school is a settled, welcoming and orderly place. Teachers encourage pupils to make good decisions about the way that they act and support them when they make mistakes. Yet, at times, pupils do not maintain their focus in lessons as well as they should.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils support one another and say that bullying is rare. They are clear about the importance of treating everyone equally and with respect. All parents who responded to the Parent View questionnaire agree that this, too, is their experience of the school.

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better?

Leaders have an exciting vision for the curriculum that is beginning to engage pupils. Leaders have mapped out what pupils should learn in each year. For example, when exploring ‘plastic pollution’, pupils consider scientific and ethical issues, as well as, mathematically, how long a piece of plastic takes to decompose. Pupils express their feelings about this through art and plan practical ways that they can reduce their plastic usage.

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better?

Where teaching is well planned, pupils remember the key ideas that they have learned. However, teachers are not always clear on how they can best order pupils’ learning so that they can build on what they have done before. Teachers do not consistently check what pupils can do to help them plan for what should come next. In subjects such as geography, history, art and music, pupils take part in engaging activities, but sometimes have difficulty in remembering the important ideas of the subject. Subject leaders are now beginning to check that teachers follow the curriculum plans so that pupils can remember and apply their knowledge.

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better?

In mathematics, teachers have a clear understanding of what pupils need to cover and by when. This has led to an improvement in the progress that pupils make by the end of key stage 2. Pupils use their calculation skills to solve more difficult problems. However, teachers do not always pick up pupils’ misconceptions quickly enough and plan learning that is matched well to pupils’ starting points.

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better?

Teachers encourage pupils to read regularly and for enjoyment. Pupils share stories and begin to learn their early letters and sounds in Reception. Most pupils achieve 5–6 November 2019

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the phonics screening check by the end of Year 1. However, the impact of the phonics programme is variable. At times, pupils do not use their knowledge to spell words correctly.

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Pupils who fall behind in reading receive support which meets their needs. This means that by key stage 2, pupils can predict what will happen next in a story, discuss the author’s meaning and consider the moral and cultural questions that arise. Consequently, pupils make strong progress in reading by the end of Year 6.

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The school provides excellent opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development. The ‘school parliament’ has elected roles, and pupils say that their contributions are valued. ‘Play Leaders’ make sure that pupils do not feel left out at playtime. Leaders join up with other schools so that pupils can work with others from different social and cultural backgrounds.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are looked after well. They receive the support they need, and leaders review this regularly.

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Children make a positive start to Reception. For example, in science, children explore the effect of light on a prism, experiment with melting ice and hunt for sea creatures in the outside space. Leaders work with teachers in key stage 1 so that children are well prepared for Year 1. Staff help children to develop their communication and learn how to play positively together.

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Leaders plan to work with other schools in the trust to share subject expertise and to devise a curriculum which will prepare pupils well, both now and in the future. Governors ask the right questions of school leaders. They have developed their approach so that they can support and challenge the school to improve further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors have worked hard to ensure that staff are alert and watchful for the signs that pupils might be at risk. Staff have had relevant training and know how to report any concerns that they have.

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Safeguarding

Leaders seek advice from outside agencies so that pupils who are vulnerable receive the support that they need. Leaders stress the importance of good attendance and work with families, where necessary, to support pupils to attend more regularly.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers understand the knowledge and skills that pupils need to cover in each year group. Leaders need to continue to support teachers to build their subject knowledge and pedagogical understanding to help them ensure that important 5–6 November 2019

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concepts are remembered by pupils in the longer term.  Leaders need to continue to review the implementation and impact of the new curriculum, along with how teachers use their assessments to inform planning. In particular, they need to check how well the coverage and sequencing of the curriculum help pupils to learn and remember more across the full range of subjects.

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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. 5–6 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111642 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 March 2014

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Information about this school

 In April 2019, Ludgvan Primary School became part of the Leading Edge Academies Partnership. This trust consists of three primary schools and two secondary schools.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the chair of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer. Inspectors also met with representatives from the local academy committee, senior leaders, the early years leader and a group of staff.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and music. Inspectors discussed the curriculum design with leaders, carried out lesson visits, scrutinised pupils’ work and spoke to pupils and teachers from the lessons visited.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding, checked the schools’ single central record and scrutinised policies relating to safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour. An inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and reviewed 5–6 November 2019

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a sample of case files.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Inspectors spoke with pupils, both formally and informally, to discuss their views about their school.  Inspectors considered 35 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and spoke with parents informally at the beginning of the day.

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Inspection team

Sarah McGinnis, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David New Ofsted Inspector 5–6 November 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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