St Kew Academy

Inspection of a good school: St Kew ACE Academy St Kew, Bodmin, Cornwall PL30 3ER

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Outcome

St Kew ACE Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Kew provides pupils with a safe, harmonious learning environment in which pupils thrive. Pupils learn the importance of kindness and helping others throughout the curriculum. Year 6 pupils support younger pupils well. They learn about the importance of fairness and good citizenship.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn with confidence and success. They enjoy coming to the school and their behaviour is exemplary. Pupils state that bullying is very rare and that staff resolve issues immediately. One pupil described the school as a ‘family’, echoing the views of many pupils. Pupils feel that staff care for their educational and emotional needs very well. They state that, if they have a concern, there is always an adult they can talk to. Parents and carers echo these sentiments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils extend their understanding of the world through trips to places such as the Shipwreck museum and the theatre. Pupils explore the natural world through gardening in the polytunnels. Additionally, pupils whittle wood and make fire in the Anglo-Saxon roundhouse. Pupils spoke enthusiastically to inspectors about outdoor learning.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils, including children in Reception, enjoy reading. Leaders have structured a reading curriculum that enables pupils to learn to read widely and well. The teaching of phonics is particularly well structured. Year 1 pupils and children in Reception gain a strong understanding of the link between sounds and letters . They apply their phonic knowledge well when reading books.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In each year group, pupils build upon what they have learned before. Pupils develop more sophisticated understanding of texts as they move through the school. Leaders and teachers work well together to ensure that pupils read successfully. The curriculum ensures that pupils develop insight into how authors affect their responses as readers. 9 January 2020

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Leaders support pupils to read daily. Staff provide a range of rewards for pupils across the school. For example, pupils told inspectors about the privilege of having tea and cake with the headteacher if they read a lot. Pupils told inspectors that this inspired them to read more.

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Leaders have designed a very effective mathematics curriculum. In Reception, children gain a strong conceptual understanding of numbers. Throughout each year group, pupils draw on their prior knowledge to help them learn more complex mathematics. Teachers address pupils’ misunderstandings effectively. Pupils enjoy learning mathematics and achieve well.

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Leaders and staff support pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) very well. Pupils with SEND receive effective support. Staff tailor support to meet the specific needs of each pupil. Pupils are emotionally well prepared to learn and do well. Pupils enjoy learning in the classroom and outdoors.

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Disadvantaged pupils achieve well throughout the school. Leaders have identified the barriers to these pupils’ social, emotional and academic achievements. They have embedded effective approaches. Leaders have prioritised reading across the curriculum. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils learn to read well. However, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average. Leaders have not ensured that the importance of regular attendance is clear to all.

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Literary texts underpin the entire curriculum. Pupils read a wide range of texts to help them learn about many subjects. However, the design of the science curriculum does not enable pupils to develop strong knowledge and skills. For example, pupils’ understanding of scientific concepts is limited. Leaders are working with the Kernow Multi-Academy Learning Trust to develop a new curriculum for science. This has not yet been fully implemented.

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Children in Reception enhance their language skills through well-structured activities. Children use toys and resources to engage in imaginative play. Children explore the ways in which language can help them create imaginary worlds. As a result, children develop effective knowledge about language to help them to read texts. Children’s attitudes to learning are strong. They are well prepared for learning in Year 1.

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Governors pose effective challenge to leaders. They have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They ensure that their work complements the school development plan. Governors share leaders’ vision for the academic, social and emotional success of every pupil in the school. Staff unanimously state that they are proud to work at the school. They state that leaders are considerate of their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are highly vigilant about the emotional and physical safety of all pupils. Pupils feel well cared for by staff. Leaders have ensured that staff record their concerns in a timely and detailed manner. Leaders follow up on concerns appropriately. Leaders ensure that pupils receive the right support. 9 January 2020

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Leaders are aware of the safeguarding needs of the most vulnerable pupils. They ensure that these pupils are kept safe.

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The school’s checks on adults who work at the school are effective. Staff receive up-to- date training in safeguarding. Leaders also provide staff with timely updates.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have designed highly effective curriculums for reading and mathematics. However, the science curriculum does not enable pupils to develop progressively more complex understanding of scientific concepts. Leaders need to ensure that the science curriculum is coherently structured to enable pupils to learn more and remember more.  Although disadvantaged pupils achieve well in many areas of the curriculum, their attendance is below the national average. Leaders need to ensure that pupils and parents fully understand the link between attendance at school and long-term academic success.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school St Kew Community Primary School to be good on 7 July 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 9 January 2020

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

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If you are the school and you are 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. 9 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122394 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Kew ACE Academy is part of the Kernow Learning Multi-Academy Trust.  The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils in receipt of education, health and care plans is in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support from pupil premium funding is below the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the headteacher, senior and curriculum leaders, and governors. The lead inspector also met with the chief executive of the Kernow Learning Multi- Academy Trust.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and science. This meant that, in each subject, we met with senior and curriculum leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at pupils’ work.  We met with staff to consider their views.  We reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record of recruitment 9 January 2020

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checks on staff.  We considered the views of 25 parents who responded to the confidential Ofsted parental questionnaire, including 26 free-text messages.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Greenwood Ofsted Inspector 9 January 2020

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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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