Cury CofE Primary School

Inspection of Cury CofE Primary School Churchtown, Helston TR12 7BW

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 25–26 February 2020

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The quality of education is improving but not yet good. There is a strong staff team who are working well to improve the standard of education. Pupils have not learned well enough in the past. Leaders are addressing the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Pupils are now learning more. They are doing better in mathematics and writing. Some of leaders’ other changes are new. It is too soon to see the impact.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly and nurturing school. They say that behaviour has improved a lot recently. Pupils have good attitudes to their learning and work hard. They feel safe and are confident that adults listen if they have any worries. Pupils told us that bullying does not happen, because everyone looks after each other.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents, carers and pupils note the many improvements to the school since the new executive head teacher started in January 2019. School values are central to everything. Staff have high expectations. Pupils learn to be respectful and responsible. They enjoy extra responsibilities, such as becoming a ‘school minister’. The weekly ‘talking lunches’ with staff help pupils build their confidence. Pupils persevere with challenging work. In lessons and at breaktimes, they behave well. Their attendance is improving.

p.2

better?

The school has experienced a number of changes to staffing in recent years. Pupils have not achieved well enough over time. There is now a stable team which has improved provision significantly over the last year. Since September 2019, improvements to the quality of education have been more rapid.

p.2

better?

In mathematics, the curriculum is sequenced well. Children in the early years get a good start by learning the meaning of numbers. Throughout the school, teachers model new ideas using practical equipment. They use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding and correct misconceptions. Teachers adapt their plans to close gaps in pupils’ learning. Pupils revisit important knowledge. This is helping them to learn more and catch up.

p.2

better?

Leaders have improved the writing curriculum. Children in the early years learn to form letters and write words. Pupils in all classes now write more accurately because they practise their handwriting and spelling skills well. Occasionally, teachers do not build on pupils’ needs well enough, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

p.2

better?

Leaders have made sure that staff have good subject knowledge in phonics. The school’s programme has raised expectations of how quickly younger pupils will learn to read. However, the quality of teaching varies. Teachers do not use their 25–26 February 2020

p.2

3

assessments well enough to make sure pupils learn the right sounds and apply them well. The books that pupils read to adults do not match the sounds they know. This prevents younger pupils from learning to read fluently, especially those who need to catch up.

p.3

3

Leaders promote a love of reading. Pupils enjoy the stories that teachers read to them. Leaders have reviewed the curriculum so that pupils read more widely. There are signs of improvement, but too many older pupils do not read fluently and with enough understanding. Pupils do not gain a good understanding of a range of texts.

p.3

3

Leaders have thought about exactly what pupils need to learn in the foundation subjects. Their plans are now improving the quality of pupils’ education but are in their early stages. Some plans are more effective than others. In religious education, pupils achieve well. Teachers help pupils to make links between what they are learning and what they have learned previously. In some subjects such as history, plans are not as well sequenced. Pupils struggle to remember important knowledge over time.

p.3

3

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has made sure pupils with SEND take part in all lessons. Teachers know what the pupils need. Pupils are supported by caring and knowledgeable support staff. The behaviour, attendance and achievement of pupils with SEND are improving.

p.3

3

Children in the early years learn well. The environment is organised to interest children and help them practise important learning. Children follow routines which help them to listen carefully. They show good concentration when working with adults and learning independently. Teaching prepares them well for Year 1.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development is a strength. Pupils understand the school’s values. They link them to activities such as helping others and their local community. Pupils understand how to lead healthy lifestyles. The school ‘parliament’ makes a strong contribution to improving the school.

p.3

3

Trust leaders and governors have provided good challenge and support to school leaders. The professional development leaders receive from the trust has improved teaching and subject leadership. Staff morale is high.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive the training they need and have regular updates from leaders. They know how to spot the signs of pupils at risk. Staff follow procedures for reporting concerns effectively. Leaders work well with other agencies to provide pupils and their families with support. Governors make sure that all necessary checks are made on adults in the school. Record- keeping is thorough. 25–26 February 2020

p.3

4

Pupils say that the school teaches them how to stay safe, including on the internet. Pupils say that they trust staff to they deal with any concerns quickly.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have raised teachers’ expectations of what pupils will learn in phonics. However, teaching is inconsistent. Teachers do not use their assessments well enough to make sure that pupils build their knowledge well. Pupils’ reading books do not match the sounds they know. Pupils, including those who need to catch up, struggle to read fluently. Leaders need to make sure that the phonics programme is implemented effectively.  The reading curriculum at key stage 2 does not build pupils’ understanding well enough. Pupils do not have a good understanding of a range of text types and their features. Too many pupils need to secure the reading skills needed for the next stage of their education. Leaders must ensure that pupils in key stage 2 gain sufficient knowledge and skills to become confident readers.  Leaders are introducing new plans across the foundation subjects. Some subject plans, for example in history and geography, do not contain enough information

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

to help teachers plan effective sequences of learning. Pupils cannot remember important knowledge over time or build on what they have previously learned. Leaders need to make sure that all subjects are planned well, so that pupils know and remember more across the curriculum.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 25–26 February 2020

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10135368 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

School category Academy converter Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3 to 11

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is a much-smaller-than-average primary school. There are two classes.  The school provides for nursery-aged children. At the time of the inspection, there was one pupil enrolled for nursery education.  The executive headteacher has been in post since January 2019. The assistant headteacher joined the school in September 2019. Two new teachers joined the school in September and November 2019. Prior to September 2019, there had been considerable turbulence in staffing, with seven teachers joining and leaving the school in three years.  The school joined the Southerly Point Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust in June 2017.  The trust has decided to link the local governing body with another in the trust. There was no substantive chair of the local governing body at the time of the inspection. The trust board has provided additional support to the local governing body. 25–26 February 2020

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the executive headteacher, assistant headteacher and staff. We met with members of the local governing body and the executive leader of Southerly Point Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust. We spoke with a representative of the Diocese of Cornwall and the school improvement partner.  We conducted deep dives in reading, writing, mathematics and history. We met with leaders and considered their plans. We visited lessons, considered work in pupils’ books, and spoke with pupils and teachers. We also considered learning in geography, religious education and music.  We considered information provided by the school about behaviour, exclusions and attendance.  We met with the designated leader for safeguarding. We checked records of staff recruitment and training.  An inspector met with the SENCo. We evaluated how well staff met the needs of pupils with SEND.  We considered six responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire Parent View and

p.6

Information about this inspection

free-text responses. We also considered seven responses to the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Claire Mirams, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sue Frater Ofsted Inspector 25–26 February 2020

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

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 .

p.7

7

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 .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7