Grampound Road Village CofE School

Inspection of a good school: Grampound Road Village CofE School South Street, Grampound Road, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 4DY

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want the best for pupils at this small village school. The school has a caring ethos where pupils are taught to ‘succeed, learn and thrive’. The atmosphere in lessons and around the school is calm and purposeful. Positive relationships between staff and pupils are evident throughout the school. Older pupils are keen to help and support younger pupils, for instance supporting their lunchtime buddies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe and are well looked after. Pupils behave well. Staff make sure that pupils who need help to manage their behaviour get it. Pupils understand the difference between bullying and unkind behaviour. They are confident that leaders will deal with any incidents of bullying well, and they do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have introduced a new curriculum, designed to raise aspirations of their pupils. Restrictions due to COVID-19 have slowed its implementation. New plans are in place, but teachers’ use of these plans is less secure in some subjects. The curriculum in some subjects does not support pupils to learn more and remember more, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

The reading curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced. Staff use the same approach to teaching phonics and reading. Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 make a strong start when learning to read. Any pupils that struggle with reading get the help they need. Consequently, they become fluent and confident readers. Pupils love to read. Teachers choose books carefully and read to pupils regularly. As a result, all pupils, regardless of their age, experience a wide range of texts. 19 October 2021

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Leaders, including governors, want pupils to learn an exciting curriculum. They have started to plan a two-year scheme of learning that provides pupils with a wide range of knowledge and skills. Leaders’ plans for the curriculum, generally, set out what pupils need to learn and the order that they need to learn it. However, teachers do not use these plans well.

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In some subjects, such as mathematics, leaders have started to introduce a more consistent approach to delivering the curriculum. Pupils benefit from being able to practise recalling important number facts, such as multiplication tables. This work is in its early stages and it is too soon to see an impact. The curriculum does not support pupils to make links between methods and problem-solving. This delays pupils from deepening their learning.

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Leaders and staff assess the needs of pupils with SEND effectively, especially pupils with social and emotional difficulties. The school has created a nurture room which provides a supported environment for these pupils. Most staff adapt resources and tasks to meet pupils’ needs. However, this does not happen across the entire curriculum. As a result, the progress these pupils make is varied. Pupils with SEND enjoy being supported with their learning. However, when they are asked to work independently they often find the curriculum too difficult.

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Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Behaviour throughout the school is of a high standard. Staff encourage pupils to behave well. They use positive language to praise and support pupils. Even so, some parents have concerns about bullying. Children in the early years quickly establish their routines. They are attentive and behave well. If pupils are worried or upset about something they know they can approach one of their trusted adults.

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Before the coronavirus pandemic, pupils enjoyed a wide range of educational and cultural experiences. Many activities had to pause while restrictions were in place. Leaders and staff have begun to restart these and have plans to extend these further. Pupils’ emotional well-being is supported effectively through the care of trusted adults and with help from professional agencies.

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School leaders have a clear view of what needs to improve. Governors and staff from Celtic Cross Education support leaders’ actions. Staff appreciate the care leaders take to manage their workload and look after their well-being.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that improving the support for pupils with SEND and refining the curriculum in some subjects may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed a strong culture of safeguarding. Pupils told inspectors they feel safe. Regular training keeps safeguarding at the forefront of staff’s attention. Leaders 19 October 2021

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have stringent systems in place for recording and following up concerns, however small. Governors and leaders make sure that safeguarding procedures and policies are up to date. They check that staff understand the latest guidance and any risks particular to the school’s context.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always check what pupils already know. As a result, teachers do not help pupils build their knowledge across the curriculum over time, particularly pupils with SEND, who are often too reliant on support from adults. Leaders need to make sure that teachers check pupils’ prior learning carefully and then use this information to ensure all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve success.  The curriculum does not provide sufficient coherence or clarity, in all subjects, to ensure pupils’ learning is progressive and sequential. As a result, pupils do not secure the important knowledge and skills they need before moving on to the next step. This limits the progress they make through the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure there is greater continuity in the curriculum so that pupils improve their understanding over time.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 19 October 2021

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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. 19 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200071 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 – 21 September 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is part of Celtic Cross Education, a multi-academy trust.  In 2019, the school opened a nursery, for three-year-old children.  The current headteacher took up post in September 2018.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders and a range of staff and pupils. Inspectors spoke with members of the governing body and the chief executive officer of Celtic Cross Education.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers. They also spoke to some 19 October 2021

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pupils about their learning, heard some pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors reviewed a range of safeguarding documentation, including school policies, procedures and records. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. During this meeting case files were reviewed to explore how the school identifies and supports pupils at risk of harm. Inspectors also spoke with a range of staff and pupils to evaluate the school’s safeguarding culture.  Inspectors spoke with staff and pupils about behaviour in the school. They scrutinised the school’s behaviour records. Pupils were also observed at play. An inspector visited the after-school club.  Inspectors considered 18 responses to the online questionnaire Ofsted Parent View and spoke to a range of parents at the start of the inspection. In addition, inspectors took into account the responses of six staff and 14 pupils to the Ofsted surveys.

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Inspection team

Paul Walker, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Chown Ofsted Inspector 19 October 2021

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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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