Heamoor Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Heamoor Community Primary School Bosvenna Way, Heamoor, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 3JZ

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Inspection dates: 16 and 17 November 2021

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Outcome

Heamoor Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Heamoor is a warm and welcoming school. Staff share a determination to be inclusive, caring and nurturing so that every pupil feels valued. At the heart of the school is the Rainbow room. Pupils use this room if they feel anxious or sad. Trained staff provide support to pupils to deal with things that worry them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff commit to ensuring that pupils achieve well. Improvements to the curriculum have enabled pupils to do this. Pupils are confident learners who are willing to work hard. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well because staff provide tailored advice when necessary. Parents appreciate the school’s care for their children. As one parent said, ‘Staff go above and beyond to support my children and me.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond well to the high expectations that adults have of them. They behave respectfully in lessons and around the school. Pupils support each other during lessons and when playing in the playground.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They understand what bullying is and what to do if bullying happens. They know that staff will deal with any problems if they occur.

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

Reading is a priority for the school. Leaders have changed the school’s phonics programme to improve the effectiveness of teaching early reading. Leaders train staff to use the new programme consistently. Each class has a reading area and pupils can access a well-stocked library. Staff teach children in Reception how to read as soon as they begin at the school. Children learn how to recognise phonic sounds, which helps them to read and write words accurately. Pupils read well-chosen books that match the sounds they know. Pupils at risk of falling behind receive immediate and skilled help to catch up. Staff advise parents how to support their children effectively when reading at home. 16 and 17 November 2021

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Leaders provide a clear rationale for the mathematics curriculum. From Reception, leaders have sequenced the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. Precise planning sets out what to teach and when, so that learning builds on pupils’ prior knowledge. Pupils enjoy mathematics. They know how to apply previous learning so that they can understand new topics. For example, in Year 5, pupils use their knowledge of place value to solve problems when dividing by powers of 10.

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Curriculum leaders are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They have identified what pupils need to learn in each subject. Teachers assess pupils’ knowledge accurately and identify gaps. In a few subjects, such as art, and design and technology, the sequencing of learning is not sufficiently detailed.

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Teachers consider the needs of pupils with SEND carefully when delivering the curriculum. Staff support pupils with SEND and make sure they can take part fully in learning and wider school life. As a result, pupils with SEND can follow the curriculum and learn well.

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Leaders invest in pupils’ emotional and mental well-being through the use of the Rainbow room and a school counsellor. In personal, social and health education, pupils learn the importance of respecting everyone. A Year 6 residential trip to London enables pupils to experience the diversity of life in a major city. The school celebrates Cornish culture through events such as Mazey Day. Pupils can take part in a range of clubs that enrich their learning.

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Staff work effectively as a team and know that leaders have concern for their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a culture focused on pupils’ well-being. Staff receive regular training to recognise signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Everyone is alert to changes in pupils which may cause concern. Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils and parents get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum helps pupils to learn how to keep safe. It includes teaching pupils about positive behaviours and relationships in ways that are appropriate to their age.

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Safeguarding

Policies and procedures for safeguarding are fit for purpose. Leaders make necessary checks when appointing adults to work with children.

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 Leaders have not yet improved the curriculum in all subjects. This means that pupils do not know and remember more across the full curriculum. Leaders must continue to improve curriculum plans so that all subjects are planned consistently well.

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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 on 7 and 8 June 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 .

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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. 16 and 17 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199819 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 7 and 8 June 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a member of The Penwith Education Trust, a cooperative trust comprised of seven local schools.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher and two assistant headteachers, one of whom is the special educational needs coordinator. The inspector met the chair of the governing body and a group of parents.  The inspector had telephone conversations with a representative of the local authority, an independent consultant who advises the school and the headteacher of the alternative provider used by the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, and history. The inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a 16 and 17 November 2021

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sample of lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, spoke to teachers, listened to pupils read and talked to some pupils about their learning.  The inspector looked at checks of recruitment processes. In addition, the inspector spoke with the designated safeguarding lead and with staff about their training in safeguarding, and to pupils.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including free-text responses. In addition, the inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Mark Burgess, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 November 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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