Falmouth Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Falmouth Primary Academy Jubilee Road, Falmouth, TR11 2BB

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Outcome

Falmouth Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Falmouth Primary Academy. They explain confidently how their teachers help them to learn well. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils learn through an ambitious curriculum. A curriculum leader told us, ‘The sky’s the limit for all pupils here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders share a clear vision for every child to achieve their best. They ensure that all pupils receive the help they need to be able to succeed. Most pupils behave well. Adults treat pupils fairly and with respect. Consequently, pupils feel safe. Many pupils benefit from support to understand and manage their emotions. Pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need to be successful life-long learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know what the different types of bullying are. Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils are confident that adults would help them quickly if it did happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents appreciate the opportunities that pupils have to experience life beyond their local community. Pupils take part in a residential trip to London. One parent told inspectors, ‘My children love learning. They speak so positively of the school culture and opportunities.’

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

Leaders have considered how to develop pupils at Falmouth Academy into successful learners. They understand pupils’ needs very well. Pupils learn about themselves, their local community and the world around them. They learn through engaging topics and say that teachers make learning ‘come alive’. Leaders ensure that pupils build knowledge in an order that makes sense. Teachers know which parts of the curriculum are most important for pupils to remember. They use ideas from research to explore ways for pupils to know and remember more. However, teachers’ expectations of how pupils present their work in mathematics are not always high enough. This sometimes leads to confusion when pupils complete calculations. 9 and 10 March 2022

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Curriculum leaders are knowledgeable about their subjects. They ensure that teachers have a secure understanding of all subjects. In some subjects, leaders have successfully strengthened how teachers assess what pupils know and remember. However, the effective use of assessment is inconsistent across all subjects.

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Pupils love to read. They follow a carefully designed reading curriculum. Children learn to read as soon as they start in the early years. There are well-planned activities for them to develop their early communication skills. They make strong progress from their starting points. Leaders ensure that pupils read books that match their ability. As a result, they develop into confident readers. Teachers skilfully monitor pupils’ reading development. They provide regular high-quality support for pupils who are struggling. Leaders help parents to understand how to best support their child with their reading at home. Staff act as reading role models. Pupils have regular opportunities to listen to adults read aloud. Pupils and staff recommend authors to each other. Pupils say that this helps them to discover new books.

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Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are supported well. They liaise with professional agencies effectively. Teachers make suitable adjustments to learning, so that pupils’ needs are met and they can access the curriculum. Leaders do not lower their expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils say that they find their work challenging and interesting.

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Pupils are kind and considerate. They say that adults in school care for them. Pupils show respect for each other and the school environment. They learn about people who have different beliefs to their own. Staff promote pupils’ self-esteem and confidence through many extra-curricular opportunities, such as music and surfing lessons. Pupils take part in enterprise projects, raise money for the local community and learn about roles of responsibility. For example, they apply for positions as prefects and learn about the skills needed for these roles, such as public speaking.

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Staff feel proud to work at this school. They work as a dedicated team. They appreciate leaders’ consideration for their well-being, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Governors understand what is working well. They hold leaders to account for the quality of education. Governors share leaders’ vision for the school’s continuing development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. Staff understand the school’s procedures for safeguarding. They receive training to be able to spot possible signs of abuse. Concerns are recorded accurately. Leaders take the appropriate action when responding to concerns. They make sure that families receive support when they need it. Leaders share safeguarding information with staff that helps them to understand any emerging issues.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about keeping safe online. They recognise the potential risks. Governors check that the school’s safeguarding procedures are working well. They understand how the school keeps pupils safe. 9 and 10 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers’ expectations of how pupils present their work, especially in mathematics, are not always high enough. This sometimes leads to pupils becoming confused when completing calculations. Leaders need to ensure that there are consistently high expectations for how pupils present their work.  Teachers do not consistently use assessment effectively across the curriculum. As a result, teachers do not always have accurate knowledge of what pupils know and remember. Leaders need to continue to refine assessment across all subjects.

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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 8–9 November 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. 9 and 10 March 2022

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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 and 10 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211004 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.falmouth.kernowlearning.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 November 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Kernow Learning Trust

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of two alternative provisions for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the headteacher and co-headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, members of the staff team, representatives from the governing body and the deputy chief executive officer.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector carried out deep dives in: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, 9 and 10 March 2022

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visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 The inspector checked the procedures for keeping pupils safe.

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 The inspector checked the 39 survey responses from pupils, 27 responses from staff and 44 responses from parents, including 31 free-text comments.

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 The inspector met with pupils and staff to gather their views and find out what is it like to be part of the school.

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 The inspector looked at the school’s plans for improvement and monitoring documents.

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Inspection team

Jane Dennis, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector 9 and 10 March 2022

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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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