Cusgarne Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Cusgarne Primary School Cusgarne, Truro, Cornwall TR4 8RW

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Outcome

Cusgarne Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Cusgarne Primary is a school where pupils feel valued and safe. Staff greet pupils warmly and show great care towards them. Pupils thrive on the positive relationships that leaders foster throughout the school. Pupils say that the school is like one big family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that their teachers expect them to behave well. Their learning is not disturbed by poor behaviour. In class, pupils listen respectfully to each other and their teachers. Pupils say that instances of bullying are rare and that adults in school resolve any issues quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard and relish challenges in their work. They enjoy contributing to the wider life of the school, for example through the school council. Older pupils gladly take on responsibility for looking after younger children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide pupils with opportunities to experience life beyond the local area. Pupils speak excitedly about their musical success, such as at a recent music festival in Truro. They are looking forward to an upcoming trip to London.

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

Leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils to succeed. They have designed a well- sequenced curriculum in many subjects. For the most part, leaders know what they want pupils to learn and remember. They provide opportunities for pupils to revisit their previous learning. This helps pupils to build on what they already know.

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

In key stage 2, staff carefully consider pupils’ different starting points. Teachers adapt the curriculum effectively so that it meets the needs of pupils. As a result, in history for example, pupils know how propaganda and bias affect the value of a historical source. In mathematics, pupils develop their fluency and use mathematical language accurately. 22 March 2022

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Leaders have recently reorganised the curriculum for Reception and key stage 1 pupils. However, the curriculum is not yet sufficiently ambitious for all pupils.

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The teaching of reading has a high priority in the school. Reception-age children learn phonics straightaway. This continues through key stage 1. Staff support pupils who have not grasped the required phonics knowledge fully. Younger pupils read regularly in school and at home. Staff match books to pupils’ phonics knowledge accurately. Older pupils read a range of quality texts. They are motivated to read and talk about what they are enjoying in their chosen books. Leaders ensure that staff receive training to enhance their expertise in teaching pupils to read throughout the school.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. The school’s approach to assessment identifies pupils who struggle to keep up at an early stage. The school’s special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) works with teachers and parents to decide how best to support pupils in their learning. This enables pupils with SEND to learn the full curriculum successfully.

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Pupils behave very well around the school. They engage in their lessons and respect the views of others. As a result, they can get on with their learning without interruptions. Pupils play and socialise at lunchtimes with respect for the thoughts and feelings of others.

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Leaders place a high value on pupils’ personal development. Clubs and activities provide pupils with opportunities to develop their skills and talents. Staff encourage pupils to participate in community activities. For example, pupils create artworks for a local community garden. This helps to develop pupils’ understanding of citizenship. In addition, trips to Truro and London broaden pupils’ horizons beyond their local village.

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Reception-age children participate fully in the school. At playtime, they play alongside older pupils, who show them care and respect.

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Leaders from the trust know the school well. Staff have access to support from the trust, relating to their work and well-being. Staff are proud to work at the school and feel well supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that the safety of pupils is at the forefront of the school’s work. Staff know families well and build effective relationships with them. Staff have received relevant training to help them fulfil their safeguarding duties. Staff are aware of how to record and report safeguarding concerns. Leaders access a range of external services to support pupils, should the need arise. Recruitment processes show due regard to safeguarding.

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Safeguarding

The school’s curriculum teaches pupils how to stay safe. The school’s website provides guidance for parents. This helps them know how to keep their children safe online. 22 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in Reception and key stage 1 does not meet the needs of all pupils. As a result, some pupils do not learn as much as they could. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for these pupils is as ambitious as the curriculum in the rest of the school.

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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 predecessor school, Cusgarne Community Primary School, to be good in February 2014.

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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. 22 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227691 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Cusgarne Primary School converted to become an academy school in November 2017, joining the Aspire Academy Trust. When its predecessor school, Cusgarne Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The headteacher was appointed in November 2017.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the SENDCo and the school’s strategic partner from the trust. An inspector met with a member of the trust’s hub council.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 22 March 2022

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 Inspectors looked at the recruitment process for new staff. In addition, inspectors spoke with the designated safeguarding lead and with staff about their training in safeguarding. Inspectors also spoke with pupils about their understanding of how to keep themselves safe from harm.  Inspectors considered the 37 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. In addition, inspectors took into account eight responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and 54 responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Mark Burgess, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Ryder Ofsted Inspector 22 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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