St Peter's Church of England Junior School

Inspection of St Peter’s Church of England (VA) Junior School School Close, Greenlands Estate, Tavistock, Devon PL19 9HW

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 26 and 27 April 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils. Pupils enjoy learning. They appreciate the wide range of enrichment activities on offer. For example, pupils talk with enthusiasm about outdoor education, sporting events, trips and residential visits. They say they help to bring their classroom learning to life. Pupils’ personal development, talents and interests are nurtured well. Through these activities, pupils learn important life skills. For example, pupils learn the importance of practice to get better for the local half-marathon, the Tavy 13.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils follow the school values in all they do. Pupils are polite, kind and show respect for each other. They are happy, behave well and attend school regularly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They say that bullying does not happen. If pupils have worries, they are confident that staff will help them. Parents say that staff are approachable and supportive.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on roles of responsibility with great pride, such as house captains and school councillors. They are confident to express their opinions and recognise the importance of listening to each other.

p.2

better?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ learning. They have created a clearly sequenced and coherent curriculum. Leaders have identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to remember from the curriculum. Teachers support pupils to practise and remember prior knowledge, skills and vocabulary across most subjects well. This helps pupils to build secure knowledge over time. For example, in history, pupils can confidently place people and events studied on a timeline correctly.

p.2

better?

Nevertheless, there are a few subjects where disruption to learning, caused by COVID-19 restrictions, means pupils have gaps in their subject knowledge. Teachers have concentrated on helping pupils master important skills. For example, in art, pupils’ drawing and painting skills are well developed. However, their knowledge of artists and their artwork is not as strong. Leaders are aware that teachers need to ensure pupils close gaps in their essential subject knowledge to continue to build new skills, vocabulary and understanding.

p.2

better?

Leaders have rightly made learning to read a priority. Pupils enjoy reading. Year 6 pupils say they are inspired by books shared in class, such as ‘Dragonology’, to write their own stories. Pupils who need additional help are supported effectively with phonic lessons and extra reading practice. The reading books match their phonics understanding. Teachers model reading skilfully and discuss a wide range of books regularly. This supports pupils to read with fluency and develops their comprehension skills well. 26 and 27 April 2022

p.2

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Staff receive appropriate training to identify pupils’ additional needs accurately. Leaders of SEND work with pupils, parents, staff and external agencies to agree and review support plan targets effectively. Individual provision is carefully planned to meet needs successfully.

p.3

3

Staff have consistently high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly way. Some pupils need extra help to learn how to understand and manage their feelings. Staff are quick to spot who needs this additional support. This leads to productive learning in class and enjoyable playtimes.

p.3

3

Pupils know how the school values help them to make the right choices in life. They understand the importance of democracy, tolerance and respect. This is developed through discussion, debates and experience of voting for the school council. Pupils strongly believe that everyone should be treated equally. Pupils talk about different cultures and religions with sensitivity and maturity. They are developing their understanding of how they can contribute positively to society.

p.3

3

The well-being of pupils, parents and staff has a high profile at the school. Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration and support. Leaders’ work with families has successfully maintained pupils’ regular attendance.

p.3

3

Trustees and governors have robust systems in place to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leaders’ actions. They have a thorough knowledge of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They welcome advice and actively seek out good practice to continually support and challenge leaders effectively.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders of safeguarding ensure statutory checks are completed before staff and volunteers begin working at the school. Governors and trustees monitor the accuracy of safeguarding records regularly.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff attend regular training to help them fulfil their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. For example, staff know how to report concerns for pupil safety and welfare. Leaders follow up reported concerns swiftly. They work with external agencies to try to secure appropriate support for children and their families.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. This includes online safety. 26 and 27 April 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. This makes it difficult to build and deepen their understanding further. Leaders need to support teachers to use assessment information to identify and rectify these gaps so that pupils know more and remember more over time.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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. 26 and 27 April 2022

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 St Peter’s Church of England (VA) Junior School and St Rumon’s Church of England (VC) Infant School form the Tavistock Church Schools Federation.  The headteacher was appointed across the federation in January 2021.  The deputy headteacher, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, was appointed across the federation in September 2021.  The school is part of the St Christopher’s CofE (Primary) Multi-Academy Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 and 27 April 2022

p.5

6

 The inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, staff, pupils, governors, including the chair of the local governing board, the chief executive officer, a director of the trust and the school improvement lead for the trust.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 3 and 4 read to a known adult.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including records of safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. They considered how well the designated safeguarding lead acts on concerns about pupils’ safety and welfare. The inspectors spoke to pupils, staff and governors

p.6

6

about safeguarding practices.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. She also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Marie Thomas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sally Hannaford Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 April 2022

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