St Michael's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St Michael’s Church of England Primary School Church Street, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 3BQ

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 5 and 6 July 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy at St Michael’s. They enjoy coming to school. Leaders have created a culture where pupils can talk to adults if they have worries. Leaders make sure that everyone feels welcome. Staff know their pupils and families well. They expertly tailor support to meet pupils’ needs.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and show respect for each other’s opinions. They work together well. Staff have high and consistent expectations of pupils’ behaviour. From the early years onwards, staff help pupils to reflect on their behaviour and to manage their feelings. For example, pupils learn to resolve their differences on ‘the chat mat’. Pupils say that staff help them to restore relationships when they have fallen out or in the rare cases of bullying. Staff care for pupils and keep them safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values such as democracy. Pupils perform the school’s own British values rap. This helps them to remember what they have learned.

p.2

better?

Leaders, including governors, have a clear and ambitious vision for the school that is shared by staff. Subject leaders have improved the curriculum. This is having a strong impact in mathematics and early reading.

p.2

better?

Where there are strengths in the curriculum, such as in early reading, mathematics and computing, pupils carefully build their knowledge and understanding over time. Pupils remember most of what they have learned. For example, pupils use concepts accurately in mathematics to explain what they are learning.

p.2

better?

In a few subjects, the curriculum is not as developed. Leaders are not clear enough about what pupils need to learn and remember. Pupils are taught new ideas, but these are not always consolidated. This means pupils are sometimes not able to build up their knowledge over time as well as they could.

p.2

better?

Leaders make sure that reading is a priority. Staff promote a love of reading from the moment children start school. There is a systematic and sequenced approach to the teaching of reading. All staff know how to teach phonics. As a result, pupils quickly learn to decode words and to build up their fluency. Books are carefully matched to pupils’ phonics knowledge. Leaders spot any pupils who are at risk of falling behind with their reading. These pupils receive the help they need to become strong readers.

p.2

better?

Pupils enjoy reading and being read to in school. Leaders encourage a love of reading. Pupils talk confidently about different genres and authors. 5 and 6 July 2022

p.2

3

Teachers know pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. These pupils’ needs are identified quickly in the early years so appropriate support can be put in place. Leaders ensure that staff have enough information to help pupils with SEND to learn well.

p.3

3

Pupils have many opportunities to enhance their personal development. Links with the local church develop pupils’ understanding of faith and the community. The personal, social and health education programme is well developed. Leaders teach pupils, in an age-appropriate way, about relevant issues, such as understanding gender and consent, and celebrating differences. Pupils take part in debates on important issues, such as mutual respect and tolerance. They are respectful of other people’s opinions.

p.3

3

Pupils behave well and make the most of their learning time. Leaders support pupils’ emotional and mental health. For example, they use trained counsellors in school to provide extra support to those who need it.

p.3

3

The governing body understands its responsibilities. Its members use their expertise to ask leaders probing questions. They support leaders’ work to improve the school further. Governors’ expectations are high. Making sure that staff workload is manageable is a clear priority for leaders. Staff appreciate leaders’ efforts to make workload manageable.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders and governors ensure that all staff have regular and detailed safeguarding training. This means that staff are alert to any signs of concern, however minor. Staff record their concerns , and leaders act on them. Records of concerns and actions are diligently kept. Leaders take appropriate action to ensure that pupils are safe, including working with external agencies.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff know how to promote pupils’ health, well-being and emotional development. They have created a culture of safeguarding where pupils can speak to an adult if they have any concerns or worries.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, leaders have not clearly sequenced the most important knowledge that pupils need. As a result, pupils are not always able to build on their prior learning. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to build the knowledge they need.  Some planning does not build well enough on pupils’ prior learning from early years to key stage 1. This can impede pupils’ progress. Leaders should ensure 5 and 6 July 2022

p.3

4

that subject leaders have the expertise to design a curriculum that is matched to what pupils already know and can do.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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. 5 and 6 July 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10226660 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Headteacher Martin Harding (executive headteacher); Kate Arnold (head of school Website www.st-michaels-pri.devon.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 October 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the United School Federation  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Exeter. Its most recent SIAMS section 48 inspection was in December 2016, when the school was rated good.

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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. The inspectors met with the head of school, assistant headteacher, subject leaders, 5 and 6 July 2022

p.5

6

special educational needs coordinator, staff, pupils and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a known adult.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, art and music. For each deep dive, 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.  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 about safeguarding practices.  Inspectors carried out a range of activities to evaluate pupils’ behaviour and

p.6

6

attitudes and how well the school promotes pupils’ personal development. For example, they observed lunchtime and considered pupils’ views on behaviour.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. She also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Lizzy Meadows, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Wendy Marriott Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 July 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