Copplestone Primary School

Inspection of Copplestone Primary School Bewsley Hill, Copplestone, Crediton, Devon EX17 5NX

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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 19 and 20 July 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Copplestone Primary, everyone follows the ‘golden rules’. Children in the pre- school learn to have ‘gentle hands’. This helps them to follow the rules further up the school. Pupils say that the school is like a happy family. Bullying is rare and staff always deal with it if it happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As pupils progress through the school, leaders encourage them to take on responsibilities. There are a range of leadership roles and everyone is encouraged to have a go. Pupils consider it a privilege to help others, for example by helping younger children to read or play well with others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In recent years, leaders have raised expectations of what pupils can learn and do. They have used the curriculum to bring this about. Pupils in Reception Year and Year 1 get off to a flying start with their reading. All through the school, pupils get a lot of enjoyment out of reading, whether they do this with staff or on their own.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need to make the most of the curriculum. Leaders get to know these pupils well and take great pride in their achievements.

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better?

Leaders are open to new ideas. They invite subject experts into the school and use their advice to improve the curriculum. As a result, the curriculum for reading and mathematics is well designed. In these subjects, pupils learn and remember what they are taught and therefore make good progress.

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better?

The curriculum for early reading has recently been updated. Leaders have made this their first priority. All staff are well trained. They have the expertise to support pupils with their phonics learning. Teachers and teaching assistants make sure that pupils keep up with the pace of the phonics curriculum. If a pupil does need to catch up, they are supported and encouraged to do so.

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better?

In the pre-school, the children recite a wide and interesting range of songs and rhymes. This encourages them to extend their spoken language, as well as develop their awareness of letter sounds and numbers. Leaders find ways to encourage children’s early writing, building on their interests.

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better?

Leaders identify pupils who might have additional needs early. Following the COVID- 19 pandemic, some children have joined the pre-school with weak communication and language skills. Governors have made sure that leaders can draw on expert staff to support children and pupils with their speech and language development. Support starts in the early years and continues for older pupils who need it. 19 and 20 July 2022

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Teachers work in partnership with parents to decide how best to support pupils with SEND. Leaders, in turn, support parents to access other support available locally. Leaders monitor the progress of pupils with SEND carefully and step in if they think a different approach, or more support, is needed.

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In some of the subjects of the wider curriculum, pupils do not always gain the understanding they need. Teachers are not sure exactly what pupils know in these subjects, because they do not check this systematically enough. Consequently, pupils do not remember key knowledge consistently well. Leaders recognise that there is more to do before the curriculum in every subject has the impact they intend.

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Leaders expect pupils to behave well and they do. It is very rare for there to be a behaviour incident which requires senior staff to respond. Pupils say that some of their peers find it hard to settle down, but that teachers deal with this well. They agree that Copplestone Primary is a ‘telling school’. This means that pupils report anything that worries them to a member of staff.

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Disadvantaged pupils do not attend school as well as their peers. However, leaders are working with parents and support services to address this. They have a detailed understanding of the factors affecting the attendance of each pupil. There are numerous examples of individual pupils who now attend school regularly thanks to the support leaders provide.

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The curriculum for personal, social and health education includes important learning about relationships. Pupils learn to respect the individual qualities that make each of us different. Staff encourage pupils to develop an awareness of the lifestyle factors that lead to good physical and mental health. This helps them to look after themselves and others.

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Staff feel valued and supported, therefore their morale is high. They recognise the improvements leaders and governors have made in recent years.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a strong understanding of the local risks to pupils. Governors listen to the views and experiences of pupils and staff, which contributes to a healthy culture of safeguarding in the school.

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Safeguarding

Everyone is clear about how to report a concern, whether that is about a pupil or an adult. Staff are vigilant, thanks to effective training and leadership. Leaders maintain detailed records and respond appropriately when concerns are raised. They ensure that families receive early help, and they work diligently with safeguarding partners. 19 and 20 July 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the curriculum is not yet having the impact that leaders intend. The approach to assessment does not help pupils to embed knowledge fluently. In these subjects, pupils do not remember their learning well and sometimes develop misconceptions. Leaders should ensure that teachers check that all pupils have understood and can remember the essential curriculum content.

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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.

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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. 19 and 20 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227495 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christopher Dack

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School details

Website www.copplestone-primary.devon.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 and 26 September 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with education, health and care plans is well above average.  The school includes a pre-school unit, which is on site and admits children aged two to five years.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school is part of the Devon Moors Federation. The federation comprises of six primary schools. 19 and 20 July 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 head of school, the executive headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and members of the school’s senior leadership team. The lead inspector also met with a group of governors, including the chair of governors, and held a telephone discussion with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and music. 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. Inspectors also visited lessons, considered pupils’ work and spoke with teachers and pupils about some

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Information about this inspection

other subjects.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector scrutinised the single central record of adults working in the school and met with the designated safeguarding leader. Inspectors also spoke with pupils and staff to find out about the culture of safeguarding.  Inspectors visited the pre-school unit and held discussions with leaders about provision in the early years.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. In addition, the inspector took into account responses to the questionnaire for pupils and to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Lydia Pride, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Greenwood Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 July 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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