Kings Nympton Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kings Nympton Community Primary School Kings Nympton, Umberleigh, Devon EX37 9SP

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Outcome

Kings Nympton Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel supported and well cared for in this small, inclusive school. They say that at Kings Nympton ‘everyone looks out for each other’. Parents are positive about the nurture and help their children receive. One parent wrote that the school is ‘warm, open, honest, safe and inclusive. Staff offer so many opportunities to enrich the children’s learning’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They talk positively about the range of experiences they gain both inside and outside of the classroom, such as their visit to the Eden Project. Pupils show a high level of respect for their peers and staff. They are proud to be a member of this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident, polite and mature. They conduct themselves well around the school. Pupils know what adults expect of them. Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils understand what bullying is. They say it does not happen. Pupils know that concerns would be acted on quickly if they occurred.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know how to be a good friend. They have a clear understanding of responsibility. Older pupils enjoy taking on roles within the school council and being eco-warriors. They enjoy interacting with younger members of the school community through sharing books they like reading.

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

Leaders have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve. Staff work well together. They value and respect the support provided from their partner school. Those newer to the federation talk positively about the guidance and direction they receive from leaders. Leaders are mindful of teachers’ workload. Staff know that decisions made are in the best interests of pupils.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. They have thought carefully about the phonics curriculum. Children start to learn phonics in Reception. Staff use consistent strategies to support 18 October 2022

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pupils in securing their understanding of letters and sounds. Pupils practise reading by using books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. They are exposed to a wide range of different texts, songs and rhymes to develop a love of reading. Careful assessment ensures that all pupils who are in danger of falling behind keep up. Older pupils understand the importance of reading. They describe reading as being ‘a life skill’. Pupils talk confidently about books they have recently read and the range of authors they have come across in their learning.

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Leaders have strengthened the mathematics curriculum by ensuring a systematic approach to the way mathematics is taught. This deepens pupils’ mathematical knowledge and supports them to retain what they have learned. As a result, the varying needs of pupils in the mixed-age key stage 2 class, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well met. Pupils enjoy mathematics. They approach challenges with confidence and independence. Pupils use accurate mathematical language when discussing their learning.

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Most subjects in the curriculum have been designed to be ambitious and support the mixed-age classes in the school. In science, for example, there is a clear sequence of learning where knowledge is broken down into small steps that progress over time. This allows pupils of all ages to build on what they already know. However, this is not the same for all subjects. In geography and history, the knowledge that teachers want pupils to know and remember is not sufficiently ordered towards planned end points. Consequently, pupils across the mixed-age classes do not deepen their understanding over time.

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Staff know pupils well. They have a secure understanding of the needs of the small number of pupils with SEND. Correct identification ensures that these pupils are able to access the same curriculum as their peers. Links with external agencies support the school’s work to overcome barriers to learning effectively.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They concentrate well and take pride in their work, particularly when the curriculum is engaging. As a result, the school is a harmonious place to work.

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Leaders provide pupils with a range of experiences, including trips beyond their locality to extend their wider development. Pupils learn about fire, tool and water safety in the forest school. On residential and in outdoor learning, pupils learn how to take responsibility for themselves and others. They are proud of their achievements. However, pupils’ understanding of cultures beyond their own is underdeveloped. The curriculum does not sufficiently support their understanding of diversity.

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Governors share the same ambition as leaders in wanting all pupils to succeed. They understand their role and responsibilities, including how to keep children safe.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 18 October 2022

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Leaders act in the best interests of keeping children safe. They ensure there is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff know how to report and record concerns. They know these concerns will be taken seriously. Leaders ensure staff receive relevant and up- to-date training.

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Leaders carry out the necessary checks on staff to ensure they are safe to work with children. Pupils say they feel safe in school. They know who to go to if they are worried. Leaders ensure the curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of risk, including how to stay safe online and healthy relationships.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subjects in the wider curriculum are not as coherently designed as others for mixed-age classes. As a result, pupils do not develop the same level of knowledge across the curriculum as they should. Leaders need to ensure that the key knowledge they want pupils across each key stage to know is clearly identified and sequenced so pupils know more and remember more over time.  Leaders have not fully considered how to improve pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity. Consequently, pupils’ knowledge of cultures beyond their own is not as well developed as it could be. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum, alongside planned experiences and visits, secures pupils’ understanding of different cultures.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2012.

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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. 18 October 2022

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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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. 18 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212398 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 31 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 King’s Nympton Community Primary is a smaller-than-average-sized school. It is part of the Woodland Federation with Winkleigh Primary School that was formed in January 2019.  Both schools share an executive headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 executive headteacher, deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, groups of staff and representatives from the governing body. The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject 18 October 2022

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leaders, visited samples of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in other subjects, including science and history.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 4 read to an adult.  Inspectors looked at how the school keeps pupils safe. They considered how well the safeguarding leads acts upon concerns about pupils’ welfare and safety. The lead inspector also scrutinised the school’s single central record.  Inspectors considered 11 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including six free-text comments, and 10 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Heather Barraclough, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Wendy Marriott Ofsted Inspector 18 October 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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