Tintagel Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Tintagel Primary School Treven, Tintagel, Cornwall PL34 0DU

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Outcome

Tintagel Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this school. They are proud of their learning, always striving to achieve their best. Everyone understands the school’s learning toolkit. Pupils know the characteristics of good learning. They enjoy receiving ‘learning warrior’ awards, for example, when they have shown perseverance in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils meet the high expectations that teachers have for them. They participate in learning eagerly, showing mutual respect and confidence in discussions. Everyone joins in with learning. Adults and peers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy in school. Breaktimes are harmonious. Bullying is rare, but if it does happen pupils are confident that staff will deal with it effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a voice in making the school a positive learning environment. They enjoy roles of responsibility such as playground leaders or team captains. They feel listened to, which makes them feel valued. There is a wide range of clubs to develop pupils’ interests and talents. Pupils are keen to take part in these.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. Built on the school’s 12 values, the curriculum carefully weaves subject knowledge and personal development together. The themes are well sequenced. They develop in complexity as pupils move through the school. For example, children in Reception are introduced to the concept of justice through stories. In Year six, pupils explore freedom and democracy in history when they learn about the Berlin Wall. These concepts are well developed across the curriculum.

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

Leaders have also considered subject-specific concepts such as developing pupils’ understanding of chronology in history. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not 21 February 2023

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identified the specific knowledge they want pupils to know. This means pupils do not always build on what they already know.

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Reading is central to the curriculum. All the curriculum themes stem from a high-quality text that stimulates pupils’ opinions and imaginations. Leaders have ensured there are plenty of different texts available for pupils to read, which they enjoy. These texts develop pupils’ vocabulary. Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils, including those with SEND. Teaching skilfully reduces any barriers to learning that these pupils might have. For example, large-print text and adult support help some of these pupils to read the same texts as their peers.

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Children in Reception get off to a flying start with their phonics. They can segment words and blend sounds together to read well. As they progress through the phonics programme, pupils build accuracy and fluency in their reading. Any pupils who struggle to keep up are well supported by adults. The books pupils read match the sounds they know so that they build confidence and a love of reading.

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Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. Leaders work alongside staff to make continual improvements to teaching. As a result, teachers are confident in the subjects they teach, so pupils learn well. Teachers make regular checks on pupils’ learning. This helps them to quickly address any misconceptions or gaps in knowledge. However, sometimes new learning is not always well matched to what pupils already know and can do.

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Leaders are determined to broaden pupils’ experiences through the curriculum. Regular visits and visitors bring learning to life for pupils. The school’s link with the Royal Shakespeare Company is a highly successful collaboration. Pupils are proud of their participation and performances in the Hall for Cornwall.

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Leaders, including the trust, place a high priority on staff well-being and workload. Teachers benefit from working closely with another local trust school. They feel supported and listened to by leaders. Staff are very positive about working at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that keeping pupils safe is at the heart of their work. Staff are well informed and know the signs of different types of abuse. They record any concerns in a timely manner. This enables leaders to get pupils and families the right help at the right time.

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Safeguarding

Pupils receive a comprehensive curriculum that helps them know how to stay safe. They understand how to use the internet safely. Pupils know that they can talk to an adult if they have a worry. 21 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, leaders have not yet identified the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. In these subjects, the knowledge that pupils learn is not always linked to what came before and what comes next. Leaders must identify this knowledge so that pupils are able to build cumulative knowledge.  Teaching does not always match pupils’ individual starting points. Consequently, not all pupils build on what they already know, which slows their learning. Leaders must ensure that assessment is used effectively to help pupils know more and remember more of the curriculum.

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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 predecessor school, Tintagel 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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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. 21 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268610 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The head of school was appointed in September 2020.  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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the 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 held meetings with the headteacher, curriculum leaders and teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the local hub council, the school’s strategic partner and a representative from the trust. 21 February 2023

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 The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leads to discuss how they keep pupils safe in school. She considered the school’s recruitment procedures, staff induction and training, records of concerns and their engagement with external agencies. Inspectors also spoke with staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also took into consideration responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including documentation relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rob Meech Ofsted Inspector 21 February 2023

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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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