Kentisbury Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kentisbury Primary School Kentisbury, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 4NG

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Outcome

Kentisbury Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a nurturing environment in which pupils feel happy and safe. Staff know the pupils very well. Those who need extra help and support receive this from encouraging adults. Kentisbury pupils learn alongside their friends from the sister school, Parracombe Church of England Primary School, as if it were all one school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the Reception Year are eager to learn. There are well-established routines which pupils follow confidently. They show kindness and share well, helping each other with their learning. Pupils take these positive behaviours with them as they move through the school. Very few experience bullying. Staff are quick to sort out any disagreements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils gain confidence in their time at the school. Some pupils in Year 6 act as associate governors. They talk to the governing board about their experiences of school life. These pupils also take on important duties, such as helping the school to appoint new staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities for pupils to keep fit and healthy. For example, pupils start the day by getting physically active. Many join in with after-school clubs where they practise different sports. Pupils spend time learning about nature, through forest school activities and visits to local gardens.

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

Leaders have carefully considered how they can help all children get off to a flying start with their reading. They have strengthened the curriculum for children in the Reception Year. Children, therefore, follow a well-designed curriculum. Staff have a detailed understanding of what each child can do and where they need more help. Children enjoy practising their reading, using books that are well matched to their reading skills.

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

In Years 1 and 2, pupils secure their understanding of phonics. They continue to read often. This helps them to develop their fluency. Many pupils become competent readers quickly. They use their knowledge of phonics to improve their spelling. Pupils who need a 22 March 2023

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bit more help to crack the phonics code receive this. They work closely with supportive adults who focus on the gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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As pupils move through the school, they benefit from a rich curriculum. Staff often introduce pupils to literature which helps them to develop their knowledge of the world. Staff focus on drawing out useful vocabulary. They encourage pupils to use this in their own writing. This makes pupils’ writing engaging and precise.

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Leaders keep the curriculum under review. For example, in mathematics, leaders have revised the curriculum to address the gaps in pupils’ knowledge, arising from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders have carefully considered the links between different subjects. For example, pupils read ‘The Rhythm of the Rain’ to support their understanding of the water cycle in geography. Nonetheless, leaders recognise that, in some subjects, pupils are ready to learn more, sooner.

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Leaders and staff pay close attention to the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders make good use of the shared resources and links within their partner schools in the federation to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. For example, an educational psychologist supports staff with their assessment of pupils’ needs. In addition, the school works closely with staff at the ‘Little Berries’ pre-school. This helps to ensure that any additional needs that pupils have are identified early.

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Pupils with SEND benefit from the settled atmosphere in classrooms and around the school site. They are well supported and take pride in their work. Leaders give pupils the time they need to get to grips with difficult ideas. For example, in mathematics, pupils with SEND are introduced to some of the curriculum content before the lesson begins. This helps pupils to develop their confidence with what will come next in their learning.

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Leaders provide a well-rounded curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE). This provides pupils with information and insights, which help them to keep themselves safe. Staff adapt teaching to respond to any local risks or any pupil misconceptions. Pupils remember the key messages and use these to keep themselves safe.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders and governors. They are encouraged to undertake training which helps them to develop their careers. An experienced group of governors work across the federation of schools. They know the school well and ensure that staff have the resources they need to offer a stimulating curriculum for all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular safeguarding updates for staff. Staff are vigilant and use the school’s systems for reporting concerns confidently. Leaders and staff share information well across the two sites. Leaders follow up any concerns promptly. They make appropriate referrals to external services when needed. They are tenacious in securing the right support for pupils and their families. 22 March 2023

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Pupils feel safe in school. They trust staff to help them with any worries. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when online. Leaders provide guidance and support to parents on how to protect pupils from potential online harm.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not yet ensured that the curriculum enables pupils to deepen and extend their knowledge in some subjects. Consequently, some pupils are not learning as much as they could. Leaders should plan the curriculum to enable pupils to learn more complex ideas sooner.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good on 9 and 10 November 2016.

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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. 22 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10211008 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 9 and 10 November 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Kentisbury Primary School is part of the West Exmoor Federation which comprises two other schools: Parracombe Church of England Primary School and Lynton Church of England Primary School. Kentisbury and Parracombe primaries operate as one school, across two sites. Children in the Reception Year and pupils in key stage 1 are taught together at the Kentisbury site. Pupils in key stage 2 are taught together at the Parracombe site. The school arranges transport for pupils between the sites.  Kentisbury Primary School shares a site with Little Berries pre-school, which is also part of the West Exmoor Federation.  There is governor-run provision for childcare before and after school. This is offered once weekly at the Parracombe site and every day of the week at the Kentisbury site.  The school does not use 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. 22 March 2023

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, including the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and a group of governors, including the chair.  Inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority on the telephone.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. 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.  In order to evaluate the school’s work to safeguard pupils, inspectors met with senior leaders, including the designated safeguarding leader. Inspectors checked the single central record of adults working on each site. Inspectors also met with other staff and groups of pupils to find out more about the culture of safeguarding in the school.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, ‘Parent View’. Inspectors also considered responses to the online surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Lydia Pride, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicola Bray Ofsted Inspector 22 March 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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