St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School Buckland Monachorum, Yelverton, Devon PL20 7NA

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Outcome

St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of love, joy, hope, resilience, respect and friendship run through all aspects of school life. Pupils know how these values help them to be caring and thoughtful members of society. They learn to respect others because staff model trusting relationships. This encourages pupils to behave well. Pupils found it hard to remember the last incident of bullying because it happens so rarely. There are many adults that pupils can turn to with their worries. This helps pupils to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to do their best. Pupils know this and try hard to meet leaders’ expectations. The recently improved behaviour expectations ensure all pupils know how they should conduct themselves. As a result, classrooms are usually calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They share leaders’ aim for the school to be a friendly and welcoming place for everyone.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents recognise the positive changes made by leaders. Parents commend leaders for the broad range of opportunities that pupils benefit from. They recognise how these opportunities support pupils to be well prepared for the next stage in their education. As one parent commented, ‘Staff create an environment of inclusivity, diversity and well- being for all.’

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

Leaders have made recent improvements to the curriculum. In the core subjects, such as reading and mathematics, pupils build knowledge well. This is because teachers are clear about the most important knowledge pupils need to know and remember. Teachers break learning down into small steps. They ensure pupils build on what they already know. Teachers use assessment to accurately identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. As a result, pupils are able to build new knowledge well. Leaders know that this does not happen as 28 and 29 March 2023

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effectively in some foundation subjects. The sequence of learning in some subjects does not help pupils to know and remember more.

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Leaders prioritise reading. Staff regularly read books aloud for children to enjoy. These books are carefully selected to represent different cultures and backgrounds, as well as different text types. Leaders provide regular phonics training for staff. This makes sure that all staff involved in teaching phonics understand the programme well. Pupils read books from home that contain the sounds they know. They become fluent readers. Staff model sounds with accuracy and spot pupils who find it hard to read. Pupils who fall behind receive high-quality support to catch up with their peers. Leaders take care to nurture pupils’ confidence while ensuring they progress well through the reading curriculum. Older pupils enjoy speaking to visiting authors and finding out about the ‘world of reading’.

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Children in the early years start to learn phonics as soon as they join the school. Staff know children’s needs well and encourage them to be curious learners. They provide a well-resourced environment for children to explore. Staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn effectively. They know when to provide support and when to let children ‘have a go’ for themselves. This promotes resilience and prepares children well for the curriculum in Year 1.

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Leaders support the expertise of staff to help them identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as early as possible. Teachers liaise with specialists for advice about providing the best support for pupils. They adapt learning to help pupils access the full curriculum offer. However, some pupils have targets that are too broad to be useful. The support they receive sometimes lacks precision. Where this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Leaders carefully consider pupils’ personal development. Pupils take pride in holding roles of responsibility, such as playground leaders. They know how they make a difference to the life of the school. Pupils learn about others who live contrasting lives to them. They know that the world is different beyond the school’s rural location. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Staff recognise that leaders had to make many changes in a short period of time. They, at times, feel that their workload is high. However, they comment positively on leaders’ consideration of their well-being. They say that leaders listen to their concerns and take prompt action.

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Governors have a strong understanding of their responsibilities. They have the knowledge they need to support and challenge school leaders effectively. Governors hold leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. They have a deep understanding of the next steps for the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 28 and 29 March 2023

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Leaders promote a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff understand the systems for keeping pupils safe. Leaders regularly review the procedures for identifying, recording and reporting concerns to ensure they remain effective. They take prompt action to secure help for vulnerable families.

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Leaders make the right checks during recruitment of new staff. They ensure all adults are safe to work with children. Leaders’ records of recruitment checks are accurate and in line with guidance.

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Leaders know the risks that pupils face in the local area. They provide guidance for pupils and parents about keeping safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The sequence of learning in some foundation subjects is not as well considered as it could be. Pupils do not build knowledge as well as they could. Leaders need to review the curriculum design to ensure that the sequence of learning supports pupils to know and remember more over time.  Some pupils with SEND have targets that are too broad to be useful. The support they receive sometimes lacks precision. Where this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that pupils’ learning targets are carefully considered and evaluated with precision.

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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 19 and 20 April 2017.

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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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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. 28 and 29 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240635 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 19 and 20 April 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 All leaders started in their roles since the last inspection.  There is an on-site before- and after-school club run by the governors.  The school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school and is part of the Diocese of Exeter. The last section 48 inspection under the Education Act for schools of a religious character took place in April 2018, where the school was judged to be outstanding.  Leaders do 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 28 and 29 March 2023

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector spoke with school leaders, subject leaders, parents, pupils, governors and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector listened to pupils read.  To evaluate safeguarding, the inspector spoke to the designated safeguarding leader. The inspector also spoke with staff, governors and pupils, and evaluated record- keeping and staff training.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, and comments made by parents online during the inspection. They also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Jane Dennis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 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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