Trythall Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Trythall Community Primary School New Mill, Penzance, Cornwall TR20 8XR

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Outcome

Trythall Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Trythall is a friendly and welcoming school. The school’s motto of ‘to be more human’ reflects leaders’ focus on pupils becoming kind, confident and responsible citizens. Pupils are happy and talk enthusiastically about school life. They enjoy the projects they complete each term as part of the school’s curriculum. Children in the early years participate eagerly in carefully planned activities. They are encouraged to give everything a go and develop resilience to setbacks.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ conduct. They model the behaviours that are expected and link them to the school’s virtues. Staff praise pupils for demonstrating these in lessons and around the school site. When some pupils find managing their behaviour more difficult, staff take a personalised approach to support them to make the right choices. As a result, disruption to learning is rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are supportive and caring towards each other. All pupils belong to the school council. They discuss and debate ideas for school improvement. Pupils have a strong voice and their ideas are listened to and acted on. For example, there are now benches in the outside space and chickens at the school to care for.

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

Pupils follow an ambitious curriculum, including children in the early years foundation stage. Leaders believe strongly in developing the whole child through providing a variety of educational experiences. Leaders are proud of the range of learning opportunities that take place outside of the classroom. These include visits to art galleries, a skate park and forest school. Pupils understand how these visits support their learning of the academic curriculum.

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

Subject leaders have considered thoughtfully the knowledge they want pupils to learn for each curriculum area. They link this carefully with the overarching projects that pupils complete. For example, in art, pupils study the specific techniques used by local artists 20 April 2023

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and then put them into practice themselves. Pupils, including children in Reception Year, produce high-quality artwork. Additionally, leaders have responded to gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills as a result of COVID-19. For example, in mathematics, there is an increased focus on number facts. This helps pupils to develop a secure foundation in their mathematical knowledge.

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Staff check regularly pupils’ understanding of what they have been taught. They use this information to ensure that misconceptions or gaps in knowledge are rectified. However, in some subjects, pupils are not always given enough time to practise or apply new learning.

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Children in the early years benefit from a well-planned curriculum. They play happily in the outdoor space. They learn how to take turns and follow adults’ instructions. Staff use lots of modelled talk and encourage children’s independence. Leaders check pupils’ progress carefully against age-related expectations.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the curriculum successfully. This is because staff know the needs of these pupils well. They regularly review pupils’ plans and targets, in discussion with pupil and parents. As a result, pupils with SEND are well supported.

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Pupils at the early stages of reading follow a structured phonics programme that starts at the beginning of Reception Year. Staff have received appropriate training to teach this effectively. Children in the pre-school are introduced to letters and sounds, using the same approach. This builds their familiarity with the expected routines for learning to read, in preparation for Year 1. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This builds their confidence and fluency. Staff track pupils’ progress carefully and make sure they receive the right level of support. This ensures pupils who are struggling catch up quickly.

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The ‘life skills’ curriculum supports pupils’ personal development well. Pupils learn about healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way. They are introduced to religions and cultures that are different to their own. Pupils talk knowledgably about fundamental British values, such as tolerance and respect. They demonstrate these in their positive interactions with peers during lessons and at playtimes.

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Although a small minority of parents report that communication between school and home could be improved, parents are supportive of the school. Governors work closely with leaders and the wider staff. They know the priorities for the school and challenge leaders appropriately.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils well. They recognise quickly if there are any worrying changes to a pupil’s demeanour or behaviour. Staff report and record any concerns appropriately. Leaders seek further guidance from external agencies when required. 20 April 2023

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Leaders complete suitable checks on adults who apply to work at the school. Governors regularly check that these records are kept up to date. Staff complete all mandatory safeguarding training. Leaders also provide additional training in response to the local context.

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Through the ‘life skills’ curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils say that they feel safe at school. They have a trusted adult they can talk to.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to consolidate the knowledge they have learned. As a result, pupils do not always develop a secure understanding. Leaders should ensure that pupils are supported to build and deepen their thinking in all subjects.  A minority of parents feel that staff do not communicate key messages or respond to enquiries in a clear and timely way. This can lead to some parents not having the information they need to support their children and the work of the school. Leaders should ensure that all parents receive specific and timely communication.

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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 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. 20 April 2023

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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. 20 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10269231 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.trythall.cornwall.sch.uk/website

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 December 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a pre-school with provision for two- and three-year-olds.  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.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum and key stage leaders and a group of governors.  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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record of adults working in the school. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader to consider how well the school identifies pupils who are at risk

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and engages with external services. Inspectors also spoke with a range of pupils and staff about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff survey and responses to the survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Kelly Olive, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Thomson Ofsted Inspector 20 April 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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