Pendeen School

Inspection of Pendeen School Church Road, Pendeen, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 7SE

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 16 and 17 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Pendeen School are kind and respectful. They are proud of their school and enjoy attending. Pupils live up to the school belief ‘Pendeen Can’. Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils to succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders promote pupils’ personal development well. They prioritise experiences that enrich the curriculum and broaden pupils’ horizons. Pupils value these experiences. They talk positively about the trips that enhance their knowledge of the local area and further afield. For example, pupils share their learning from visits to St Michael’s Mount and the Eden Project. Pupils value the role of the school council. They are included in decision-making. For example, pupils named the farm animals that are soon to join the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. This creates a nurturing environment for pupils to be successful. Bullying sometimes happens, but staff act quickly to sort it out. Pupils benefit from a school mentor who they share their worries with.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak positively about the school. They value the care and nurture that staff provide. Parents particularly praise the support that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum, starting in the early years. Teachers are clear about the knowledge they want pupils to learn and when. For example, in art, pupils develop their knowledge of artistic mediums and techniques and apply it to their new learning. This helps pupils to build their knowledge well over time.

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better?

Teachers use assessment to check what pupils know and remember. They identify the needs of pupils with SEND with accuracy. Gaps in pupils’ knowledge are identified. Teachers adapt learning and ensure pupils receive the support they need to learn well.

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better?

Leaders prioritise the development of subject-specific vocabulary across all subjects. However, pupils do not apply their knowledge in writing well enough across the curriculum. As a result, writing is not as well developed as it could be. Some pupils find it hard to recall their knowledge.

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better?

Leaders are determined for pupils to succeed in learning to read. Staff have a secure understanding of the phonics programme. They identify pupils who fall behind and support them to catch up quickly. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps them to build fluency. Leaders consider the books they want pupils to know. Pupils enjoy visiting the school library which is run by pupil librarians. Children in Reception get off to a strong start. They take turns and share with each other. Leaders have strengthened the development of children’s language. The 16 and 17 May 2023

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curriculum is supported by a wide range of books that help children to deepen their understanding. They are curious about the world around them and eager to learn more. For example, when learning about minibeasts, children enjoy using a magnifying glass to find examples in the outdoor environment. They find out more using books in the classroom. This helps them to build their knowledge well.

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Leaders set routines for pupils to follow that make the school calm and orderly. Pupils display positive attitudes toward their learning. Pupils value being recognised for their achievements. Leaders work with families to improve attendance. However, some pupils are still absent too often, particularly those who are disadvantaged. As a result, they miss out on important learning and do not build their knowledge as well as they could.

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Leaders have created an effective curriculum to support pupils’ personal development. This helps pupils to be responsible and active citizens. Pupils understand fundamental British values. They talk confidently about their respect for others and those who may be different to them. This prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils and parents value the after-school clubs that leaders provide. Pupils say the clubs help them to get better at something new, such as how to play football.

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All staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported by leaders. Staff value the support from the trust and the opportunity to learn from colleagues. Governors are enthusiastic about making a difference. However, senior leaders do not share some key information with governors, such as the attendance of groups of pupils. This makes it hard for governors to hold leaders to account effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular safeguarding training. This helps them to spot pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff know the steps to take if they have any safeguarding concerns. Leaders know families’ needs well. This helps them to provide suitable support and guidance.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. They have an age-appropriate understanding of risks. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, both online and in the wider world. For example, pupils learn about fire safety, beach safety and the role of emergency services.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make the necessary recruitment checks on adults who work at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils, including those pupils who are disadvantaged, do not attend well 16 and 17 May 2023

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enough. Consequently, these pupils miss out on valuable learning and do not build their knowledge as well as they could. Leaders, including governors, need to be persistent in their work with pupils and families to improve attendance and ensure monitoring and evaluation are effective.  Pupils are not proficient in their writing across the wider curriculum. As a result, pupils do not deepen their understanding well enough. Leaders need to ensure that pupils have planned opportunities to write about what they know across the curriculum. This will enable pupils to build new knowledge well over time.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 and 29 March 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Truro and Penwith Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  Leaders provide a before- and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. 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 also spoke to leaders and pupils about the curriculum in some other 16 and 17 May 2023

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subjects.  The inspectors spoke with school leaders, subject leaders, parents, pupils, governors and representatives from the trust.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a trusted adult.  To evaluate safeguarding, the inspectors spoke to the designated safeguarding lead, staff, governors and pupils and evaluated record-keeping and staff training.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, the inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents. The inspectors considered comments made by parents online during the inspection and met with some parents at the start of the second day. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Esther Best, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin His Majesty’s Inspector 16 and 17 May 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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