Monkerton Community Primary School

Inspection of Monkerton Community Primary School Sestertius Road, Monkerton, Exeter, Devon EX1 3WS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 7 and 8 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ sharp focus on developing a new school ethos, curriculum and community has been highly successful. Following the school’s opening in September 2020, leaders have worked hard to support the school’s growing population. Leaders have high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school. They are polite and respect others. Relationships with staff and pupils are very strong. This creates a nurturing environment, where pupils thrive. Children in early years get off to an exceptionally strong start. They respond well to the high expectations leaders have of them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a variety of after-school clubs and trips. Pupils talk positively about the trips that enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils visited Rosemoor Garden Centre to develop their understanding of plants in science. All pupils are supported, both academically and pastorally. They meet with their ‘school mentor’ regularly to discuss how well they are doing.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak highly about the school. They value the care and nurture that staff provide. Parents praise the many opportunities available to the pupils. They enjoy attending events that showcase their child’s achievements, such as the recent choir concerts.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum, starting in early years. Teachers are clear about the knowledge pupils need to learn to prepare them well for their next stage. Leaders have prioritised the development of staff subject knowledge. This helps teachers to break learning down into smaller steps, so that pupils can build their knowledge well.

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better?

Leaders are highly ambitious for pupils with SEND. They identify pupils’ needs accurately. Teachers think carefully about how to adapt learning to enable these pupils to be successful. Pupils with specific needs are supported by specialist staff. As a result, pupils with SEND build their knowledge well over time.

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better?

Teachers use a variety of strategies to help pupils learn, including the effective use of technology. Pupils revisit prior learning to support new learning. This helps them to deepen their understanding. However, some teachers do not use assessment precisely enough to determine what pupils know and remember. As a result, subsequent learning is not adapted when needed and some pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could.

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better?

Children in early years flourish. They learn an exceptional curriculum that supports them to excel. They are curious about the world around them and share a love of 7 and 8 June 2023

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learning. Children sustain high levels of engagement throughout the provision. They develop their speaking and listening skills through carefully organised learning activities, where adults develop language skilfully. Children are supported to deepen their knowledge well.

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Leaders show determination for pupils to succeed in learning to read and to develop a love of reading. This starts in Nursery where children enjoy a range of high-quality texts that excite them. Pupils enjoy having stories read to them and visiting the school library. As a result, they have a love of books and authors. While learning to read, pupils are well supported by staff, who have a secure understanding of the phonics programme. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps pupils to practise their reading and grow in confidence. Leaders identify pupils who fall behind and support them to catch up quickly.

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Behaviour is exemplary across the school. Pupils show high levels of engagement and interest in all that they do. Routines are well known by pupils and this starts in early years. They take turns, share well and look after each other. Pupils in Year 2 act as role models and they take pride in this responsibility.

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Leaders prioritise the personal development of pupils. This is at the heart of the curriculum. Leaders provide many enrichment opportunities that go beyond the academic. Pupils are taught how to look after themselves. They know how to keep themselves fit and healthy. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They have a lived experience of democracy, when they vote regularly in the dining hall for ‘rate my plate’. Pupils have an awareness of difference. They know that everyone should be treated the same.

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Senior leaders and governors are highly ambitious and determined for all pupils to succeed across the curriculum. There is a relentless drive to provide training that supports staff development. Staff value working with colleagues within the trust. They share that this supports their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that the appropriate recruitment checks are in place for adults who work at the school. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. This helps them to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff are confident about how to report and record any concerns about pupils. If there is a concern, leaders act quickly. They gain further support from outside agencies for families who need it.

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Safeguarding

All pupils feel safe. They know that adults will help if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in the wider world, including keeping safe when out in the sunshine. 7 and 8 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not check that all pupils are secure in their understanding of new knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not deepen their understanding of the curriculum as well as they could. Teachers need to ensure that gaps in knowledge are known accurately, and learning is adapted to enable pupils to deepen their 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. 7 and 8 June 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Monkerton Primary Community Primary School is part of the Cornerstone Academy Trust.  The school opened as a free school in September 2020 and moved onto the current site in September 2021.  Currently, there are pupils in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.  The headteacher is also the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust.  Leaders provide a before- and after-school club.  The school does not use any alternative provision

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 7 and 8 June 2023

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 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 music. 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 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 leader, staff, governors and pupils, and evaluated record-keeping and staff

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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 first day. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Esther Best, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Deborah Wring Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 June 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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