Calstock Community Primary School

Inspection of Calstock Community Primary School Back Road, Calstock, Cornwall PL18 9QL

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend a very welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils fully embrace their school value of ‘equity’ and kindly support their peers with any help that they might need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have raised the expectations and ambition they have for the standard of pupils’ learning. However, it is too early to evaluate the impact of this work on how well pupils learn over time. Additionally, some pupils do not attend school regularly or punctually, which hampers their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils are clear on the school’s expectations for behaviour and follow them diligently. However, some younger pupils are not supported well enough to manage their own behaviour successfully. Sometimes, this results in disruption to other pupils’ learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the wealth of extra-curricular clubs on offer and parents and carers agree. For example, some pupils attend a book club, where they consider complex themes. Pupils regularly visit and engage positively with the local community. Some older pupils take part in an intergenerational programme and have visited the local care home, for instance. Pupils also visit further afield, such as to the Houses of Parliament in London, to support and enhance their learning.

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better?

More recently, leaders have introduced an ambitious curriculum. Subject leaders, many of whom are new to their role, have secure knowledge and expertise in the subject that they lead. Therefore, in most subjects, the curriculum identifies what is important for pupils to learn and by when. However, due to the newness of this work, the curriculum, in most subjects, is not taught consistently well. The needs of some learners are not fully considered.

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better?

Leaders have thought carefully about the design of the curriculum for children in the Reception Year. Children settle quickly into their class and learn to read as soon as they start school. However, this curriculum more broadly is not taught as intended. Sometimes, expectations for what children can do are not high enough. For example, children do not develop their ability to learn independently. Therefore, some children are not prepared well for the learning to come in key stage 1.

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better?

Staff have raised the expectation for pupils to read often and for pleasure. There are inviting reading areas in all classrooms, which contain carefully selected texts. All pupils learn a well-sequenced phonics curriculum. This, alongside additional support for some, helps pupils to learn the sounds that letters make. Pupils enjoy the range of texts that they encounter through the reading curriculum. For example, some pupils talked passionately about issues of race from their current class reader. However, the reading curriculum, beyond the teaching of phonics, is 11 and 12 July 2023

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underdeveloped. It does not consider well enough the important knowledge and comprehension skills that pupils need to learn to read more skilfully over time.

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Pupils with special educational needs and or/disabilities have their needs identified quickly. They benefit from the work of the school inclusion team. For example, some pupils are supported well to talk about and manage their feelings and emotions. Such pupils receive high levels of nurture and care.

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Leaders have a clear approach to supporting pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn how to positively engage with their local community and understand their place in modern British society. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is well planned. Pupils quickly learn the importance of physical and mental health. They learn about growing up and body changes. Furthermore, staff ably support pupils to respect other faiths and cultures. Pupils understand the challenges others might face and know that everyone should be treated fairly. They develop the knowledge and attitudes that they need to be well-rounded citizens.

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Leaders fully understand what they need to do to strengthen the effectiveness of the school. Their work is now gathering pace. Staff feel well supported, both with their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and governors receive regular safeguarding training. As a result of this work, staff understand the signs that pupils might be at risk of harm. They report any concerns swiftly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work effectively with external agencies to get families the help they need. They also provide valuable school-based support to any pupils and parents who may need this.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make appropriate checks when new staff join the school. However, they recognise there is a need to quality assure this work more thoroughly.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In the early years foundation stage, the curriculum is not fully understood or implemented well across all areas of learning. Consequently, some children do not develop the knowledge and independence that they need to be well prepared for their next steps. Leaders should ensure that the provision in the early years supports all children to learn successfully.  The curriculum in some subjects is not yet implemented well enough to meet the needs of all learners. Sometimes, pupils find learning too hard or do not build on 11 and 12 July 2023

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prior learning in sufficient depth. Leaders, at all levels, should ensure that the curriculum is implemented well across all subjects so that pupils learn well over time.  The reading curriculum is not fully developed. It is not clear what leaders intend pupils to learn and by when. Leaders should ensure that the reading curriculum identifies the important knowledge and skills that support pupils to read well.  A significant minority of pupils do not attend school regularly. This hinders their learning. Leaders need to ensure that such pupils attend well and on 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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.calstock.cornwall.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 27 January 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Calstock Community Primary School and Stoke Climsland School Federation.  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.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, the special educational needs coordinator and the early years leader. The lead inspector spoke with a local authority representative and the school improvement partner. She also met with representatives from the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with 11 and 12 July 2023

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subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector spoke with the designated safeguarding leader and the deputy designated safeguarding leader to discuss the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe. She considered the school’s recruitment procedures, staff induction and training, records of concern and engagement with external agencies.  The inspectors spoke with staff and pupils throughout the inspection to gauge their views of the school.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Donna Briggs, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Gower Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 July 2023

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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