Coverack Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Coverack Primary School School Hill, Coverack, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6SA

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Coverack Primary School. Most speak with enthusiasm about their enjoyment of learning. However, leaders do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could. Some pupils do not show positive attitudes to learning. They disturb others. This happens particularly when learning does not meet pupils’ needs closely enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know what it means to be a good friend. They take care of each other. Older pupils take responsibility for the well-being of younger pupils. Pupils are polite and kind. This includes at social times, where all pupils feel included. Pupils make sure that new arrivals to the school are warmly welcomed and feel part of the team. Strong relationships exist between staff and pupils. This provides a safe and secure environment, where pupils can ask for help if they need it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents hold positive views of the school. They value the family feel that leaders create. Parents appreciate the recent improvements to the support that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive.

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

The curriculum design, apart from reading, lacks ambition. Too many pupils do not progress well enough through the curriculum. Leaders have not set out the most important knowledge pupils need to learn. As a result, some teachers lack clarity about what pupils must know and remember. Pupils develop gaps in their understanding. This makes it hard for them to build new knowledge.

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

In some subjects, the information teachers gain from assessment is not useful. Teachers are sometimes unclear about what pupils know and remember. Pupils find it hard to link 18 July 2023

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their new learning to what they already know. This is because learning is not designed based on pupils’ prior knowledge. Consequently, pupils’ progress through the curriculum stalls.

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Pupils learn to read well. Leaders have made improvements to the phonics programme. Pupils start to learn to read as soon as they join the school in Reception. They get off to a good start because staff understand the phonics programme well. Staff make regular checks on the progress pupils make. Pupils who fall behind receive suitable support to catch up quickly. They develop into confident readers. Pupils read books that match their reading ability. They enjoy reading a range of carefully considered books that broaden their reading diet and introduce them to different cultures. Pupils often read for pleasure.

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Newly introduced systems are in place for identifying and supporting the needs of pupils with SEND. These are showing positive impact but are at the early stages of development. Adaptations to learning to meet the needs of pupils with SEND are variable in their effectiveness. Some teachers do not have the subject knowledge they need to break learning down into small enough steps to enable all pupils, including those with SEND, to learn well enough.

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Leaders design learning experiences for pupils to expand their knowledge of the wider world. Pupils develop a secure understanding of how Coverack is different to many other locations. Pupils learn about a range of cultures and backgrounds. For example, during residential trips to Bristol, pupils visit different places of worship. This prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.

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Staff acknowledge the need to increase workload with the required actions to improve the school. However, they feel well supported since joining the trust. Staff feel that there is now a clear path for improvement. They support the vision of the trust to improve the quality of education for pupils. Staff say that the strong professional development offer from the trust empowers them to feel confident in their roles.

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The trust has a secure understanding of the shortcomings in the quality of education. There are robust plans in place for improvement. These are at the early stages of implementation. The trust has a clear vision for the ongoing development of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. Leaders use their knowledge of local safeguarding risks to plan staff training. They use specialists, such as the RNLI, to enhance the delivery of the safeguarding curriculum.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to identify, record and report concerns. Leaders take prompt action in response to concerns raised. They secure the help that vulnerable families need. The trust provides safeguarding guidance for leaders. They check that there is a strong culture of safeguarding. 18 July 2023

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Leaders make the right safeguarding checks during recruitment. They make sure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the most important knowledge for pupils to know and remember. As a result, pupils develop gaps in their understanding. Leaders need to ensure that the most important knowledge for pupils to know and remember is set out in all curriculum subjects.  Teachers do not use assessment well enough to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Therefore, they do not adapt learning based on what pupils already know. Pupils find it hard to build new knowledge securely. Leaders must ensure that teachers use assessment to identify what pupils know and remember. This will support teachers to shape learning based on pupils’ prior knowledge.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is underdeveloped in some subjects. As a result, learning activities do not support pupils to learn as well as they could. Teachers find it hard to break learning down into small steps. Leaders need to make sure that all teachers have

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the subject knowledge they need to design learning that enables pupils, including those with SEND, to learn with success.

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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 April 2013.

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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. 18 July 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. 18 July 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Coverack Primary School converted to become an academy school in March 2014. When its predecessor school, Coverack Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Aspire Academy Trust.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.  The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils are taught in two mixed-age classes.

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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 history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject 18 July 2023

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 familiar adult.  To evaluate safeguarding, the inspectors spoke to the designated safeguarding leaders, 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, and met with some parents. The inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and the pupil survey.  The lead inspector considered a letter received from a parent during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jane Dennis, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Gower Ofsted Inspector 18 July 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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