Camelford Community Primary School

Inspection of Camelford Community Primary School Station Road, Camelford, Cornwall PL32 9UE

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Anne Howard. This school is part of North Cornwall Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Phil Banks, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lynette Wood Davis. 6 and 7 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love learning at Camelford. They enjoy their subjects and have nurturing relationships with staff. Pupils feel safe and very well cared for. Winston, the school dog, provides support for pupils when they are anxious. Pupils learn to be kind, polite and empathetic to the needs of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Through the curriculum, pupils develop impressive knowledge about citizenship. They have very well-structured opportunities to become ambassadors for a range of subjects. They also experience democracy through voting for the school council. Pupils are very well prepared to become informed citizens of modern Britain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the Nursery and Reception classes flourish in the school. They learn the routines of school very well. Children develop very strong language skills through the curriculum. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive through bespoke support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ attitudes towards learning are impeccable. They are highly motivated to learn the exciting curriculum that the school has created. There is a safe, harmonious learning environment throughout the school.

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better?

The school has worked conscientiously to ensure that pupils study a knowledge-rich curriculum. Leaders’ vision that all pupils learn with confidence and success is shared by all staff. From Reception Year to Year 6, most pupils learn progressively more complex concepts. For example, pupils in key stage 1 learn about the cause and consequences of the Great Fire of London. However, at times, staff do not adapt their teaching of the curriculum to ensure that all pupils apply their learning independently. For example, in mathematics, some pupils do not have fluent understanding of core operations in order to be able to apply them to more complex mathematical problems.

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better?

From Reception to key stage 1, pupils learn to read exceptionally well. In Reception, children develop very strong language skills through an immersion in stories. For example, children recite with strong understanding the story of ‘The Little Red Hen’. In Nursery, children recite nursery rhymes very well. As a result, children in Reception love learning to read. Children also develop very strong mark making and writing skills. As they get older, pupils speak knowledgeably about the texts that they read. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 wrote insightfully about the experiences of the Windrush generation based on their reading.

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better?

Through the curriculum, pupils learn the importance of being kind, friendly and helpful members of a school community. As a result, pupils feel very well supported. The school has ensured that all pupils receive strong mental health support if required. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent’s response to the online questionnaire echoed that of many: ‘This school is fantastic.’ 6 and 7 December 2023

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The school is fully inclusive. Pupils who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND are fully integrated into the life of the school. The school provides tailored support, so pupils attend regularly.

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The personal, social and health education curriculum supports pupils to learn about the world around them in impressive depth. For example, they articulate insightful understanding about the concept of ‘family’ in modern Britain. Pupils talk knowledgeably about the problems of gender stereotypes.

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Pupils benefit from well-planned enrichment opportunities. These are designed to enhance and extend pupils’ knowledge about the subjects they study. For example, pupils learn about culturally important areas in North Cornwall, as well as in major cities, such as Bristol and London. Pupils participate in the breadth of clubs and activities on offer. For example, children in Reception Year learned how to stage a production of The Nativity with great confidence and skill. Pupils value such opportunities highly.

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In the early years setting, children flourish due to a very well-structured curriculum. Children learn to follow instructions, make apple crumble and describe the process they have followed. Through well-designed teaching, children imaginatively reinterpret the world around them. Consequently, children are very well prepared for their next steps.

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Governors and the trust are knowledgeable about the school. They provide robust challenge and support in equal measure. Governors and trustees collate a breadth of information which they use to ask the right questions of leaders. Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school and feel that leaders are supportive of their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders do not consistently ensure that staff adapt the ways in which they teach some parts of the curriculum. Where this is so, some pupils do not learn with the same success and confidence as they do in others. Leaders must ensure that staff make suitable adaptations so that all pupils learn successfully.

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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 6 and 7 December 2023

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Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 6 and 7 December 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school has a Nursery.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND.  There is a breakfast club and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education 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. 6 and 7 December 2023

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 Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher and members of the leadership team. An inspector also held discussions with trustees, the chief executive officer of the trust and the local governance council.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, early reading, mathematics and history. In each subject, inspectors met with senior and curriculum leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at pupils’ books.  An inspector listened to pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to an adult.  An inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator to consider the quality of education for pupils with SEND.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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 Inspectors reviewed behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors considered the views of parents who responded to the confidential questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. They evaluated the views of staff and pupils from the Ofsted online questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laura Horne Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 December 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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