Launceston Primary School

Inspection of Launceston Primary School Long Field Road, Launceston, Cornwall PL15 9FW

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2024

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Kate Eyre. This school is part of the Athena 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, Benjamin Parnell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Elaine Marshall. 24 and 25 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school and trust have worked together to support the school’s growing population since it opened in September 2021. There has been a sharp focus on establishing a new school ethos and curriculum. The school community has created a successful learning environment where pupils learn well. Staff are determined for all pupils to succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are rightly proud of their school. They are happy, safe and well cared for. Parents value this. Pupils know that if they have any worries or concerns, adults will help them. Staff know pupils and their families well. Pupils attend regularly because leaders work hard with families to promote good attendance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite, well mannered and considerate of others. Equality is important to pupils. They know that everyone should be included.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities and experiences. Pupils talk enthusiastically about trips to enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils visited a local primary school to deepen their historical knowledge about William the Conqueror.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are supportive of the school. Workshops provided by the school are valued by parents as they support their children’s learning, particularly in mathematics and reading.

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better?

The school has created a broad and ambitious curriculum. The knowledge that pupils need to learn has been sequenced in the majority of subjects. For example, in science, the school has sequenced the precise knowledge it wants pupils to learn in a logical progression. As a result, pupils develop their knowledge securely to be prepared for future learning. However, in some subjects, the curriculum design does not make clear enough the smaller steps of knowledge pupils need to know and remember. As a result, some pupils do not deepen their understanding as well as they do in the more established subjects.

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better?

Teachers use a range of strategies to help pupils learn. Pupils are supported to revisit prior learning to embed new knowledge into their long-term memory. Assessment is used to check what pupils know and remember. For example, in mathematics, regular assessments identify pupils who fall behind. These pupils are given swift support to catch up.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. This is a priority for the school. These pupils, alongside those who speak English as an additional language, are carefully planned for. This ensures that pupils get the help they need to learn well. 24 and 25 January 2024

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Staff think carefully about how to promote a love of reading. This starts in the early years where children enjoy a variety of stories daily. Each class visits the local library to choose class books to enjoy at school. As a result, pupils are excited about reading. They take pleasure in sharing their favourite books and authors with each other. The school is determined for pupils to learn to read quickly. This starts as soon as children join in Reception. Staff receive the training they need to teach phonics well. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps them to develop confidence and fluency in reading. Assessment is used regularly to identify and support pupils who need extra help to catch up.

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Children in the early years get off to a strong start. They learn with confidence and curiosity about the world around them. Staff prioritise the development of communication and language. Learning opportunities are provided to promote this, such as regular songs and rhymes. Children enjoy their learning environment and maintain high levels of focus.

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Pupils behave well. They show positive attitudes both in lessons and around the school. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and help them to be successful. This starts in the early years where children learn routines well.

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The personal development of pupils is promoted well by the school. Pupils are taught how to look after themselves. They understand that eating a balanced diet and regular exercise help them to be healthy. Pupils are encouraged to be active citizens. For example, they delivered donated food from the harvest festival to the local foodbank. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils learn about water safety with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

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Staff feel well supported to teach the curriculum. They value the training they receive to develop their subject knowledge. Those responsible for governance know the school well. They understand the school’s priorities. The school, trust and governors are ambitious for all pupils at this school to do well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the essential knowledge pupils need to know and remember is not identified with enough precision. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they do in other subjects. The trust must ensure the precise knowledge is identified and sequenced across all subjects and check pupils are learning the curriculum well. 24 and 25 January 2024

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a so- cial 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). 24 and 25 January 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Launceston Primary School is part of the Athena Learning Trust.  The school opened as a free school in September 2021.  The school is currently on a temporary site.  Currently, there are pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.  The school provides 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 24 and 25 January 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors spoke with school leaders, subject leaders, parents, pupils, governors and representatives from the trust.  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 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a trusted adult.  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 on the second 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

Tom Page Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 January 2024

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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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