Sir Robert Geffery's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Sir Robert Geffery’s Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School School Road, Landrake, Saltash, Cornwall PL12 5EA

p.1

Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Ed O’Hara. This school is a single-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richard Twallin.

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 12 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 23 and 24 January 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy exceptional enrichment and extra-curricular experiences at the school. These make a significant contribution to their personal development. There are no barriers to any pupil taking part in these opportunities. Everyone is welcome and there is something to interest everyone.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The eight school values are central to pupils’ daily life. For example, trust, friendship and service underpin pupils’ character development. As a result, pupils behave well. They are courteous and respectful towards adults and each other. Pupils and parents value the culture of warm, trusting relationships, which begin right from the start of school in Reception.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is at the heart of the village community. The school farm provides a unique opportunity to learn and apply knowledge about agriculture and the natural environment. This helps pupils to understand and appreciate their locality. Pupils contribute to the village through serving lunches and participating in celebrations in the church. In addition, they participate in initiatives beyond the school such as the National Younger Leadership Groups. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They recognise the unique features that pupils benefit from. Pupils’ attendance is high because they enjoy coming to school to learn. They are very positive ambassadors for it.

p.2

better?

This is a school community whose vision for ‘a school for enthusiasts’ develops a love of learning in pupils. Pupils learn the relevance of different subjects and become, for example, confident mathematicians, artists and scientists.

p.2

better?

Good foundations for learning build from Reception. Starting school is carefully designed to give children a positive beginning. They build confidence and curiosity, which prepares them well for key stage 1.

p.2

better?

The school has identified the knowledge it wants pupils to learn in the curriculum. In some subjects this is not as precise as it could be. It is not always clear how pupils make progress through the curriculum building on what they already know. This is particularly the case at key stage 2. In these subjects, pupils are not sufficiently challenged and do not have enough opportunities to deepen their knowledge.

p.2

better?

Where the knowledge is identified more precisely, pupils move through the curriculum well. They securely learn key knowledge. They then deepen this through applying it to new situations. In mathematics, pupils use their key knowledge in reasoning and problem-solving activities. For pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, the clarity of the mathematics curriculum means they experience learning that is well matched to their individual starting points. 23 and 24 January 2024

p.2

3

Teachers use assessment well to identify any gaps in knowledge or misconceptions. They successfully adapt teaching to address these. The school uses regular practice and recall of what has been learned to make knowledge secure. Pupils understand how this also helps them to understand new concepts.

p.3

3

The school has a successful phonics programme. Pupils enjoy their phonics lessons and develop accuracy in segmenting words and blending sounds. This enables them to become fluent readers who progress to more difficult books. However, for those pupils who need additional help, the books they read do not all closely match the sounds they know. This hinders their ability to read with fluency and understanding.

p.3

3

Reading for pleasure is promoted throughout the school. The reading corner in the Reception classroom is an inviting space to enjoy familiar books. The various pupil committees and councils give pupils a voice. They feel their ideas and opinions matter to staff and governors. Older pupils have successfully presented their request for new books to governors. As a result, the libraries are well stocked with books that pupils are excited to read.

p.3

3

Governors understand their work and carry out their roles with diligence. They have the information that enables them to challenge and support the school’s work. They work closely with staff to understand the impact the curriculum has on pupils’ learning. They engage purposefully with parents, pupils and the community. They welcome external scrutiny and partnership working to improve pupils’ education.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not identified the precise knowledge pupils need to learn as they progress through the curriculum. This means that in these subjects pupils do not always deepen their knowledge and build on what they know. The school must identify the specific small steps of knowledge across the curriculum so that pupils know more, remember more and can do more over time.  A minority of younger pupils who are at the early stages of reading struggle to read fluently. The books they are reading are not always well matched to their phonic knowledge. The school needs to ensure that these pupils read books that match the sounds they know, so that they develop reading fluency and confidence. 23 and 24 January 2024

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 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). 23 and 24 January 2024

p.4

School details

Website www.sir-robert-gefferys.cornwall.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 27 and 28 June 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The most recent Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools was carried out in 2017, when the school was judged to be outstanding.  The headteacher was appointed in January 2022.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with 23 and 24 January 2024

p.5

6

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 held meetings with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, early years leader, special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, teaching and support staff, the chair of the trust board and members of the local governing board.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent

p.6

6

View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s improvement plan and self-evaluation form.

p.6

Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Claire Baillie Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 January 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7