Princetown Community Primary School

Inspection of Princetown Community Primary School Princetown, Tavistock Road, Yelverton, Devon PL20 6QE

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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 head of school is Emma Byrom. This school is part of An Daras Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Will Hermon, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stephen Tavener. There is an executive headteacher, Jo-Anne Callow who is responsible for this school and two others. 7 and 8 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and love coming to school. They are kind to others and behave well. Most pupils enjoy their learning, listen attentively and respond with enthusiasm. At social times, pupils play well together. Pupils enjoy the range of activities on offer to them in the playground. Pupils also enjoy spending time with the school dog, Simba.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe in school. They are well cared for. This is because adults have excellent relationships with pupils. There is a strong family feel to the school with pupils genuinely caring about each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. While these expectations are realised for most pupils the school continues to work on the curriculum, with the intention that all pupils achieve the very best outcomes in all areas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Community engagement is a strength of the school. Pupils make a real difference to their community and provide a soup kitchen during the harvest festival. The school works with the local visitor centre to display photographs of Dartmoor taken by pupils. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. All the parents that completed Ofsted’s online survey would recommend the school.

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better?

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are encouraged to become independent and confident learners. The school has designed an ambitious curriculum that is suitable for mixed-aged classes. The curriculum identifies the knowledge and skills pupils should learn from early years to Year 6. Pupils learn new content each year through a rolling programme. For example, in key stage 1 pupils learn about the continents and climate. As pupils move into key stage 2, they make links to concepts such as renewable and non- renewable resources.

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better?

A high-quality curriculum in the early years means that children make a good start to their education. Routines are well established. Most children follow these. Children typically enjoy high-quality interaction with adults. Most activities are stimulating and engaging. The school works to build children’s confidence, particularly in writing, through activities such as ‘drawing club’, where children draw and write captions independently. However, some activities are not as well focused on the needs of children. When this happens, learning lacks depth.

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better?

Reading is a strength of the school’s work. It is promoted in many ways, such as assemblies or parent reading cafes, where pupils read their versions of popular stories to their parents. The school has adopted a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics. Pupils learn to read as soon as they start school. They read books that match their phonics knowledge. Parents and carers have access to online books that match the sounds that pupils are learning. Regular assessments mean 7 and 8 February 2024

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that staff spot any pupils who are at risk of falling behind. Swift interventions and support mean that these pupils catch up quickly. This includes pupils who may still need some help with reading in key stage 2. Beyond phonics, there is a structured reading curriculum. Pupils read a range of thought-provoking books about different families and cultures to help them explore themes of respect and tolerance. This approach has resulted in very strong outcomes in reading.

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Assessment is used well. Staff use a range of quizzes and questions to check pupils understanding and any misconceptions. Pupils receive feedback that moves their learning forward. For example, in mathematics, teachers’ strong subject knowledge, skilful questioning and effective feedback ensure that pupils consolidate and deepen their mathematical understanding.

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The school supports pupils’ personal development well. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum teaches pupils about healthy lifestyles and positive relationships. Most pupils understand fundamental British values and have an age-appropriate understanding of the protected characteristics. As a result, most pupils show respect for those whose beliefs are different from their own. Pupils attend and enjoy a range of clubs that develop their talents and interests. These include sewing, football and board games.

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Pupils’ attendance and punctuality is a high priority. The school supports families to help them overcome any barriers which prevent pupils attending school. Systems to tackle persistent absence are robust. As a result, the number of pupils persistently absent from school is reducing.

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Trustees and governors know the school well. They have an accurate view of the strengths and priorities for improvement. They provide effective challenge and support. Staff are valued and appreciated. Their workload and well-being are considered. Staff enjoy working at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subject areas, including the early years, the curriculum is not implemented as intended. Sometimes, activities are not well-matched to pupils needs. As a result, pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge they should across all subjects. The school and trust need to ensure that weaker areas of the curriculum are developed and implemented to the same quality as more successful areas, so that pupils know more and remember more. 7 and 8 February 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 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). 7 and 8 February 2024

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Headteacher

Jo-Anne Callow (executive headteacher), Emma Byrom (head of school)

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Headteacher

Website https://princetowncp.eschools.co.uk/

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Headteacher

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Princetown Community Primary School converted to become an academy in October 2019. When its predecessor school, Princetown Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND and with education, health and care plans is well above the national average.  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. 7 and 8 February 2024

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 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 met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, the special educational needs coordinator, the designated safeguarding leads, members of staff, the trust chief executive officer, representatives from the board of trustees, and the chair and a member of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited samples of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the

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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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including the free-text comments, and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Gavin Summerfield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Tustain Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 February 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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