Newquay Primary Academy

Inspection of Newquay Primary Academy Yeoman Way, Tretherras Road, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 2SL

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The executive headteacher of this school is Craig Hayes. This school is part of Cornwall Education 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, Lisa Mannall, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Geoff Brown. 23 and 24 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Warm, positive relationships are the beating heart of Newquay Primary Academy. Pupils display immense pride in being a part of this school community. They eagerly talk about their learning. Pupils’ excellent attendance reflects how much they enjoy school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s unrelenting focus on the curriculum and ensuring pupils learn it well, results in pupils receiving an exceptional education. Continual high-quality training means staff at all levels are highly knowledgeable about the subjects they teach.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show a thirst for learning. This starts as soon as they enter the vibrant early years environment. Pupils respond well to the high expectations of behaviour staff expect, both in the classroom and around the school site. They feel safe. Pupils play happily and harmoniously together at social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is rightly proud of its work with pupils beyond the academic. Meaningful experiences such as performing and recording songs to raise money for a local food bank are strategically woven into the curriculum. This helps pupils to become caring, empathetic citizens. The school offers a range of clubs. Take up for these is very high, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

The school is currently operating with only three year groups and will build up to having the full-range of primary-aged pupils. The school has been plagued by difficulties with its planned new building, including demolition of the partially completed work. It is operating in temporary accommodation, not designed as a school site. However, the school has continued to thrive and excel in its standard of education. All involved with the school, including the trust, have worked quickly to provide an environment that is purposeful, stimulating and welcoming for pupils.

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better?

The school has remained focused on its core vision of ensuring that pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need for the future. Key strategic decisions have been taken to aid this. The school has established close links with a junior school within the trust which, through highly knowledgeable subject leaders, has provided guidance and support with the curriculum. This has allowed the school to accelerate its curriculum work. This means all cohorts of pupils get off to a flying start. Pupils with SEND learn the same knowledge-rich curriculum. Staff make appropriate adaptations to support individual needs.

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better?

The carefully sequenced curriculum starts in the early years. This ensures teachers know precisely what to teach, carefully building on pupils’ prior learning. Teachers continuously check what pupils can remember so gaps in knowledge can be addressed. Pupils retain their knowledge impressively over the long term. For 23 and 24 January 2024

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example, they can discuss the work of the artist Yayoi Kasama. Pupils confidently recall key geographical locations, such as capital cities of the United Kingdom.

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Highly ambitious vocabulary is identified and continuously reinforced across all subjects. Pupils use these words with confidence. For example, children in the early years use ‘satellite’ and ‘orbit’ when discussing their space topic. This helps to support children’s communication and language skills.

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Pupils work towards meaningful goals in the curriculum. This gives their learning a sense of purpose. Pupils decorated a land train as part of a design and technology project to turn it into ‘The Polar Express’. The school fully utilises the locality to extend the curriculum further. This helps pupils to gain an excellent understanding of a sense of place. Trips, such as visits to a zoo to learn more about creatures’ habitats, deepen their knowledge across a wide range of topics.

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Reading underpins the whole curriculum. The school’s approach to phonics is rigorous. The small number of pupils who fall behind are swiftly identified and catch up quickly. As the school has grown and recruited more staff, they are provided with the same depth and quality of training as their colleagues. This helps to ensure that the teaching of phonics is highly effective resulting in outcomes above the national average.

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Pupils show a mature understanding of equality. They understand fundamental British Values and their importance, such as the rule of law.

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Close links between the governing body and the trust, mean there is strong oversight of the school. Governors understand their role to support and challenge the school effectively. This ensures high standards are maintained.

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Parents and carers feel the same pride and passion about the school as their children. They welcome the school’s caring ethos, timely communication as well the celebration of its work on social media.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 23 and 24 January 2024

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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). 23 and 24 January 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Cornwall Education Learning Trust.  The school opened in September 2021 with one Reception class. It currently has three classes from Reception to Year 2.  There have been significant problems with the construction of the new building which were ongoing at the time of inspection. The school has been operating out of temporary accommodation since its opening.  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. 23 and 24 January 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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 spoke to the headteacher and other senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils, executive leaders from the trust, the chair of the trust and the chair of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector also looked at samples of work and discussed learning with pupils in religious education, geography and art and design.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day. They also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jason Edge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kerri Conday Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 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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