Tywardreath School

Inspection of a good school: Tywardreath School Southpark Road, Tywardreath, Par, Cornwall PL24 2PT

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Inspection dates: 30 and 31 January 2024

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Outcome

Tywardreath School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Claire McColville. This school is part of Truro and Penwith 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, Dr Jennifer Blunden, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anita Firth.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Tywardreath School is a highly supportive, nurturing and aspirational school. Pupils experience a broad curriculum which stretches beyond learning in the classroom. Right from the Reception Year, pupils are happy, inquisitive learners. Pupils understand how the school’s values help them to be curious, resilient and understanding of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. Pupils feel safe. They know what staff expect of them. In lessons, pupils concentrate well. Their learning progresses without interruption. At playtimes, pupils play happily together. The school is calm and orderly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of opportunities for pupils’ wider development. The school’s swimming pool is a valued asset. Clubs such as drumming and dance, enable pupils to hone their skills and talents. Pupils raise money for charities. Opportunities for pupils to take responsibility include joining the ‘green team’. This promotes environmental awareness. Through these wider opportunities, pupils learn to help others and understand how they can contribute positively to society.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They appreciate the caring nature of the staff and how everyone is welcomed and accepted. 30 and 31 January 2024

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has created an ambitious, well-designed curriculum. From the early years to Year 6, the school has identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn and the order in which pupils should learn it. In art, for example, pupils experience different media in Years 1 and 2. The curriculum builds on this experience so that when they reach Year 6, they can make informed decisions on the most suitable medium to use. For example, choosing the most appropriate medium in a piece of work to create a specific mood. Pupils use the knowledge they have gained to explain how their choices influence their work.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In most subjects, teachers routinely check how well pupils learn the curriculum. They use this information well to address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This helps pupils build their knowledge securely over time. However, in some subjects, these checks have been less effective. In these subjects, teachers do not always accurately identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not build their understanding securely over time. This slows some pupils’ progress through the curriculum. The school has already identified this as an issue and has started to take action to address it. However, this is at an early stage.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school prioritises reading from the start of Reception. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning in class. This enables them to become confident and fluent readers. Staff identify quickly pupils who are struggling. They support these pupils well to catch up. Pupils develop a love of reading. They read a range of texts which deepen their understanding of the world. Pupils enjoy visiting the school library or supporting younger pupils through the early years book club.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school supports pupils with SEND well. Staff identify their needs accurately. Teachers adapt learning to meet these needs. This means that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. They progress well through the curriculum.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils behave well. From the time they start school, children learn to follow routines and listen carefully to teachers’ instructions. Throughout the school, pupils are polite and well- mannered. Lessons are free from disruption. Pupils of all ages play well together. Interactions are positive throughout the day. The school monitors attendance well and follows up any absences tenaciously. As a result, pupils attend school well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. In addition to providing access to a wide range of experiences, the curriculum helps pupils to understand why fundamental British values are important in day-to-day life. Pupils talk confidently about why it is important to treat everyone equally and with respect. The work to support pupils’ personal development is comprehensive. This ensures they are well- prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff enjoy working at the school and feel listened to. They appreciate the support they receive and the opportunities they have to develop their teaching by working with other schools in the trust. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support provided for their 30 and 31 January 2024

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workload and well-being. Local governors and trustees are ambitious for the school. They hold leaders robustly to account for their actions.

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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, checks on what pupils know and remember have not been effective. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The trust needs to ensure that, in all subjects, effective systems to check on pupils’ knowledge are embedded so that all pupils build knowledge securely over time.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2018.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 30 and 31 January 2024

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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). 30 and 31 January 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 February 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative providers.  There is a before- and after-school club managed by the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality if 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.  The inspector met with the headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, pupils, representatives from the local governing body and representatives from the trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in following subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 30 and 31 January 2024

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leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times. He spoke with different groups of pupils to discuss their views of the school, their learning, their behaviour and safety.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. He also took into consideration the responses to the staff survey and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Mark Burgess, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 30 and 31 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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