Nansledan School

Inspection of Nansledan School William Hosking Road, Newquay TR8 4FX

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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 this school is Vicky French. This school is part of Aspire 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, Vanessa Bragg, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Penny Shilston. 16 and 17 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Nansledan is a school where everyone is welcomed. It is a nurturing and caring environment. Staff know pupils’ individual needs well. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils speak with pride at being the first cohorts to attend Nansledan.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has improved greatly over recent times. New leadership swiftly identified key issues to address in the curriculum and pupils’ behaviour. There has been strong impact in these areas. Pupils now learn well across most subjects. Their behaviour is much improved. Staff ably support the small number of pupils who find it difficult to manage their emotions. Bullying is rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has also developed a carefully considered personal development curriculum. Pupils develop responsibility in roles such as sports leaders, eco- councillors and prefects. They make a tangible difference to the school. For example, the eco-council take part in litter picking across the school grounds. Pupils enjoy a breadth of clubs in which to explore their talents and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents now feel much more involved in their child’s education. They speak highly of leaders and the changes they have made.

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better?

The school got off to a shaky start after its opening. The pandemic struck early on, which meant that the curriculum and systems did not have time to embed. This disruption, along with changes in staffing and leadership, unsettled both parents and staff. Some pupils did not learn well.

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better?

Since the head of school’s appointment, there has been a rapid and sustained improvement in the quality of education. Together with her strong senior leadership team they have ensured that staff are consulted when changes are made. This helps them to appreciate why there have been changes in their workload. Staff feel their voice is heard and that leaders take any concerns they have seriously.

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better?

These changes were made to ensure that pupils learn a well-sequenced curriculum. The school has identified the key knowledge it expects pupils to know. This starts in Reception. Together, with the trust, the school has supported staff to teach it well. Teachers know what to teach and how best to teach it so that pupils’ learning is embedded in their long-term memory. However, on some occasions teachers do not take into account well enough what pupils can already do. Consequently, pupils complete work that does not deepen their knowledge fully.

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better?

The impact of the well-taught curriculum has been significant. Pupils’ recall in many areas is strong. This includes pupils with SEND. This is because staff make adaptations to help support their learning. For example, in history, pupils can talk with confidence about ancient empires and are able to compare these to other 16 and 17 April 2024

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periods of time. However, these changes came too late to see an impact in the 2023 national tests. These results were also affected by significant numbers of pupils joining the school partway through their education.

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Further improvements are needed in the implementation of the writing curriculum. This work is at an early stage. Some pupils do not apply their grammatical knowledge well in their writing. This hinders the fluency of their written work.

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The curriculum identifies the key vocabulary that pupils should use. Teachers ensure this is explicitly taught. As a result, pupils use technical vocabulary with accuracy and confidence. For example, in design and technology pupils use terms, such as ‘aerodynamic’ in evaluating their models. In science, pupils can discuss the process of photosynthesis.

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The school has made reading a top priority. It has made substantial changes in its approach to early reading. Again, this has paid off. The school has trained all new staff to ensure they teach the phonics code well. Children in Reception apply their phonics knowledge when writing ‘books’ independently. As a result, pupils are making much quicker progress through the reading curriculum than in the past. Staff quickly identify those pupils who need extra help. They provide well-targeted support to help them catch up.

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The school is passionate about broadening pupils’ experiences beyond the classroom. For example, pupils visit the Jurassic coast to learn about rock and soils. This enriches pupils’ learning and helps them put it into context. A trip to London helps pupils experience and understand different places. Pupils understand how people can be different. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The trust, including the hub council, has supported the school well through a difficult period. Frequent checks on the school’s work mean it knows the school’s strengths and weaknesses well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Improvements to the writing curriculum are at an early stage. Some pupils do not write at length often enough or do not apply their grammatical knowledge to their work. The trust should ensure that they embed the changes to the writing curriculum so that pupils apply their knowledge well and write regularly to a high standard.  On some occasions, teachers do not take into account well enough what pupils can already do. As a result, they do not provide tasks which deepen pupils’ 16 and 17 April 2024

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knowledge fully. The trust should ensure that teachers are supported to ensure they provide tasks that take into account what pupils can already do to fully deepen their thinking.

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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). 16 and 17 April 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 Aspire Academy Trust.  The school opened in September 2019. It currently has two classes per year group apart from Years 5 and 6, which have a single class each.  The head of school took up her post in September 2022.  The school uses three unregistered providers.

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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.  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. 16 and 17 April 2024

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 Inspectors met with trust executive leaders, the head of school and other senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils, the chair of the trust and a member of the hub council.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, history and design and technology. 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.  Inspectors also spoke to staff and looked at samples of work in other curriculum areas.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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 An inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Jason Edge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tom Page Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 April 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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