Tedburn St Mary School

Inspection of Tedburn St Mary School School Lane, Tedburn St Mary, Exeter, Devon EX6 6AA

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Andy Keay. The school is part of Link 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, Nicky Dunford, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Cheryl Mathieson. 17 and 18 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They have a sense of belonging and say their school feels like a family. The school’s values of respect, curiosity and pride are reflected in how pupils treat each other. Pupils take it in turns to talk. They listen to one another. They value each other’s individuality. The behaviour of pupils is exceptional.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the positions of responsibility they hold. School councillors lead assemblies and teach their peers about fundamental British values. As a result, pupils have a well-considered view of what democracy and tolerance mean for people around the world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know how to stay safe online. They appreciate what risky behaviour means and know how to keep themselves safe in the community. Pupils talk positively about the trips they go on. For example, pupils confidently explain how a recent museum trip helped them to learn about the Romans.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend a range of clubs that develop their interests and talents, such as guitar club, football club and choir. These activities help pupils to develop confidence and resilience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents talk positively about the school. They appreciate how the staff know each pupil individually.

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better?

The trust and school leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Following the previous inspection, the trust prioritised improving early reading and phonics. Staff have been trained well to deliver the phonics curriculum. They ensure that books match the school’s phonics scheme. Children learn to love reading from the day they start school. Teachers present phonic sounds clearly. They skilfully check pupils’ understanding to identify if pupils are secure in their learning. Pupils read books that match their ability. They use their phonics knowledge well to decode unfamiliar words. Teachers ensure that pupils understand the meaning of the words they read. As a result, pupils get off to a flying start with their reading and achieve well.

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better?

The school’s curriculum reflects the breadth of the national curriculum. However, subjects are at different stages of development. Mathematics, for example, is well established. The mathematics curriculum builds skills and knowledge progressively from Reception to Year 6. Pupils talk with confidence about how they integrate new knowledge into what they have learned before. The impact of this means that pupils produce work that is ambitious and of a high quality.

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better?

In other subjects, the curriculum has not been developed to connect ideas well. Pupils sometimes complete activities in lessons that do not help them to connect what they have learned across the curriculum. When this occurs, activities are not 17 and 18 April 2024

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demanding enough and do not enable pupils to deepen their understanding of more complex content.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) work alongside their peers. The nature and culture of this small school mean that staff care deeply and know the needs of all pupils, including pupils with SEND. When necessary, the curriculum is adapted for pupils with SEND to ensure they learn well.

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Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are proud to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Older pupils know they are responsible for setting an example to younger pupils. Pupils say that they treat people in a way that they would like to be treated. Staff and pupils build strong relationships. This means that pupils respond positively to instructions from staff. Pupils enjoy learning and coming to school. As a result, the school has high rates of attendance.

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Children in the early years are keen to learn. There is a focus on developing children’s communication and language. Children are enthusiastic about their learning. Reception children listen regularly to stories and nursery rhymes that engage them. Learning in the classroom connects to learning outside. This helps children to be curious about their local environment.

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The curriculum for pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils talk with pride about how they raise money for local charities. Members of the local church deliver ‘open the book’ assemblies, which reinforce messages linked to the school values. Pupils understand the importance of contributing to wider society. They are passionate about celebrating and supporting diversity.

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The trustees and local hub board members know the school’s strengths and areas of development. The trust prioritises the well-being of staff. As a result, all staff are proud to work 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 a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not always connect important knowledge well. Pupils do not understand how content links to more complex ideas and, at times, the work pupils complete in lessons lacks ambition. Where this occurs, pupils do not deepen their knowledge and understanding well. The school should ensure that the curriculum design and its delivery help pupils to connect knowledge and important concepts so that pupils deepen their understanding across all subjects. 17 and 18 April 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). 17 and 18 April 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 May 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of Link Academy Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.  This is a smaller than average primary school.

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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.  The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 17 and 18 April 2024

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with teachers, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors met with leaders from the school and the trust.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and by talking to parents before school. The inspectors also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

James Gentile, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carl Thornton Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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