Modbury Primary School

Inspection of Modbury Primary School Barrack Road, Modbury, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 0RB

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 23–24 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Modbury Primary School is at the heart of the community. Pupils are proud of their school. They feel safe and know that there is an adult to talk to if they have any concerns. Pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum that celebrates the local environment while at the same time providing a window to the wider world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to raise money to support local charities. They work with the police to identify ways to make their community safer. Pupils take advantage of the local area. Year 5 pupils learn to sail, while those pupils who need extra swimming lessons are provided with more time in the school swimming pool. These opportunities help to build pupils’ confidence and resilience. The school’s sensory garden also provides pupils with the opportunity to be reflective.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills. Pupils are voted in to the school council. School councillors and the sports council work together to raise money for new playground equipment. Older pupils know what it means to be a role model. They proudly act as playground buddies to the younger pupils.

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better?

Since the previous inspection the school has made significant changes to the curriculum. Strategic leadership from the school, governors and the federation has ensured that changes have been well managed. As a result, the quality of education has improved for all pupils. This is reflected in published outcomes.

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better?

Children in Reception class learn to read as soon as they start school. Daily phonics sessions help children to learn their sounds quickly. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This means that most pupils achieve well. Pupils who fall behind are identified quickly. However, not all staff have been trained to deliver this aspect of the curriculum well. This has an impact on how effectively some pupils learn.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is well planned to build knowledge and skills progressively from Reception to Year 6. Mathematics, for example, is a strength of the school. In Reception class, activities are designed to help children to develop a strong sense of number. Across the school, teachers regularly use assessment well to check pupils’ understanding of mathematics. This means that pupils talk confidently about mathematics.

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better?

However, as school leaders recognise, some subjects are implemented less effectively. In some subjects, the learning activities that pupils complete do not match what they know and can do. For example, pupils who are ready to move on to more complex work, are not given work that is ambitious enough. This means some pupils do not build their knowledge well over time so do not always achieve as well as they could. 23–24 April 2024

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from strong support throughout the school. The school works closely with staff and outside agencies to ensure the provision for pupils with SEND is personalised and targeted to meet their needs. This means that pupils with SEND enjoy learning and achieve well.

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Children in Reception learn in a well-resourced environment. Activities are designed to reflect children’s interests as well as celebrate the work they do. For example, children immerse themselves in role play as vegetable sellers proudly displaying a colourful range of fruit and vegetables, they had previously hand-crafted.

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Staff and pupils develop positive relationships across the school. As a result, if low level disruption occurs, it is quickly dealt with. Pupils respond well to instructions from staff. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils know the school rules and what is expected of them. Incidents of bullying are rare. If bullying does happen, the school is swift to act to ensure all pupils receive the appropriate support to avoid future incidents.

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The school’s curriculum for pupils’ personal development is extensive. Pupils learn about online risks as well as risks related to a rural community. They are knowledgeable about fundamental British values and connect them to news and current affairs. Pupils talk with excitement about trips to museums which help them to develop a deeper understanding of historic events.

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Governors understand the school’s strengths and areas for development. They provide a balance of challenge and support to school leaders. 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)

 Learning activities are not always adapted well enough to meet the needs of pupils. This means that some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge, while others complete work that is not ambitious enough. The school should ensure that learning is suitably adapted so that all pupils progress through the curriculum well.  The school has not yet fully developed all staff’s subject knowledge to ensure they deliver all aspects of the curriculum effectively. As a result, sometimes pupils do not learn the curriculum well. The school should continue to develop staff expertise so that the curriculum is effectively implemented. 23–24 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). 23–24 April 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 – 8 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of South Hams Federation.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and 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 considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with school leaders, including those responsible for governance. 23–24 April 2024

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors 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 gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and by talking to parents before and after 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

Julie Barton Ofsted Inspector 23–24 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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