St Mewan Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Mewan Community Primary School St Mewan Lane, St Austell, Cornwall PL26 7DP

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Mark Lloyd. 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 trust lead, Lisa Mannell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Geoff Brown.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision of St Mewan being a place where ‘learning, laughter and friendship are shared’ is realised. The school is a happy environment where pupils receive a high-quality education. Relationships between staff and pupils are mutually respectful. Parents who responded to Ofsted Parent View say that staff nurture and encourage their children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Mewan are kind and compassionate. For example, they are careful to include everyone when playing at social times. They champion each other in their learning, such as when mastering their multiplication tables. Children in Reception and Nursery Year play together harmoniously. They benefit from well-planned activities in the newly repurposed outside space. These include the development of their gross motor skills on the climbing equipment and the improvement of their communication and problem-solving through play in the sand pit.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide set of experiences beyond the academic curriculum. Older pupils take on the responsibility of being play and sports leaders, as well as mental health or reading ambassadors. Pupils, including children in Nursery and Reception Year, go on trips to the theatre and local garden centre. Many pupils participate in the extensive choice of sporting clubs. They also pursue different interests through clubs such as choir, coding and reading adventurers. 14 and 15 May 2024

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

Pupils follow a broad and interesting curriculum which is ambitious and accessible to all. Learning support staff and key workers work collegiately with teachers to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. Reasonable adjustments are in place for a small number of pupils who need a more bespoke approach. The curriculum for these pupils is regularly reviewed. The school acts on the views of parents, pupils and external professionals as appropriate.

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

Leaders, with the support of the trust, carefully plan what pupils will learn in each subject. This is based on the national curriculum but also captures what is unique about the locality of Cornwall. For example, in history, Year 6 pupils learn about the significance of the Cornish Rebellion of 1497. Pupils also visit a local mine to learn about its importance to the area. The school continuously reviews curriculum content to ensure it is rigorous and current. In the early years curriculum, for example, the school has included many opportunities for children to develop their speech and range of vocabulary.

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

Staff receive regular expert guidance to help them to teach the curriculum well. This allows them to feel valued as professionals. Teachers consistently provide clear instructions for pupils. They introduce new knowledge in carefully chosen steps. Teachers then show pupils how to apply this learning independently. Therefore, pupils complete their work confidently and achieve high levels of success.

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

Reading is highly valued by the school and trust. Children in Nursery and Reception Year are immersed in stories. Children regularly sit with staff and enjoy books together. The school organises storytellers to come in and share tales in unique and exciting ways. Older pupils visit the local library and enjoy author visits. They read diverse texts as part of the reading for pleasure and English curriculum. The whole community celebrates a love of reading with a family reading day.

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

Pupils become confident and fluent readers. They start to follow a phonics programme as soon as they join the school. If any pupils struggle, extensive support is put in place. This enables them to catch up with their peers quickly. Parents are kept well informed about the phonics sounds their children are learning and how they can support them at home. Staff benefit from regular training and collaboration across the trust to share best practice.

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

Pupils show consistently positive attitudes to their learning. They ask and answer questions with unwavering enthusiasm. Children in Nursery and Reception Year concentrate on their learning for a sustained period of time. Staff are skilled in finding opportunities to extend children’s language, while still having fun through play. For example, they model positional language when children are constructing a lifeboat and re- enacting a rescue.

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

The personal development programme is age appropriate and considers the school and wider context. For example, the school includes lessons on rail safety and money management. Children in Nursery and Reception Year start to learn about friendship and safe spaces. Older pupils learn about different types of relationships and trusted adults. 14 and 15 May 2024

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Pupils are confident in their understanding of fundamental British values. They make connections with their own school values of kindness, determination and excellence.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2014.

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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 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). 14 and 15 May 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 June 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Cornwall Education Learning Trust.  A new headteacher joined the school in September 2023.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, subject leaders, the chair of the local governing body, the trust lead and the chair of the trust board.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and 14 and 15 May 2024

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history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 considered responses to the online survey for parents and carers, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. The inspectors also considered responses to the staff survey and responses to the survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Kelly Olive, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 May 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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