St Agnes Academy

Inspection of St Agnes Academy Trelawney Road, St Agnes, Cornwall TR5 0LZ

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Jess Mills. This school is part of Kernow Learning Multi 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 (CEO), Clare Crowle, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Parker. 1 and 2 May 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are curious, compassionate and courageous at St Agnes Primary Academy. They thrive on a rich, exciting curriculum that extends well beyond the academic.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

An exceptional enrichment programme complements the curriculum seamlessly. Pupils develop their sense of local, regional and global citizenship in meaningful ways. Everyone is encouraged to take part in these activities, and most do. As a result, pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all parts of school life.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. This starts in Reception, where children quickly respond to adults’ high expectations. They show high levels of self-control, sharing and collaborating well during learning. Pupils build positively on this, showing increasingly strong attitudes to learning as they get older. They have great respect for one another. The school’s ‘tweak for the term’ keeps a focus on the little things that make the biggest difference. This helps maintain exceptional standards of behaviour.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s partnership with parents is particularly strong. Pupils benefit hugely as a result. For example, attendance is significantly improving for many. Pupils understand that attendance and punctuality are life skills that will help them in the future.

p.2

better?

The school has designed a highly effective, ambitious curriculum. Curriculum content has been precisely selected to match the school and the trust’s vision for pupils. Character development and oracy are key. Pupils understand their Cornish heritage and life in modern Britain, and how this relates to the global community.

p.2

better?

Reading and mathematics are highly effective elements of the curriculum. Reception children begin to master the fundamentals of letters, sounds and numbers. Well- designed activities help children to practise their learning through play. These experiences are meaningful and challenging, and build children’s cumulative knowledge. Children can sustain focus for long periods. As a result, many children are learning very well.

p.2

better?

The early reading curriculum is implemented consistently well. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to check on pupils’ learning continuously. This enables misconceptions to be picked up and remedied immediately. The strong focus on making sure that pupils keep up with the programme means that the help for individuals is timely and effective. Pupils then benefit from a very carefully designed reading curriculum once they have learned their phonics. High-quality books, covering a range of genres, topics and structures, enable pupils to become competent readers. Pupils achieve well because they can read confidently when learning in other subjects. 1 and 2 May 2024

p.2

3

The school is not complacent. It continually refines the curriculum to ensure that it matches the ambition of the vision. For example, in music, the school decided to teach slightly less content each year so that pupils could spend more time developing their composition skills. In this way, pupils progress securely from note names to notation. By Year 6, pupils are confidently composing their own pieces using music technology. They are extremely well prepared for the Year 7 music curriculum by the time they leave the school.

p.3

3

The school is highly inclusive. It is committed to meeting the needs of all pupils to ensure that they learn and take part fully in school life. Trips and residential visits are adapted appropriately to support pupils with physical disabilities or medical conditions. This helps to ensure that there are no barriers to pupils benefiting from the exceptional extra-curricular programme. Within the curriculum, teaching is adapted exceptionally well to meet pupils’ needs. Staff benefit from high-quality training in SEND. This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND learn exceptionally well.

p.3

3

Pupils have a good understanding of equalities and difference. They recognise that people can have different opinions or beliefs. They respect this. Pupils understand what discrimination is. They relate this to the protected characteristics. The curriculum supports and develops this understanding. Pupils learn to appreciate different cultures and challenge stereotypes.

p.3

3

The trust and local governors work highly effectively with the school to accurately evaluate the school’s work. They invest in training that helps staff to develop as experts. As a result, staff feel highly valued.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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 1 and 2 May 2024

p.3

4

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). 1 and 2 May 2024

p.4

School details

Website www.stagnes.kernowlearning.co.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 6 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative providers.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English including early reading, mathematics, history and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of 1 and 2 May 2024

p.5

6

lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, teaching and support staff, members of the local governing body, including the co-chairs of governors, a trustee, the CEO and members of the executive leadership team from the trust.  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.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.

p.6

6

 Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s improvement plan and self-evaluation form.

p.6

Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Claire Baillie Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 May 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7