Parc Eglos School

Inspection of Parc Eglos School Church Hill, Parc Eglos, Helston, Cornwall TR13 8UP

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The headteacher of this school is Jayne Banner. This school is part of Crofty Education 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), Simon Hague, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Hosking. There is also an executive headteacher, Vicky Sanderson, who is responsible for this school.

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Ofsted has not previously inspected Parc Eglos School as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection of the predecessor school. 18 and 19 June 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to receive a high-quality education. In some areas, including in the early years, this ambition has been realised. However, in many areas of the curriculum pupils do not learn well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The new trust and executive headteacher have raised expectations for all. They have taken steps to bring about improvements to the school. They are beginning to have an impact on pupils’ education.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy in school. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. Pupils, right from the early years, are cared for well. They know they can tell their trusted adults if they have a worry. Pupils behave well in and around the school. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and well-mannered. They show respect to all. They smile and greet visitors warmly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a real focus on broadening pupils’ horizons through planned events, assemblies and trips. The school has a focus on pupils’ learning the Cornish heritage through local celebrations such as Flora Day. Pupils especially value residential visits and wider opportunities, such as sailing and windsurfing.

p.2

better?

While pupils at the end of key stage 2 achieve well in national tests for reading, writing and mathematics, pupils’ learning in the wider curriculum is not secure. New leaders are determined to improve this to ensure the quality of education pupils receive is good.

p.2

better?

The school has designed an ambitious and structured curriculum that has identified the small steps of knowledge that pupils need to learn to reach clear end points. This starts in the early years where children build essential knowledge and skills well. There is a strong focus on developing children’s vocabulary associated with each topic. Adults guide and question children to help them think about the world around them. Children leave the early years ready for Year 1.

p.2

better?

As pupils move through the school, the curriculum is not delivered as intended across all subjects and so pupils’ learning is hindered. Staff lack the necessary subject knowledge to move learning on effectively. Activities do not always match the intended learning. This means pupils’ understanding is not secure. Consequently, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge.

p.2

better?

The trust and school have not, until recently, invested in high-quality training for staff and subject leaders. As a result, subject leadership is at an early stage of development. While some leaders are using monitoring information to help staff improve the delivery of subject content, many do not consistently monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum and how well pupils are learning. 18 and 19 June 2024

p.2

3

Children develop a love of reading from an early age. They enjoy stories and learning new words. The school skilfully uses a systematic phonics programme and so children successfully sound out new words. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This allows them to become confident readers. If pupils fall behind, they receive effective extra support to keep up.

p.3

3

Children with SEND are supported well in some areas of the school. For example, where needed, staff coordinate support with specialist trust services such as speech and language therapy. These pupils receive bespoke support. However, some pupils with SEND do not have precise individual targets and so any adaptations to learning are too broad. This means that small steps of progress are difficult to measure and some pupils with SEND do not learn well.

p.3

3

Personal development at the school is a strength. Pupils understand equality. They show maturity and confidence when talking about a range of issues. Pupils learn about online safety, healthy relationships and how their bodies change as they get older. Through their actions, pupils show an understanding of democracy and tolerance. The school council meets regularly and makes a difference to the school. In partnership with staff, the school council has introduced the Parc Eglos Active Play initiative. Different play zones have been set up in the playground. Pupils of all ages now play together harmoniously.

p.3

3

The trustees and local governing body are determined to continue the school’s journey of improvement. They are committed to making sure that gaps in pupils’ learning are tackled. Most staff are proud to work at the school. Staff value the team spirit that exists. Most report that their well-being and workload are taken into consideration.

p.3

3

Most parents are happy with the support their children receive. However, a significant minority of parents comment that communication from the school is not clear or effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The school knows pupils and their families well. Staff have received appropriate training. There are systems in place to report any concerns they may have. There is an established culture of safeguarding to keep pupils safe from harm. However, some actions relating to record-keeping are not as rigorous as they could be. These concerns were resolved before the end of the inspection.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff lack sufficient subject knowledge to plan activities that support pupils’ learning. This hinders how well pupils secure important knowledge. The school 18 and 19 June 2024

p.3

4

and trust should provide staff with guidance and support to further develop their subject knowledge.  Some subject leaders do not monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum in their subjects. This means that some leaders do not fully understand the impact their subject is having on pupils’ learning. The school and trust should ensure that all subject leaders monitor their curriculum area effectively.  Some of the individual targets set out for pupils with SEND lack precision. This means that some pupils with SEND do not learn well. Although there are some adaptations to learning, the school should ensure that these are precise and based on the specific needs of pupils so that they can be implemented well in classroom practice.  Parents raised concerns that leaders do not communicate with them well enough. As a result, parents do not understand changes and improvements in the school. The school and the trust need to ensure that they have effective communication

p.4

4

with all parents.  The school’s record-keeping processes for safeguarding are not as precise as they could be. This has an impact on how efficiently leaders can analyse and evaluate safeguarding information. The school and the trust must ensure that record- keeping processes for safeguarding are detailed and robust.

p.4

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 18 and 19 June 2024

p.4

School details

Website https://parc-eglos.croftymat.org

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed. The headteacher was not present during the inspection.  The school provides a before- and after-school club for pupils.  The school makes use of one registered and one unregistered alternative provider for pupils.  The school has provision for two- and three-year-olds.

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. 18 and 19 June 2024

p.5

6

 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 met with the executive headteacher, members of staff, the CEO of the trust, the director of education of the trust, the chair of the trust board, trustees and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, religious education and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited samples of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

p.6

6

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments, and the staff surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Gavin Summerfield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Laura Horne Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 June 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