Constantine Primary School

Inspection of Constantine Primary School Trebarvah Road, Constantine, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5AG

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Claire Smith. 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. 2 and 3 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Constantine Primary School are happy and proud to attend their village school. They enter the school gates with a smile on their faces and a thirst for learning. Through their three school promises, pupils demonstrate thought and care towards others, as well as in their learning. They are well mannered and kind towards others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the care they receive from adults in their school. Older pupils become positive role models. For example, they buddy read with younger pupils regularly and support each other with their play during social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning across the curriculum and meet the high standards the school has for them. They have many opportunities to learn about and care for their locality, taking pride in where they come from. For example, the school council works with a local surfing charity to protect their nearby coastal areas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer. From sports to the arts, choir and photography, pupils develop their talents and interests. Pupils also enjoy competing in the sporting ‘leagues’ which consist of schools in the local partnership.

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better?

The school and the trust are relentless in their approach to strengthening the quality of education pupils receive. Staff benefit from high-quality professional development from the trust, which is ‘genuinely useful’ in improving teaching and outcomes for pupils. In recent years, the school has undertaken significant school improvement work. This has been effective and appreciated by many within the parental community. However, a small number of parents and carers continue to raise concerns about the communication between home and school. The school is highly committed to strengthening these relationships so that they can work in partnership with all parents.

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better?

Reading is the ‘heartbeat of the curriculum’. As soon as children begin school in the Reception Year, they learn a well-thought-out phonics curriculum. All pupils learn the sounds that letters make and become fluent readers. Pupils read carefully selected, engaging books as part of their guided reading curriculum. As a result, pupils love to read and can do so well. They are highly motivated to visit their new library to find books to read for pleasure. The small number of pupils who find learning to read hard receive swift and effective support.

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better?

The school ensures that there is an ambitious curriculum for pupils to learn. Leaders break down this learning into sensible, small steps and identify the ‘powerful knowledge’ that pupils need to remember. Pupils with additional needs and vulnerabilities are well supported. Staff know these pupils well and provide high levels of academic and pastoral care. Therefore, in most subjects, all pupils learn 2 and 3 July 2024

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successfully. For example, in mathematics, pupils are supported to ably recall key number facts with automaticity. In the Reception Year, pupils use their knowledge of the world to discuss where food comes from. However, there are a small number of subjects that are not as developed. In these subjects, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. This slows future learning as pupils do not build on what they remember and can do over time.

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The development of pupils’ spoken language and vocabulary is at the forefront of the curriculum. Pupils learn highly ambitious words in each subject and use them adeptly in their talk. For example, in geography, younger pupils talk accurately about the equator and what this means for the climate of countries. This oracy focus also supports pupils to show respect for each other’s opinions. The youngest children quickly learn about sharing and use kind words when playing with each other.

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The school’s values of ‘equality, resilience and respect’ are at the forefront of the personal development curriculum. This curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of a healthy body and healthy mind, as well as their place in the world. Pupils are knowledgeable about healthy relationships and how families can be different. They are encouraged to be responsible, active and respectful citizens. For example, pupils talk about how they are making a difference by raising money for charity and undertaking litter picks. A recent aspirations day has successfully supported pupils to consider jobs and careers for when they are older.

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All staff are effusive about the trust’s work with the school. Leaders, at all levels, are highly considerate of staff’s workload and well-being. The ‘school family’ supports each other well. Trustees and local governors provide effective support and challenge to the school in their drive for continual improvement.

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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 is not fully developed. This means that pupils have gaps in their knowledge which hinder them from building their understanding over time. The trust and the school must ensure that the curriculum in all subjects supports pupils to learn well.  A minority of parents have mixed views on the quality of communication between home and school. This is having a negative impact on how well these parents engage with the school. The school and the trust should continue to strengthen its relationship with parents so that they work in partnership. 2 and 3 July 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). 2 and 3 July 2024

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School details

Website www.constantine.kernowlearning.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school are part of Kernow Learning Multi-Academy Trust.  The headteacher joined the school in 2022.  The school uses one registered alternative provision and one unregistered alternative provision.  The school has an on-site before- and after-school provision for its pupils.

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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.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the 2 and 3 July 2024

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school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, who is also the designated safeguarding lead, the deputy designated safeguarding lead, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and subject leaders. The inspectors also met with the deputy CEO, the school improvement lead who oversees reading, the education standards lead (safeguarding) and the trust geography specialist. The lead inspector met with one trustee and the chair of the local governing board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample 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

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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 spoke with staff and pupils throughout the inspection to gauge their views of the school.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors spoke with some parents at the start of the second day. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Donna Briggs, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Esther Best His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 July 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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