Sparkwell All Saints Primary School

Inspection of Sparkwell All Saints Primary School Sparkwell, Plymouth, Devon PL7 5DD

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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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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The headteacher of this school is Francesca McLoughlin. This school is part of Link 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), Nicola Dunford, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Cheryl Diane Mathieson. 15 and 16 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school sits in the heart of the community it serves. Pupils are proud of their school. Their behaviour and attitudes to learning reflect the school’s values of resilience, responsibility, respect and creativity. Older pupils know what it means to be a role model. They are proud to act as ‘reading buddies’ to their younger peers. As a result, pupils are polite and kind citizens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The trust and school leaders are ambitious for all pupils to succeed and achieve well. Staff know all the pupils as individuals. This means pupils feel safe and cared for. Pupils know that if they have any concerns there is an adult they can speak to. They work hard and enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have the opportunity to participate in a range of clubs such as, gardening, dance and Harry Potter club. These clubs are designed for pupils to build on their interests as well as to develop new skills. Through enterprise events, pupils raise money for local charities. This helps them learn what it means to be an active member of the community. All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are involved in all aspects of school life.

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum sets out the important knowledge and skills it wants pupils to know and remember over time. The trust has made learning to read a priority for all pupils. Children begin to learn their phonics from the day they start school. Learning to read is structured carefully so that teachers routinely check what pupils know. This means that pupils who struggle are identified swiftly. Support is put in place so that these pupils catch up quickly. The sounds pupils learn match the sounds they learn. When pupils read, they use their phonics knowledge to sound out unfamiliar words. This helps build their fluency and reading confidence. Older pupils talk with passion about their favourite authors.

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

Pupils benefit from well-structured opportunities which extend their learning. For example, pupils have first-hand experience at geography fieldwork using the local woodland. Pupils also learn to use natural materials to understand the construction of Tudor houses. They use these experiences to inform their written work in different subjects. As a result, pupils discuss what they have learnt in the past and apply it securely to new ideas.

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

Pupils with SEND are well-supported. Their needs are identified early and the school ensures they have the help and resources they need to facilitate their learning. Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and work alongside their peers. When necessary, pupils with SEND complete work that is personalised to reflect their individual starting points. In some subjects, however, teachers do not check what all pupils know securely. This means that at times, some pupils do not move onto more complex work when they are ready to. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. 15 and 16 October 2024

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The school ensures that the curriculum for Reception Year enables children to build the skills and knowledge they need to be ready for Year 1. Children are encouraged to be independent learners. Activities that children engage with are linked to well-chosen books that adults read to them. This helps children learn and use new vocabulary purposefully.

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Staff have high expectations of how pupils should behave. As a result, the school is a calm place, and pupils behave well. The school also provides effective support for pupils who need extra help with their behaviour. Regular attendance is a priority. When pupils’ attendance falls below what is expected, the school works closely with pupils and their families to ensure they are supported effectively. As a result, pupils attend well.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is a strength. Pupils have a well-formed view of the fundamental British values. During assemblies, they learn about different aspects of life in modern Britain. Visitors to school help pupils learn about different jobs and careers they can pursue. Pupils learn about protecting the environment through art projects with artists using plastic that cannot be recycled. There is also an extensive range of educational visits to museums, farms and prehistoric sites. This helps deepen pupils’ understanding of the curriculum.

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The trust and local governors provide effective support and challenge to the school. Over the past year the school has implemented some new initiatives. Staff receive ongoing professional development to reflect these changes. As a result, staff feel supported and 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)

 In some subjects, assessment is not used effectively to check what pupils know and understand. This means that some pupils do not move onto more complex work when they are ready to and do not learn as well as they could. The trust should ensure that staff use assessment effectively to check what pupils know and to respond effectively so that learning is adapted suitably and pupils achieve well in the curriculum. 15 and 16 October 2024

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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). 15 and 16 October 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Sparkwell All Saints Primary School converted to be an academy in September 2023. When its predecessor school, Sparkwell All Saints Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of Link Academy Trust.  There is a before- and after-school club.  The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form 15 and 16 October 2024

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with teachers, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 inspectors met with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator,

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subject leaders, trustees, members of the governing body and the CEO.  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, Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to parents. The inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

James Gentile, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Shirley Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 2024

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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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