a school not in a category of concern of Harrowbarrow Primary Academy

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Andrew Hunt Headteacher Harrowbarrow Primary Academy School Road Harrowbarrow Callington Cornwall PL17 8BQ

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Harrowbarrow Primary Academy

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 7 November 2024, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and took place because the school meets the monitoring threshold as set out in the Monitoring Inspection Handbook .

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Harrowbarrow Primary Academy

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Harrowbarrow Primary Academy

During the inspection, I discussed with you and the trust’s area executive headteacher the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also met with groups of staff, pupils, local governors and the chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust. In addition, I carried out lesson visits, scrutinised curriculum plans, looked at pupils’ work in English, mathematics, science, history and art and scrutinised the school’s plans for improvement. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection in November 2023, there have been changes to the leadership and organisation of the school. In September 2024, the school transferred into Bridge Multi-Academy Trust. Prior to joining the trust, the Department for Education’s regional director commissioned the trust to work with the school to support the improvement journey.

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Main findings

With support from the trust, the school has started to improve the curriculum. In some subjects, the school has identified clearly the knowledge pupils need to learn. This ensures that pupils build their knowledge based on what they have learned before. However, in other subjects, the school has not yet identified the important knowledge pupils should learn with the same clarity. This means the school is not clear on how pupils’ learning should build over time in these subjects.

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Main findings

The school has used additional support from the English Hub to strengthen the teaching of English, including early reading. These actions are making a difference. For example, the focus on developing handwriting is evident in pupils’ work and they are proud of their improvements. However, it is early days. Teaching does not address repeated errors in written work. As a result, pupils’ misconceptions become embedded. This means they are not yet meeting the expectations of the intended curriculum.

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Main findings

As a result of improvements to the quality of education, pupils are retaining more knowledge of their current learning. For example, pupils discuss their knowledge of water and air resistance in science. They understand the impact of the Industrial Revolution on Britain today through their learning in history. However, as these improvements are in their infancy, they find it harder to recall knowledge over the long term. For example, pupils struggle to recall historical knowledge in sufficient depth. While pupils have these gaps in their knowledge, they find subsequent learning more challenging.

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Main findings

The school’s well-judged improvement plans include clear criteria so that leaders can evaluate the success of their actions. Support from the trust ensures the school moves forward at pace. Where the school has prioritised subject development, such as in English and science, checks on how well pupils are learning the curriculum are effective. Furthermore, the trust has supported staff to develop their subject knowledge through regular training and visits to other schools to learn from subject experts. As a result, teachers are beginning to implement the curriculum with raised ambition.

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Main findings

The school has improved pupils’ behaviour and attitudes through the implementation of a new policy. Most pupils show positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to share their enjoyment of school with visitors. Pupils know the routines in place, such as the whistle to stop and listen during social times. However, staff do not yet apply the policy consistently. As a result, pupils’ positive attitudes to learning are not always consistent and transitions around the school take too long. This impacts on learning time. I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees, and the CEO of Bridge Multi- Academy Trust, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Cornwall. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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