Meavy Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Meavy Church of England Primary School Meavy, Yelverton, Devon PL20 6PJ

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Outcome

Meavy Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Kate Gawadzyn. This school is part of St Christopher’s C of E (Primary) 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), Jo Evans, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Bailey.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this welcoming school. They are happy and safe. Pupils are polite and respectful to visitors. They are kind to one another and their positive behaviour reflects the school’s values of respect and love. Families appreciate the way school leaders work with them to ensure their voice is heard. As a result, pupils and families feel part of the ‘Meavy family’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils and published outcomes demonstrate that most pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take pride in the leadership opportunities available to them. For example, pupils act as house captains, playground monitors and participate in the school’s ethos group. These roles help to build confidence and independence. Pupils appreciate the range of clubs on offer to them such as gardening, choir and tag rugby. These opportunities help pupils to develop their interests and talents. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. They also know that if they have any worries there is a member of staff they can go to for support.

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum that is structured to progressively build pupils’ 12 November 2024

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knowledge and skills. The school ensures pupils learn a broad range of subjects. It has identified the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. In most subjects, teachers deliver a carefully designed curriculum that links new subject content to what pupils have previously learned. Pupils are keen and they talk enthusiastically about their recent learning. However, in a few subjects, there is less rigour in how staff check what pupils know and understand. This means that sometimes pupils have gaps in their knowledge that prevent them from moving onto more complex work. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. There are high expectations for all pupils to be confident readers. This starts in the Reception Year. The trust has ensured that staff are trained to teach phonics to a high standard. Children begin to learn their phonics sounds from the day they start school. Staff are skilled at identifying pupils who may need additional practice. Teachers ensure that pupils are secure in their learning before introducing new sounds. This means staff adapt what they teach to ensure pupils are confident in their phonics before introducing new sounds. Furthermore, the school has ensured that the books pupils can read includes current and diverse topics. As a result, pupils achieve well and develop a love of reading.

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The school has recently improved the processes and systems to ensure pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. Pupils with SEND have positive relationships with staff. However, some staff do not have the necessary knowledge they need to ensure that pupils with SEND learn the curriculum as well as they could.

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Throughout the school, staff and pupils have warm and strong relationships. Most pupils are confident to answer questions and keen to share their learning. Pupils understand the school’s expectations of behaviour and conduct. As a result, the school is calm and low- level disruption is rare. Pupils enjoy attending school. The school monitors attendance effectively and works closely with families to support pupils to come to school. As a result, pupil attendance is high.

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The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is well planned. School leaders have identified opportunities to enrich pupils’ understanding of the local area. For instance, pupils visit local stone circles and view examples of tin mining. This helps pupils learn about the human impact on the environment. Pupils also learn about the differences between people, including different religions and faiths. As a result, pupils have a strong sense of respect for people with different views from themselves.

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Staff appreciate that their well-being and workload are important to school and trust leaders. Staff say they feel supported and are proud to work at the school. Governors and trustees provide a skilful balance of support and challenge to the school. They have a strong understanding of the school’s strengths and the areas for further development. For example, the school and trust know there is further development to ensure the curriculum has the intended impact for all pupils. 12 November 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all staff have the necessary knowledge to support pupils with SEND effectively. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could. The trust should continue to develop staff’s knowledge and understanding about how to make adaptations to ensure pupils with SEND develop their independence and achieve as well as they can.  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 and therefore do not learn as well as they could. The trust should ensure that staff use assessment effectively to check what pupils know and to adapt learning so that pupils achieve well in the curriculum.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2014.

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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 12 November 2024

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when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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). 12 November 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 September 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of St Christopher’s C of E (Primary) Multi Academy Trust.  The school is of a Church of England religious character. The last section 48 inspection took place in May 2024.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 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 visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 12 November 2024

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 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, 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 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

Tracey Reynolds His Majesty's Inspector 12 November 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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