Filleigh Community Primary School

Inspection of Filleigh Community Primary School Castle Hill, Filleigh, Barnstaple, Devon EX32 0RS

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 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 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thoroughly enjoy attending Filleigh Primary. The school’s small community helps everyone to feel welcomed and valued. Parents and carers appreciate the care and support that children receive. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to do well. They know that there are adults who will help them. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. These are underpinned by the school’s values. Pupils strive to be resilient, creative and independent learners. As a result, most pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. The school is a calm and orderly place. Staff know pupils well. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. This starts in the early years, where children get off to a great start. They quickly learn the expectations and routines.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the importance of valuing others’ opinions and beliefs. They are taught to be respectful of others and to treat everyone fairly. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures. Activities such as the residential trip to Bristol help broaden pupils’ experiences. This helps pupils to be well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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

The school has a clear vision. It is ambitious for all pupils. The school has worked closely with federation leaders to review and update its curriculum. The curriculum sets out the knowledge pupils should learn from early years to Year 6. The curriculum helps pupils to build their knowledge sequentially. Opportunities for pupils to revisit what they have learned before help them build on what they already know. The school swiftly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This ensures that pupils get the support that they need.

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

In many subjects, teachers have strong subject knowledge. They ably help pupils learn new content. For example, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 talk confidently about improper fractions using appropriate mathematical vocabulary. Staff design activities to help pupils secure a strong understanding and help them remember what they have learned. For example, in science, pupils in key stage 1 explore the best material to keep Humpty Dumpty’s egg safe. However, in subjects where the curriculum is new and less embedded, expectations of what pupils can do are not as consistently high. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge due to previous weaknesses in the curriculum. While teachers check what pupils know and can do, sometimes they do not use the information effectively to ensure that learning activities match pupils’ needs. Consequently, some pupils do not develop a secure understanding and have gaps in their knowledge.

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

Reading is a priority. Children begin learning to read as soon as they start school. In early years, children enjoy singing nursery rhymes and songs. The daily phonics lessons help pupils to develop the skills they need to learn to read well. Teachers check what pupils 12 and 13 November 2024

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know and can do and adapt learning to help pupils to keep up. If pupils fall behind, they quickly receive the support they need to catch up. Most pupils read books that match the sounds they know and have learned. This helps them to develop fluency and confidence in their reading. Many pupils enjoy reading. They talk enthusiastically about the books they have read and their favourite authors. This helps them to develop a love of reading.

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There are high expectations for behaviour and conduct. Most pupils behave well in and around the school. They play well together at social times. In lessons, most pupils learn without disruption. However, at times, the behaviour of a minority of pupils disturbs the learning of others. Staff are quick to address these issues when they arise.

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The school works closely with families to ensure there are clear expectations for punctuality and attendance. Most pupils attend regularly and on time. The school is continuing to develop this work to improve attendance so all pupils attend regularly.

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The school ensures that pupils’ learning extends beyond the academic. Pupils enjoy taking on leadership opportunities in school, for example becoming a ‘pupil champion’. This gives them an opportunity to learn about responsibility and contribute to school improvement. Pupils learn about fundamental British values. For example, opportunities to vote in school help them to learn about democracy.

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The school works closely with the federation to support school development. This provides an opportunity for staff and leaders to work with other schools. Governors share the ambitious vision for the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture throughout the school. Training is prioritised so all staff know how to spot and report concerns. The school takes prompt action to ensure pupils are protected from harm and receive the help they need. The curriculum helps pupils to understand risk. They are confident that adults will help them if they have a worry.

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Safeguarding

Sometimes, safeguarding records are not clear enough about the actions taken to keep pupils safe. The school is receptive to challenge and reflective of its practice.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The revised curriculum is not yet fully embedded in all subjects. As a result, in a few subjects, pupils have historic gaps in their knowledge. At times, teaching does not address misconceptions or ensure that learning matches pupils’ needs. The school 12 and 13 November 2024

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must ensure that the curriculum is implemented and assessed effectively so pupils secure their knowledge across the curriculum.  On occasion, the school does not record the important actions leaders have taken to keep pupils safe. This means that some important discussions and decisions are not recorded. The school should ensure that records are clear and coherent accounts of the actions taken to keep the pupils safe.

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Steve Mellor (Executive Headteacher), Elizabeth Eggleton (Head of School) Website www.filleigh-primary.devon.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 February 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  There have been a number of recent changes to staffing, including a new head of school who took up post in September 2023.  The school is part of the Devon Moors Federation.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There is a before-school club which is managed by the governing body.

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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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 12 and 13 November 2024

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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 spoke with the executive headteacher, the head of school, curriculum leaders, a group of teachers and other members of the federation’s leadership team.  An inspector held meetings with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and a representative from the local authority.  The 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. The lead inspector also discussed the

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curriculum in computing, religious education, science and writing.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. An inspector also spoke with parents at the end of the school day. Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted online staff survey.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Yvonne Jones Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 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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