Montpelier Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Montpelier Primary School North Down Road, Beacon Park, Plymouth, Devon PL2 3HN

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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Outcome

Montpelier 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 Aaron West. This school is part of Greenshaw Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, William Smith, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anne Spackman.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Montpelier Primary School continually re-invents itself to meet the needs of children and families. Many pupils benefit from adapted spaces such as ‘The Treehouse’, ‘The Den’, or ‘Champions’ Corner’, where they receive support with their social, emotional and academic challenges. For parents and carers, the café provides a warm welcome as well as advice and guidance. All of this helps pupils to lead more settled lives and make the most of their time at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school values curiosity, creativity and confidence. Staff take every opportunity to encourage pupils to develop these qualities. Many pupils learn to play musical instruments, such as ukelele or steel pan drums, or perform as part of the school choir. Each class benefits from high expectations and well-established routines. These promote a sense of responsibility and focus. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In the early years, the children approach their learning confidently. They play together well and learn with increasing independence. As pupils grow older, they show resilience by using ‘self-help’ when they find the curriculum content tricky. The school invites pupils’ views and provides a wide range of opportunities for them to lead. This helps pupils to develop their self-esteem and prepares them well for secondary school. 12 and 13 November 2024

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

The school provides a broad and interesting curriculum. It reflects local history and helps to ensure that pupils access places of interest. The curriculum recognises that some pupils need additional support with their spoken language. In lessons, pupils regularly discuss their ideas, first with a partner and then with the class. Teachers prompt pupils to express themselves precisely, using subject vocabulary.

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

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning across the curriculum. They are rightly proud of what they have learned and achieved over time. For example, in art, pupils produce striking self-portraits which show a breadth of knowledge and technical skill. Pupils are encouraged to deepen their knowledge of subjects through reading. There are featured texts, pop-up libraries and book collections throughout the school.

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

The school’s approach to teaching early reading and mathematics is highly systematic. Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1, enjoy the routines that accompany their learning. They recite and apply their knowledge fluently. Staff check pupils’ understanding carefully. They correct any misconceptions. This helps pupils to keep up with the pace of the curriculum. There is effective support in place for pupils who struggle with their reading. This helps them to become speedy, accurate readers in time.

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

Some pupils do not develop fluent handwriting, or accurate spelling and punctuation during their time at the school. With the support of the trust, the school has adjusted the writing curriculum to address this. So far, the school has implemented the new curriculum effectively. Teaching focuses on the gaps in pupils’ knowledge and provides plenty of practice. However, pupils need more time to fully consolidate this learning.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) enjoy the same curriculum as their peers. Learning is broken down further for pupils who need this. Input from staff is adapted appropriately to meet their needs. This helps them to succeed in the classroom.

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

The school teaches good conduct and positive learning behaviours very effectively. As a result, the atmosphere in lessons is highly conducive to learning. Pupils are recognised for demonstrating ‘Golden Learning Behaviours’. These include teamwork and showing a love of learning and challenge. Pupils help to maintain harmonious relationships across the school by taking on roles as ‘mediators’ and working to prevent bullying. Pupils love coming to school. This is reflected in their attendance.

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

Pupils are clear that everyone should be respected and treated equally. They are curious about other cultures and well-informed about different customs and practices. There are many opportunities for pupils to expand their horizons, for example, through school trips or by joining a club.

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

The trust has helped the school to build on the strengths identified at the previous inspection. Staff benefit from rich professional development opportunities, including support for their subject knowledge. This has had a positive impact on the depth of 12 and 13 November 2024

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pupils’ learning in the wider curriculum. A diverse group of staff receive enhanced training so that they can support children and families. This means that the school can provide the specialist support that some families need.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils find it difficult to produce accurate, effective writing because they have not developed fluency in the elements of transcription, such as handwriting, spelling and punctuation. The school has developed the curriculum to address these gaps, but more time is needed for these improvements to be reflected in the quality of pupils’ writing. The trust should ensure that the curriculum supports pupils to write with increasing confidence over time.

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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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2019.

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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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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

Date of previous inspection 24 and 25 September 2019

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Greenshaw Learning Trust on 1 January 2021. The trust comprises 19 secondary schools and 15 primary schools, in the south west and south east of England.  Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes to the leadership of the school. The headteacher and chair of governors were appointed in 2022.  The school currently uses no 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. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the school’s headship team, the chair of governors and representatives of the multi-academy trust, including the chair of the board of trustees, the CEO, and the director and assistant director of primary education.  Inspectors 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.

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Inspection team

Lydia Pride, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicola Bray 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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