Nancledra School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Nancledra School Nancledra, Penzance, Cornwall TR20 8NB

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Outcome

Nancledra 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 Helen O’Kane. This school is part of the Truro and Penwith 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, Jennifer Blunden, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anita Firth.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Nancledra School is increasingly ambitious for its pupils. Significant work has been done to improve the school’s curriculum. Some parts are already very effective, such as the teaching of reading. Staff expect a lot of pupils. Pupils generally try their hardest and take pride in their work. Over time, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn to build on what they already know and can do. They go on to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to be proud members of this community focused school. They look out for one another and share in each other’s achievements. Lessons are mostly calm and purposeful, although sometimes pupils need reminding of the school’s high expectations. Pupils conduct themselves very well during informal parts of the day. Older pupils act as effective role models. Pupils rightly say that bullying is not an issue. They enjoy their learning and the friendships they make.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been through a period of many changes and this has caused some instability. However, effective action has been taken to maintain the school’s orderly and friendly atmosphere. 10 December 2024

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

Standards are typically high at Nancledra School. Trust and school leaders have worked together determinedly to manage many changes. They have looked to raise expectations further and improve the school systematically. However, a higher number of staff changes than is normal led to standards slipping for a short time. Nevertheless, the school has taken effective action and standards have returned to where they were before, and in some cases improved. Staff feel, and are, valued. They work together diligently to ensure the curriculum strengthens further and pupils learn with success.

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

The school has an effective curriculum, particularly in English and mathematics. The school has changed the way the curriculum is organised to improve pupils’ learning further. This has raised expectations and ensured learning is sequenced appropriately in all subjects. Staff use what they know about pupils to capture their interest and learn in increasingly effective ways. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, remember relevant knowledge and achieve well.

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

Nevertheless, there is more to do. Staff are more confident when teaching some subjects compared to others. Changes to the curriculum in some subjects such as history, music and art are newer. This means the school’s work on developing how it wants to teach these subjects is not yet as secure as it could be. Consequently, pupils’ learning in these subjects is sometimes slowed.

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

Reading has the highest priority. High-quality texts underpin the whole curriculum, including in the early years. There is an established and highly effective programme for teaching reading. Children begin to learn their sounds from the moment they start in Reception. Teachers build on pupils’ learning carefully and logically as they move into Year 1. When pupils are at risk of falling behind, staff use targeted support to ensure they keep up. Pupils learn increasingly complex reading techniques as they study books, stories and poems from many different cultures. Pupils learn to love reading. They say they enjoy the books their teachers share with them. Typically, pupils, including those with SEND, leave the school having attained age-related standards and many do better.

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

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Strong relationships underpin the effective application of the school’s policies. Following a period of instability, the school took effective action to maintain standards of behaviour, and this led to a small number of suspensions. This effective action maintained the school’s orderly and friendly atmosphere effectively. Pupils’ behaviour is typically positive.

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

The school has improved the rate of pupils’ attendance. Until very recently, pupils’ attendance had remained stubbornly low. The school rightly changed its approach to challenging poor attendance, as well as the way it works with families to remove barriers. As a result, attendance is improving.

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

Pupils’ wider development is promoted well. The school ensures that all learning and extra-curricular activities are accessible to all pupils. For example, pupils appreciate the range of clubs and how they can learn about keeping healthy. The school ensures that all 10 December 2024

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pupils represent the school in at least one sporting event, regardless of ability. Pupils can follow their talents and interests by learning instruments in music lessons, or individually with music tutors. Pupils learn about different cultures, diversity and fundamental British values. Trips and visits are used whenever possible to enrich and enhance pupils’ learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has redesigned several elements of its curriculum recently. This means some parts of the curriculum need more time to embed, the approach to teaching them is more varied and so pupils’ learning in some subjects is slowed. The trust should continue to embed and develop the new curriculum so that pupils learn more of the subjects they study in greater depth.

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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 predecessor school, which was also called Nancledra School, to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015. 10 December 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). 10 December 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Truro and Penwith Academy Trust.  Since the last inspection, two teachers left the school and a new headteacher was appointed. The headteacher started in September 2023.  The school does not 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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in the evaluation of the school. 10 December 2024

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 The inspectors met with leaders, including the headteacher, the assistant headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator. They also spoke to some leaders from the trust.  The inspectors looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. They also listened to some pupils read.  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 took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also considered the responses to the Ofsted staff survey.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including documents relating to

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governance, leaders’ evaluations, plans for school improvement and information about the school’s curriculum.

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Inspection team

Matthew Barnes, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laura Horne Ofsted Inspector 10 December 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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