Ernesettle Community School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Ernesettle Community School Biggin Hill, Ernesettle, Plymouth, Devon PL5 2RB

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Outcome

Ernesettle Community 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 Olivia Bartlett. This school is part of The Inspire Multi Academy Trust (South West), which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Aaron Meredith, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Carol Wood. There is also an executive headteacher, Aaron Meredith, who is responsible for this school and one other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for every pupil to succeed. Through the very well- designed curriculum, pupils are enthused about the subjects they study. They articulate their ideas both in groups and to the whole class with maturity, insight and sophistication. For example, pupils were observed discussing with impressive knowledge their interpretations of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, have very strong attitudes to learning. Their behaviour is impeccable. Through the curriculum, they learn the importance of kindness, friendship and respect. They develop high levels of empathy for those less fortunate through fundraising for charity. Pupils experience the role of democracy in society through voting for the pupil parliament. They have a remarkable understanding of fundamental British values, such as liberty and the rule of law. As a result, the characters of pupils are extremely well developed and they are very well prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum enables pupils to enrich their knowledge through visits to culturally significant places. For instance, pupils visit London, to see the Natural History Museum, 7 and 8 January 2025

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and Dartmoor. Pupils have a breadth of opportunities to explore the natural world, such as learning to care for the school’s beehive.

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

The school has extremely high expectations of all pupils. The curriculum enables pupils to excel in their learning across a breadth of subjects. Pupils build on their prior knowledge so that they are able to learn incrementally more complex concepts. Oracy lies at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils learn to articulate their ideas with impressive maturity and knowledge. For example, pupils were observed explaining their methods for multiplying and dividing fractions with mathematical insight. Through the curriculum, pupils develop a broad vocabulary that enables them to voice their thinking about subjects with precision. In the early years, children are immersed in a language-rich environment that supports their early language development very well. Consequently, pupils consistently achieve highly in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2.

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

Reading is prioritised in all areas of the curriculum. Carefully selected texts underpin pupils’ learning. Pupils are avid readers. Through the study of a breadth of texts, pupils learn how authors craft their writing. This supports the development of pupils’ writing as they move through the school. The early reading programme is meticulously designed to ensure that all pupils, including those who struggle, learn to read well. Staff continually check pupils’ reading knowledge to ensure that they address any misconceptions. Children in early years learn the connection between letters and the sounds they make, which prepares them very well for Year 1.

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

Pupils, including children in early years, with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive exemplary support. The school is meticulous in identifying SEND and ensuring that pupils’ needs are addressed in all areas of the curriculum. As a result, pupils engage with learning and achieve well. Pupils receive bespoke support where appropriate.

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

In early years, children learn the routines of school exceptionally well. They are eager to learn. Through well-structured activities, children learn to communicate their thinking with fluency and form relationships with confidence. Similarly, pupils in other year groups have very strong attitudes to learning. Behaviour, both in the classroom and around the school, is excellent. Pupils are polite, respectful and inclusive.

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

The school is tenacious about ensuring pupils’ attendance at school. It uses a range of bespoke approaches to ensure that pupils do not miss out on learning the curriculum. Consequently, attendance is very strong. The many planned trips and visitors further enrich and enthuse pupils’ learning. For example, visitors to the school present their view of the world, such as humanism.

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

Pupils’ personal development underpins the curriculum. Through assemblies and the personal, social and health education programme, pupils learn about the values inherent to British citizenship exceptionally well. Their knowledge about individual liberty and the importance of inclusion is impressive. Pupils develop leadership skills, such as organising 7 and 8 January 2025

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and running the school library. The school’s curriculum develops pupils as citizens of modern Britain remarkably well.

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Leadership at all levels is visionary. Staff unanimously share this vision of excellence. Collaboratively, leaders and staff continually strive to ensure that evidence-based research informs the design of the curriculum. They are proud to work at the school. Their workload and well-being are well supported by the school. Trustees and governors know the school well and pose effective challenge and support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 outstanding 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 outstanding for overall effectiveness in November 2019.

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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. 7 and 8 January 2025

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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). 7 and 8 January 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Ernesettle Community School is part of The Inspire Multi Academy Trust (South West).  The school has a Nursery provision for two-year-olds.  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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, members of the leadership team and governors, including the chair of governors. 7 and 8 January 2025

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 The inspector held discussions with members of the board of trustees, including the chair of the board of trustees, and the CEO.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspector met with staff to consider their views.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector considered the views of parents and carers who responded to the confidential questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. They evaluated the views of staff from the Ofsted online questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 7 and 8 January 2025

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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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