Beaford Community Primary & Nursery School

Inspection of Beaford Community Primary & Nursery School Beaford, Winkleigh, Devon EX19 8LJ

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The head of school is George Myers. This school is part of Team 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), Ian Thomas, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Paul Ginnings.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Beaford Community Primary and Nursery School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Beaford Community Primary and Nursery School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 14 and 15 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school sits in the heart of the community. Pupils and families are proud of their school. Pupils agree that the school is a place where everyone is friendly and kind to each other. Pupils are safe. Staff and pupils build close and caring relationships. Pupils know they have someone to speak to if they are ever worried. The school has high expectations for all pupils. Despite low outcomes in the 2024 key stage 2 national assessments, pupils’ achievements are now improving.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are provided with a wide range of opportunities to develop confidence and curiosity. Trips to London, Bristol and South Wales, as part of the curriculum, help pupils understand that they are part of a wider diverse society. Within the school grounds, pupils ride scooters and learn to climb trees safely. Visits from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution help pupils to learn to stay safe when they visit the coast.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their roles as school ambassadors. They recognise that they are role models to the younger pupils. As they explain, ‘We teach the early years children to be kind.’ Pupils appreciate the range of clubs on offer, such as drama and coding club.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has experienced a turbulent time with changes in staffing and leadership. However, new leaders have brought stability and clear direction to the school. They have worked at pace to implement changes to improve the curriculum and fill gaps in pupils’ learning. Staff and parents talk positively about these changes. Some of these changes have not yet had an impact on outcomes and are not reflected in the 2024 published outcomes for key stage 2.

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

The school has a well-sequenced curriculum that builds pupils’ knowledge progressively. Children in the Reception class get off to a flying start. The quality of education in the early years is exemplary and children thrive. There are multiple opportunities for children to use their imagination and learn through play. For example, in the farm role-play area children develop their gross motor skills by transporting hay. They also engage in meaningful conversations with adults that help to develop their language. Through staff’s skilful use of questioning, children are challenged in their thinking and, as a result, develop resilience and an ambition to achieve well from an early age.

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

The school is quick to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school works closely with parents and carers and outside agencies to ensure pupils with SEND are well supported and access the full curriculum as their peers.

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

The school makes effective use of the phonics curriculum that ensures pupils have the skills to become fluent readers. Staff have been supported well to develop their expertise in the delivery of the phonics curriculum. Pupils read books to help them practise the sounds they know. Those pupils who struggle to read are quickly identified and supported 14 and 15 January 2025

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to address gaps in their phonics knowledge. As a result, by the end of Year 1, pupils achieve highly in the phonics screening check.

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Throughout the school, pupils behave well. They are polite and kind to one another. Pupils enjoy coming to school and maintain regular attendance.

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The school’s curriculum is designed to take into account mixed-age classes. Pupils develop a depth of knowledge across a wide range of subjects. Pupils can talk about what they have learned in the past. For example, they explain the uniqueness of different artists. Pupils understand why Picasso used different colours to reflect emotions. In other subjects, there are also opportunities for pupils to complete the school’s ‘dive deeper’ activities. However, at times staff do not ensure that learning activities match what pupils know and can do. Activities are not always adapted well enough to meet the needs of pupils. This means that some pupils complete work that is not ambitious enough.

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The provision for pupil’s personal development is exemplary. For example, the curriculum is planned to develop pupils’ understanding of the slave trade. Visits to Bristol help pupils learn how the legacy of slavery had an impact on this city. Visitors to the school involve direct descendants of slaves. Pupils have a deep understanding of fundamental British values. Opportunities to vote within school help pupils develop an understanding of democracy. Through video calls with their link school in India, pupils share celebrations, such as Christmas and Diwali. This helps build pupils’ understanding of different countries and cultures.

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Governors and trustees are highly committed to the success of the school. Staff appreciate the support of school leaders. They say that their workload and well-being are considered when decisions are made.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Learning activities are not always adapted well enough to meet the needs of pupils. Some pupils complete work that is not ambitious enough. When this occurs, pupils do not progress as well as they could through the curriculum. The trust should ensure that staff employ ambitious learning activities that enable pupils to achieve as well as they can. 14 and 15 January 2025

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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). 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Headteacher George Myers (Head of School)

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School details

Website www.beaford-primary.devon.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Team Multi-Academy Trust.  The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.  There is a before- and after-school club that is managed by the school.  The school has pre-school provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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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. 14 and 15 January 2025

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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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with teachers, 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.  The inspectors met with the head of school, the directors of education, the special

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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

Yvonne Jones Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 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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