St Teath Community Primary School

Inspection of St Teath Community Primary School North Road, St. Teath, Bodmin, Cornwall PL30 3JX

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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 Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good

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The headteacher of this school is Juliet Davies. This school is part of Westcountry Schools 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), Rob Haring, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Carl Atkinson. 14 and 15 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong family feel at the school. The school’s motto ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’ underpins daily life for ‘TEAM Teath’. Pupils of all ages behave well. They play well together and look after one another. From the friendly welcome in the pre- school, to the more individual support for self-esteem in readiness for high school, pupils’ personal development is paramount.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. Staff know pupils individually. This leads to accurate identification of any barriers to learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met well. Pupils with lower attendance are supported to come to school. As a result, fewer pupils have gaps in their learning and pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Raising pupils’ aspirations is at the heart of the school’s work. ‘Future Fridays’ celebrate careers that are familiar to pupils. However, the school successfully provides pupils with wider experiences of exploring careers on a national and global scale. This helps to challenge stereotypes and promote curiosity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school, with the support of the trust, have made improvements to the systems and processes which keep pupils safe. The culture of safeguarding at the school is secure.

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

The school and the trust have wasted no time in securing significant improvements since the last inspection. They have established a shared vision for an ambitious curriculum. There has been a focus on the design and delivery of a coherent curriculum from the Reception class to Year 6. While there have been improvements in the pre-school, these are in their infancy.

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

The school has skilfully ensured the curriculum content matches the school’s vision and pupils’ needs. For example, passionate about its Cornish heritage, the school has woven this through different subjects. At the same time, mindful of preparing pupils for life in modern Britain, the school ensures pupils understand and respect diversity. Enrichment activities are intentionally planned to build pupils’ cultural capital.

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

Pupils study a rich curriculum that includes a variety of literature which helps them to learn more complex knowledge. Improvements to the mathematics curriculum have had a positive impact on pupils’ learning. are positive. Pupils are skilled at using mathematical vocabulary to reason and solve problems. In the wider curriculum, pupils continue to learn ambitious vocabulary. In pupils’ history books for example, they use historical concepts accurately to show what they have learned. Work across the curriculum is of high quality and demonstrates pupils’ depth of understanding.

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

The early years’ curriculum is not as strong. Children in Reception learn a well-sequenced curriculum with knowledge that prepares them for Year 1. However, children in the pre- school do not learn as well. The trust, alongside the school have designed a top-level 14 and 15 January 2025

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curriculum that meets the requirements of the statutory framework. However, this is not yet broken down into the specific knowledge children should learn at two, three and four- years-old. This makes it hard for staff to know if children are making appropriate progress through the curriculum.

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Many subjects are taught well. In phonics for example, staff use subject specific strategies to deliver learning effectively. This is successful. Almost all pupils learn to read with accuracy and fluency. Those who struggle, receive expert support to catch up. In some other subjects, delivery of the curriculum is less secure. The school has not ensured that staff have the knowledge they need to teach all subjects as effectively as they could. Where this is the case pupils do not participate as well in activities or learn as effectively.

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The trust and the school value all staff. Staff benefit from the development of their subject and pedagogical knowledge. Where there have been staff changes, the school has acted quickly so that the pace of improvement does not slow. Everyone at the school is committed to continual improvement. Staff are positive about the benefits of belonging to the trust’s professional community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The early years curriculum has not been designed with the needs of all pupils in mind. The granular knowledge that two, three and four-year-olds need to learn is in the early stages of implementation. Children in these age groups do not achieve as well as they could. The school should refine the curriculum so that children of pre-school age establish secure foundations for future learning.  The school has not identified the most effective ways for staff to teach the curriculum. Consequently, staff do not consistently have the knowledge and skills they need to deliver learning effectively, including in the early years. The school must improve staff’s pedagogical understanding, so that pupils of all ages and stages learn well.

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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. 14 and 15 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). 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined Westcountry Schools Trust on 1 June 2024.  The pre-school has provision for two, three and four-year-olds. This became part of the school just before it joined the trust on 1 June 2024.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2023. The deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2024.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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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 14 and 15 January 2025

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued 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: reading, mathematics, religious education and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, teaching and support staff. The lead inspector met a representative from the trust board, as well as the chief executive officer and the director of education for the trust.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 lead inspector listened to some pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s improvement plan.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lizzie Lethbridge 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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