The Bishops CofE Learning Academy

Inspection of The Bishops CofE Learning Academy Treninnick Hill, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 2SR

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

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The headteacher of this school is Rachel Murray. This school is part of Kernow 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 (CEO), Clare Crowle, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Parker. 4 and 5 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe in their inclusive school. They treat one another with care, respect and empathy. Pupils live out the trust’s philosophy of: ‘Work hard, be honest and help others’. From the early years, pupils feel they belong. They welcome, understand and celebrate each other’s differences. Pupils achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) flourish and participate, far beyond the classroom, in the wider life of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ambition for pupils to ‘Belong, Believe, Aspire and Achieve’ is embodied in pupils’ positive behaviour from the early years. This is underpinned with the school’s distinctive values and the ‘Blossom curriculum’. Pupils grow into caring and responsible citizens as they continue their journey through school. Staff build positive relationships with pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ contributions to the school community and beyond are exceptional. Pupils enjoy the vast opportunities that the school provides to nurture their personal development. These include charity work and performing in musicals. Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe on the beach and around water. Through these experiences, and many others, pupils develop a strong sense of confidence and pride.

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

The school’s curriculum is interesting, broad and ambitious for its pupils. The ‘Four Golden Threads’ of community, experiences, language, and knowledge and skills are carefully considered. They weave throughout the curriculum and help pupils to make connections between various concepts. In the strongest subjects, pupils learn, remember and recall important knowledge. Occasionally, pupils do not link their knowledge from different subjects as well as the school intends.

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

The school has benefited from the support of the trust to improve pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation. However, the school does not ensure that pupils link this with the knowledge that they gain in different subjects to create well-structured pieces of writing. This means that some pupils do not write as fluently as they could.

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

The school has crafted a curriculum where pupils are supported to grapple with big concepts. For example, teachers encourage pupils to ‘dig deeper’ in mathematics and they do. Pupils think deeply about problems and how to solve them.

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

Early language development is a priority. Checks on children’s communication and language in the early years are thorough. This results in precise support for children with additional speech, language and communication needs. Staff share songs, rhymes and stories with children to spark an interest and broaden their vocabulary.

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

Pupils learn to read well. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to help pupils to learn to read. Staff ensure that pupils at the earliest stages of reading are given books with sounds that they know. Pupils who struggle with reading are supported to catch up 4 and 5 February 2025

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quickly through additional support. They gain confidence as they learn to read with increasing accuracy and fluency. Pupils are enthusiastic readers. They talk confidently about their favourite authors and books that they have read.

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The school swiftly identifies pupils with SEND. Teachers adapt the curriculum well for pupils with SEND. Pupils get the extra help that they need to achieve their targets. The school has established a team of staff with exceptional skills in SEND. They provide effective support to help pupils learn well. This helps these pupils to keep up with their peers and achieve success.

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Pupils carefully consider spirituality through the school’s ‘Windows, Doors and Mirrors’ curriculum. They reflect their views on the world from a variety of perspectives. Pupils learn how to live out their own beliefs and values. They have a deep understanding of faiths and cultures through the curriculum, visits and special events. They have a mature attitude to visible and invisible disabilities. Pupils know how to keep physically active and mentally healthy. They learn how to maintain healthy relationships. Consequently, they are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Communication between adults and pupils is mutually respectful. This helps pupils understand how to meet the school’s high expectations of their behaviour. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and their school. They are keen to contribute to class discussions and debates. In the rare case where learning is disrupted by the behaviour of some, it is dealt with quickly and effectively.

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Governance at the school is effective. Local governors clearly understand their special role in the school community. They collaborate well with trustees and work closely with the school. When changes are introduced, trustees and governors consider carefully the impact on staff. Staff appreciate this and feel well supported to manage their workload.

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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 not ensured that staff have the expertise to support pupils to communicate the depth of their thinking in writing. Sometimes, pupils are not supported to draw knowledge together to produce rich responses. Consequently, pupils do not secure the depth in knowledge that the school expects. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to support pupils to write in the depth the school intends. 4 and 5 February 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). 4 and 5 February 2025

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School details

Website www.thebishops.kernowlearning.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There is a school-run breakfast and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not use any provider of alternative provision.  The headteacher took up her role in September 2024.  This is a Church of England school. The school is part of the Diocese of Truro. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in March 2023. The next section 48 inspection is due in 2028.

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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. 4 and 5 February 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.  The inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinators, subject leaders, the CEO, the deputy CEO, the vice-chair of the board of trustees and the chair of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of some pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning in

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other curriculum areas.  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 spoke with staff and pupils to gather their views about the school and evaluated staff’s responses to Ofsted’s survey.  An inspector spoke to some parents and carers at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Sue Costello, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Tustain Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 February 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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