Newquay Junior Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Newquay Junior Academy Edgcumbe Avenue, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 2NL

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The head of academy is Tania Findlay MBE. This school is part of Cornwall Education 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), Dan Morrow, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Geoff Brown. There is also an executive headteacher, Craig Hayes, who is responsible for this school and another primary within the trust.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Extremely high expectations underpin this ambitious and very inclusive school. Staff will only accept the best standard of work. Pupils respond to this challenge brilliantly. They attend regularly and enjoy school. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. They are immensely proud of their school and achievements. Staff teach the very carefully designed curriculum with skill and precision. This all helps pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to excel. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for their secondary education, reflected in their very high attainment in published outcomes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable. They conduct themselves beautifully in lessons and around the school. Lessons are consistently calm and purposeful. Pupils demonstrate that they understand what it means to be respectful and safe. Staff secure trusted relationships with pupils. They go the extra mile to know pupils’ individual needs, interests and talents. Wide-ranging enhancements to the curriculum, including an array of trips and visits, help pupils develop empathy and a deep understanding of life in modern Britain. Pupils extend their talents and interests considerably through plentiful enhancements to 1 and 2 April 2025

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school life. For example, they benefit greatly from a broad range of clubs, a range of instrument lessons and school events, such as musicals.

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

Newquay Junior Academy strives for excellence in everything it does. Leaders, including from the trust, are highly ambitious for pupils. They work together harmoniously to check with precision what is going well and to act where things could be better. The school has addressed fully what had been identified for improvement at the time of the last inspection. For example, there is a comprehensive, systematic approach to teaching reading for those who still need to learn their sounds. Staff check pupils’ phonics knowledge with precision and accuracy. Staff are reading experts. This all reflects the school’s wider commitment to put reading at the heart of pupils’ learning. High-quality texts are a centrepiece to learning across the broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils talk about books with joy and enthusiasm. They learn to read rapidly, successfully and for pleasure.

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

The school has an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum. Staff have expert subject knowledge. They deliver lessons that build on what pupils know and can do skilfully and very successfully. Tailored, regular and meaningful professional development feeds into ongoing enhancements to how the curriculum is taught. As a result, pupils learn new knowledge across the breadth of subjects of the national curriculum very securely. Pupils achieve exceptionally well.

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

The school is highly skilled at identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with SEND. Useful, targeted training ensures that staff have a strong understanding of how to adapt their teaching to meet a range of needs. Clear, widely understood, processes help staff to alert those responsible for SEND provision in a timely manner, when these approaches do not work in the way intended. The school works very closely with professionals from across agencies when advice or extra support is needed. When necessary, individualised curriculums are implemented very effectively to ensure that needs are met precisely and well. As a result, pupils with SEND typically thrive. Their needs are met well, while they develop independence and make strong progress through the curriculum.

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

Opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development are plentiful and exceptionally well used. The school’s ethos is built on establishing positive relationships, knowing each pupil as an individual and pupils developing strength of character. The school prioritises supporting pupils to know how to look after themselves, physically and emotionally. For example, pupils speak confidently about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe. The school ensures that extra-curricular opportunities are open and accessible to whoever wants to take part. For example, pupils appreciate the range of clubs on offer and how they can compete against pupils from other schools. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is invigorated very effectively through regular visits and school events. Pupils learn about different cultures, diversity and fundamental British values. They remember what they are taught, because ideas are

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

reinforced regularly and applied across all subjects. 1 and 2 April 2025

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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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good 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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 1 and 2 April 2025

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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Headteacher Craig Hayes (Executive Headteacher) Tania Findlay MBE (Head of Academy) Website www.newquayjunior.net

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a before- and after-school club.  The school uses one unregistered 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 met with leaders, including the executive headteacher, the head of academy and the special educational needs coordinator. He met with some staff. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 The inspector spoke to the CEO, deputy CEO and the director of inclusion from the trust.  The inspector 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 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 took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including the free-text responses. He also considered the responses to the Ofsted staff survey.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including leaders’ self-evaluations, their plans for school improvement, information relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour and documents relating to the school’s curriculum.

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Inspection team

Matthew Barnes, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 April 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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