Plympton St Maurice Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Plympton St Maurice Primary School Plympton Hill, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon PL7 1UB

p.1

Outcome

Plympton St Maurice Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Christopher Rickard. 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.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Plympton St Maurice are happy, enthusiastic learners. Pupils, including children in the Reception Year, love reading stories and creating their own versions. They relish learning a range of subjects and strive to do their best. There are high expectations for pupils to achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

From Reception Year to Year 6, pupils follow the routines of school well. They engage with their lessons and learn effectively. They speak confidently to each other. Children in Reception Year learn to take turns and to share well. At break and lunchtime, pupils play together cooperatively. The large field enables pupils to develop their physical health through running and gymnastics. It also supports their imaginative interpretations of the world around them. For example, pupils were observed conducting a funeral for a bumble bee.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their school. They value the leadership opportunities that they are given. For example, pupils experience democracy through voting for the school parliament. Other pupils hold the roles of eco-warrior and play leader with great pride. For instance, eco-warriors have implemented reusable glue sticks to eradicate plastic waste. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.1

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

Staff unanimously share the vision of leaders to develop pupils’ academic, social, emotional and physical well-being. The curriculum is well structured. It ensures that pupils learn progressively more complex concepts as they move through the school. Pupils are enthused by learning and aspire to do well. In mathematics, for example, pupils develop increasingly fluent knowledge of multiplication and division, which helps them to solve complex problems. In English, pupils learn a range of new words to enhance their writing. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. Pupils learn impressive knowledge about a range of subjects. However, in a minority of subject areas, pupils’ knowledge is not developed and strengthened as well as in others. Consequently, in some subject areas, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

p.2

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Staff are astute at identifying pupils with SEND. Through well-considered adaptations to the teaching of the curriculum, pupils receive effective support. This ensures that pupils with SEND learn with confidence and success. Teachers routinely check pupils’ understanding and address any misconceptions swiftly.

p.2

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

Reading is a high priority across the school. Pupils and children in Reception Year learn to read extremely well. Staff ensure that pupils make strong links between the sounds they hear and the letters and words they read and write. Through continual checks, staff identify pupils who may struggle and provide additional, effective support. As a result, for the past two years, every Year 1 pupil has met the expectations of the phonics screening assessments. Pupils love reading and listening to stories. They are eager visitors to the school library and the after-school reading club is popular.

p.2

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

Children in Reception Year learn to be kind, polite and friendly towards each other. They are focused on learning and develop strong skills and knowledge in preparation for Year 1. They learn to extend their talk into written sentences well.

p.2

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

Pupils learn about the world around them through the personal, social and health education programme. They learn about the importance of keeping themselves safe when online. Through caring, nurturing relationships with staff, pupils learn how to interact socially very well. Pupils who struggle with their emotional reactions to the world around them are provided with personalised support which is effective. Consequently, these pupils thrive at the school.

p.2

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

Governance is effective. The school is suitably held to account and supported in equal measure. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support for their workload and well- being. Parents and carers are similarly very positive about the provision at the school.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of subjects, the school has not ensured that the curriculum builds sequentially on pupils’ prior knowledge. It does not develop and strengthen pupils’ knowledge. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum is as well sequenced as in other subjects.

p.3

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Plympton St Maurice Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2012.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

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

p.3

4

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

p.4

School details

Website www.plympton-st-maurice-primary.org.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of Westcountry Schools Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.

p.5

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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher and members of the leadership team.  The inspector held discussions with the chair of the board of trustees, the director of education and the school improvement lead. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.5

6

 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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. She evaluated the views of staff from the Ofsted online questionnaire.

p.6

Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 April 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7