Madron Daniel CofE (VA) School

Inspection of Madron Daniel CofE (VA) School Bellair Road, Madron, Penzance, Cornwall TR20 8SP

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 20 and 21 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value this school as a calm place where everyone is kind. They have no concerns about bullying and they know that adults will help them with any worries. This is because staff build warm relationships with pupils, starting in the early years. Most pupils show positive attitudes to their learning and move around the school sensibly. They play well together during social times and make sure that everyone is included.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Under the careful guidance of new leaders, the school has raised its ambition of what pupils can achieve. It has established a shared vision, reflected in the motto ‘rise up, take courage and do it’. As a result, there is a shared determination to improve many aspects of the school. However, much of the school’s work is in its infancy. As a result, the quality of education still requires improvement.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The wide range of opportunities the school provides to pupils is a strength. Trips and experiences enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils visit a museum to deepen their historical understanding, as well as attending St Piran’s Day parade in the local town. Pupils value their residential trip to London to learn more about the wider world beyond their village.

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

Since the arrival of leaders, there has been a sharper focus on the design and implementation of the curriculum. A change in the leadership structure across the federation has created leadership capacity to take rapid action to improve the school. However, many of these improvements are in their early stages and so have not had time to embed. As a result, some pupils continue to not learn well enough or achieve as well as they could.

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

Across subjects, the school has set out how pupils will meet the statutory requirements of the national curriculum in key stages 1 and 2. However, in some subjects, there is still more to do. This is because the school has not yet identified with enough precision the most important knowledge pupils need to learn. As a result, pupils are not building their knowledge securely based on what they need to know and remember.

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

The school has developed its approach to teaching. For example, pupils revisit previous learning to help them to remember it. Staff have benefited from training from subject experts, such as the English hub, to strengthen teaching. While there are green shoots emerging, there continues to be variation in how well the curriculum is taught. Consequently, some pupils are not learning the curriculum as well as others.

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

The school has prioritised helping pupils to learn to read. This begins when children start school. The school checks carefully how well pupils build their phonics knowledge and provides support for those pupils that need it. This helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers. 20 and 21 May 2025

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The school has taken many steps to address the deficiencies identified in the early years by the previous inspection. There is now a well-sequenced curriculum that makes it clear what children will learn across the areas of learning. However, much of this work is in its early stages. Staff do not have the expertise to implement the curriculum consistently well and so there is variation in how well children are learning. As a result, some children are not ready for their next stage.

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The school has worked on the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There is a clearer process for identification so that these pupils are supported earlier. However, as much of this work is in its infancy, some pupils with SEND do not yet benefit from precise support to help them learn securely. This stalls progress through the curriculum for these pupils.

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The school is calm and orderly. Routines are in place so that pupils know what is expected of them. Pupils have high attendance. This is due to the school’s work on sharing the importance of coming to school regularly to learn.

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The school teaches pupils how to look after themselves, such as the importance of a balanced diet. Pupils are supported to be active citizens through their leadership roles. They know they make a difference, such as ‘play leaders’ who promote exercise during social times.

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The governing body has recently been formed. With support from both the diocese and local authority, the governing body has set its vision and established systems to hold leaders to account. The governing body is focused on securing improvements for pupils. However, governors do not yet have a sufficiently deep knowledge of the school to check the effectiveness of the school’s actions robustly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school has not identified with enough precision the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember in key stages 1 and 2. As a result, some pupils are not building their knowledge securely. The school must continue to refine the curriculum so that staff are clear about what pupils should learn, and use this to support the assessment of how well pupils are learning the curriculum.  There is variation in how well the curriculum is being taught, including in the early years. As a result, some pupils are not learning the curriculum well and so have unaddressed gaps in their knowledge. The school should strengthen the expertise of staff to implement the curriculum effectively, so that pupils are well prepared for their next stage. 20 and 21 May 2025

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 Some of the school’s improvements for pupils with SEND remain at an early stage. As a result, these pupils do not get all the support they need to learn the curriculum well. The school should strengthen staff expertise to ensure that these pupils benefit from precise learning plans that help them to make secure progress through the curriculum.  Some identified weaknesses in the school from the last inspection have not been addressed quickly enough to ensure that all pupils have an improved learning experience. In addition, governors do not yet have a deep understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result, pupils still do not learn well across the curriculum. Leaders, including governors, need to ensure that the school continues to implement the necessary actions quickly and to carefully check the impact of these changes.

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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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the An Baya Federation. The headteacher is the executive headteacher of this school and another school.  Since the previous inspection, there has been a new executive headteacher appointed. They took up their post in April 2024.  The school is designated as having a religious character. The school is part of the Diocese of Truro. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school was carried out in March 2018.  This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. Pupils are organised into three mixed-age classes. The school accepts children from two years old.  The school provides a before-school club.  The school does not use any alternative provision. 20 and 21 May 2025

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

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Information about this inspection

 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 spoke with school leaders, curriculum leaders, staff, some members of the governing body including the chair, a representative from the diocese and the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the 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 also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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

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Information about this inspection

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 pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, the inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Esther Best, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lizzie Lethbridge Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 May 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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