Nanstallon Community Primary School

Nanstallon Community Primary School

Address: Nanstallon, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 5JZ Unique reference number (URN): 111914

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Most pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, attend school regularly. Attendance rates continue to rise because pupils feel a strong sense of belonging and enjoy their learning. Pupils arrive punctually, which helps them to settle quickly into lessons. Leaders monitor attendance closely and act swiftly when concerns arise. They work effectively with families and external agencies to sustain improvements and ensure pupils receive the support they need to attend regularly.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have created a safe, respectful and positive environment. Pupils typically behave well across the school. Children in the early years talk confidently about their learning. In lessons, pupils show positive attitudes and they are eager to share ideas. Occasionally, they do not take enough care with the presentation of their work. Staff apply the agreed behaviour approaches consistently and resolve disagreements fairly. Pupils trust staff and feel confident to seek help if they are worried. Leaders respond promptly to any incidents of poor online behaviour. At social times, pupils mix well and play happily together. They enjoy playing games and include others. Pupils say that bullying is not tolerated and that staff deal with any concerns quickly and fairly, which helps them to feel safe.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that prepares children in the early years well for key stage 1. The development of pupils' communication and language skills is at the heart of the curriculum. This helps children to build confidence and to develop their vocabulary when speaking, such as when making choices during independent learning. On many occasions, staff help children to deepen their knowledge across the different areas of learning. They share information about gaps in knowledge as children move further up the school to support a smooth transition.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff prioritise reading from the very start of the Reception Year. Children enjoy reciting nursery rhymes, hearing stories and singing songs every day. This helps them to be well prepared to learn to read. Trained staff teach phonics well. They give children regular opportunities to practise reading new sounds and words. Staff check carefully that children read books that match the sounds they know. This helps children to become confident and fluent readers.

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Early years Expected standard

The school works in partnership with parents to celebrate their child’s achievements throughout the year. Staff provide parental workshops so that parents can take an active role in their child’s learning, such as in the teaching of phonics and mathematics.

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Achievement Needs attention

In some subjects, pupils' achievement has shown improvement. For example, in mathematics, leaders have ensured that pupils can fluently recall key number facts. However, there are inconsistencies across the curriculum, including in some subjects beyond English and mathematics. Some pupils are not supported well enough to learn the essential knowledge they need to be ready for secondary school. For example, too many pupils do not secure the basics in handwriting, spelling and punctuation. This impacts how well pupils write across the curriculum as errors in their work persist.

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Achievement Needs attention

Younger pupils make a positive start in reading. This is reflected in the proportion of pupils who meet the expected standard in the phonics screening check. This has been at least in line with national averages over time. However, pupils' progress in reading then slows in key stage 2. As a result, some pupils do not achieve well in national tests.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum has undergone several recent changes, particularly in English and some other subjects. Leaders have provided staff with relevant training to support the teaching of the new curriculum. However, they have not checked rigorously enough on the impact these changes have made. As a result, inconsistencies in teaching persist. The effective practice seen in the early years is not consistently replicated across the school. Too often, teaching and the tasks that pupils complete do not match the ambition of the curriculum. Teachers do not check well enough what pupils know and remember to ensure that learning is closely matched to pupils' needs. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders adapt the broad and balanced curriculum thoughtfully so that pupils in mixed-age classes learn content in a logical order, including when class structures change. Typically, teachers teach phonics well. They use a systematic approach and check pupils' progress regularly. When pupils fall behind, they usually receive timely and targeted support that helps them to keep up with their peers. Conversely, this approach is not as well developed for pupils' written work. Here, the expectations of staff and the timeliness of support for those who need it lack rigour.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders mostly identify the learning needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly and accurately, but there is more work to do to ensure that staff consistently meet their needs well. Learning plans for pupils lack the precise information staff need to support them effectively. Leaders have provided some staff with suitable training about how to support pupils with SEND. However, not all staff have benefited fully from this offer. As a result, the support in place for pupils is not consistently effective in helping them to learn well.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The school has a firm commitment to include pupils with SEND in the classroom along with their peers. Nevertheless, leaders do not have a secure understanding of the progress pupils with SEND make. They do not check interventions or classroom support with enough rigour to ensure that pupils learn the curriculum well. Teachers do not consistently adapt learning to help pupils with SEND succeed. Too often, these pupils rely heavily on adult support to complete learning activities, or they receive work that is much easier than their peers. This limits the progress pupils can make and widens gaps in knowledge.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders work in partnership with professionals and external agencies to provide support. They use evidence to inform their pupil premium strategy and select approaches based on this research. Staff generally understand and implement the strategy as intended.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders are clear about the need to accelerate improvement across the school. They acknowledge that weaknesses in how older pupils learn to read and write have persisted for too long. Leaders have created action plans that reflect the right priorities, but the scale of the challenge means they still need to do more to improve pupils' learning. Leaders have started to develop teaching and raise expectations, but these plans remain at an early stage. Leaders, at all levels, are committed to making the right decisions for pupils. Staff receive relevant, research-informed training to develop their expertise to drive improvement.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors are passionate and committed to the school and they know the broad areas that need improvement. Nevertheless, they hold an overly generous view of the school's effectiveness. They do not accurately understand how well pupils learn, and their own checks on the school's work do not give them a precise understanding of pupils' current achievement. This limits their ability to challenge leaders robustly.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff feel well supported by leaders and value the steps taken to promote their wellbeing. They feel that their workload is manageable. Staff appreciate the open and approachable culture in the school, which enables them to raise any concerns without hesitation. As a result, they feel trusted and respected, with morale across the school positive. Parents and carers are typically positive about the school. They value the care and attention staff give their children and appreciate the welcoming environment leaders have created.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have shaped a personal development offer that reflects the school's vision of nurturing, responsible, caring citizens. Pupils are encouraged to develop confidence and resilience through a range of experiences. However, the offer does not provide a coherent approach to deepening pupils' understanding of how people's beliefs and experiences differ from their own. This limits opportunities for pupils to develop appreciation of cultural diversity. Pupils learn about democracy through events such as meeting their local member of parliament. That said, the personal development curriculum does not develop pupils' knowledge of fundamental British values as well as it should.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils take part in activities, such as first-aid training, which help them to develop practical life skills and the confidence to act decisively in an emergency. Through the personal, social, health and education curriculum, most pupils know how to keep healthy both physically and mentally. They learn about changes to the body through relationships and sex education. However, teachers do not always check whether pupils have fully understood this, which means that pupils' recall of some key knowledge is not secure.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils extend their musical knowledge beyond the classroom by learning to play a variety of instruments. Leaders seek to remove cost barriers so that all pupils can access these opportunities. However, the school does not have a systematic approach to checking the participation of pupils in wider opportunities, such as clubs and enrichment activities. This includes the participation of disadvantaged pupils or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders therefore do not have a clear picture of whether all pupils benefit from the full range of experiences on offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils learn the importance of community through performing at local events. They develop teamwork through sports tournaments. Pupils encounter guest speakers, who introduce them to the world of work, which helps to raise aspirations.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy attending this caring school, which places pupils' character development at its heart. Staff take time to build nurturing relationships with pupils, which helps them to feel well looked after. This begins in the early years where staff support children to feel settled in their new surroundings. This enables them to get off to a positive start. Staff get to know children quickly and support them well to learn effectively. However, there are inconsistencies in how well pupils learn across the curriculum as they move through the school. Leaders have made changes to help pupils know and remember more. Nevertheless, it is much too soon to see the impact of these measures.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy taking their learning outdoors, particularly using the school grounds. Through trips, such as in the locality, pupils learn to appreciate the beauty of the area in which they live. For example, pupils visit a local river to help understand its key features. That said, there is more to do to help pupils to understand the world around them. This includes developing their knowledge of cultural diversity to help them be prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils typically behave well and show enthusiasm in their learning. Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils work well together and listen respectfully to other people's views. Pupils participate in a range of clubs to develop their talents and interest, such as biking and table tennis. The school organises residentials to take pupils out of their comfort zones to build resilience.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) feel valued and happy in their education. Like their peers, they appreciate the pastoral support from staff. Despite this, leaders have not ensured that pupils with SEND receive the support they need to help them learn well and to increase their independence.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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Next steps

• Leaders should check that the support that staff give to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities reduces their barriers to learning so that they learn successfully. • Leaders should ensure that teaching supports pupils to learn and remember more over time and that teachers check that this is the case. • Leaders should ensure that pupils are accurate in their writing, particularly in spelling, grammar and punctuation, so that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education. • Leaders should ensure that the personal development curriculum fully develops pupils' understanding of important concepts, such as cultural diversity, which will prepare them well for life in modern Britain. • Governors should develop their expertise so that they have an accurate view of the school's performance and can hold leaders to account for the effectiveness of their work.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Sylvia Oaten.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, members of staff, groups of pupils, members of the governing body, an external school adviser and parents and carers.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Ben Stephenson This data is from 6 January 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 60% 62% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2022/23 (final) 70% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 73% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 70% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 38% 46% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 63% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 4.8% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.6% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 12.3% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 12.7% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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