Godolphin Primary School

Godolphin Primary School

Address: Godolphin Cross, Breage, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 9RB Unique reference number (URN): 143977

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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 Strong standard

Pupils attend school very regularly. The caring and supportive staff make Godolphin a place all want to attend. Pupils enjoy school. They flourish completing the interesting and varied activities planned for them. Persistent absence is extremely low. When necessary, leaders use their positive relationships with parents and carers to improve pupils’ attendance and help them attend very well. Leaders provide effective support for pupils and families. If a pupil struggles to come to school, this support is successful in helping them improve attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils’ positive behaviour and attitudes to learning are evident across the school. Staff apply high expectations in every aspect of school life. Pupils, therefore, behave well and support each other. On the rare occasion that a pupil behaves less well, staff use effective strategies to help them. Bullying is rare. When it does happen, pupils trust that adults will help them and deal with any incidents swiftly. Pupils are taught how to manage their feelings and behaviour. They understand the school's clear approach to support positive behaviour. Pupils use their skills independently. Older pupils act as role models for younger pupils. Together, pupils and staff create a positive environment and help everyone focus on their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils’ needs are identified and assessed quickly and accurately. Staff go out of their way to build strong relationships from the moment they know children are attending the school. Identification goes beyond academic needs. It includes welfare checks, home circumstances or contextualised barriers to achieving, belonging and thriving.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Personal and academic strategies that reduce barriers for pupils are wide ranging and effective. The school’s monitoring and reviewing of progress for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is detailed and thorough. Information is used to plan the support and help them overcome academic and personal challenges. Pupils with SEND receive soft starts, regulation controls, rest breaks or pre- and post-teaching activities. Approaches all contribute to pupils’ barriers being overcome.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The impact of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is monitored closely by leaders, including the local governing board. The attention to detail of leaders work for this group is typical of their approach.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders work hard to maintain the school’s positive reputation, impact and position within the local community. Parents and external specialists are deeply involved and welcome in the school. Local parent stakeholders contribute to the school’s vision, so a seamless link is evident between the school and the local community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils enjoy the personal development curriculum. They recall with confidence their knowledge and understanding of key concepts, such as difference, tolerance and understanding. Pupils develop their understanding of differences across the world. They recall their learning about the challenges for some people living in Argentina and the hardships associated with extreme poverty. Content enables pupils to reflect wisely, learn eagerly, behave with integrity and cooperate consistently well with others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils proudly take on leadership roles, including school council, Crofty Eco-Warriors or head girl and boy. Opportunities provide them with an active voice and the chance to make a positive difference to the school and local community. Pupils become familiar with the terms ‘rule of law’ and 'democracy’. They use this knowledge wisely when voting for leadership roles.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are well prepared for the next phase of education. They are knowledgeable about money management. They understand terms such as mortgage, interest and loans. Attendance at careers events, hosted by the receiving secondary school, builds their knowledge and understanding of future ambitions. Pupils are enthusiastic about attending university, becoming a mathematics teacher, a fashion designer or an internet influencer. The curriculum ensures pupils acquire the knowledge they need to achieve and thrive in later life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including cricket, athletics and art club. They also enjoy opportunities, together with pupils from other local schools, to attend residentials to Bristol and Porthpean. Leaders’ rigorous and robust system ensures full participation for any child who wishes to do so. Activities such as the school choir singing at the local church or for the Women's Institute enrich pupils’ lives. Pupils are rightly proud of their sporting successes at local sporting competitions, including cross-country, football and badminton. Pupils feel welcome, valued and respected and have a deep sense of belonging within the school community.

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Achievement Expected standard

Standards over time in reading, writing and mathematics typically sit in line with other pupils nationally. Pupils perform well in the Year 1 phonics checks and Year 4 times table checks. Many pupils across the school are working at the expected standard over time. Pupils are suitably prepared academically for secondary school, having a secure understanding in English and mathematics.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils’ knowledge in some foundation subjects is slightly less secure. Their knowledge of different places of worship, such as mosques or synagogues, is limited. Older pupils use simple descriptions in geography to describe the capital cities of the United Kingdom or countries that make up the British Isles. Educational visits link effectively to the curriculum. Their contribution to pupils’ learning is powerful. Pupils recall visits, for example, to King Edward’s mine as part of history learning and use the learning gained to recall content back in class.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is generally securing pupils' effective grounding in reading, writing and mathematics successfully. Teaching approaches are used appropriately for the wide range of pupils in mixed-age classes. Activities are scaffolded to support pupils learning one step at a time. Some variation in the quality and precision of teaching exist. Generally, expectations are high but differ between subjects, for example handwriting and spelling expectations are not yet embedded across the school. Occasionally, teacher modelling of correct number formation, or digit location on squared paper lapses.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Checks on pupils’ learning are well established. Summative quizzes, standardised tests and ‘question level analysis’ are all in place. Staff questioning generally helps check on the depth of pupils’ understanding. However, at times the information is not used to adapt curriculum content or teaching approaches precisely enough. Therefore, pupils’ recall of key knowledge in some curriculum areas, such as geography or religious education, is weaker.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is ambitious, broad and content is increasingly challenging. Content is sequenced appropriately and checked regularly so pupils know more and can remember more. Occasionally, isolated activities in writing fail to build on prior learning. Further changes to the mathematics curriculum are rightly planned.

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Early years Expected standard

In Reception, children develop foundational skills for lifelong learning. Staff prioritise language development, early literacy and numeracy, while fostering respect and understanding of each other. Strong partnerships with the pre-school provider ensure detailed support for each child’s progress and wellbeing from the moment they start school.

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Early years Expected standard

Individual cohort needs are planned for using information from induction and baseline checks. At times, staff do not use children’s responses to check security of understanding, or adapt curriculum content or teaching approaches precisely.

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Early years Expected standard

Mathematics teaching follows the share, respond, expand, converse model of language development and explanation. Careful modelling and questioning promote children’s early concepts of more or less, when learning about numbers to 20. At times, staff do not extend vocabulary, language or consolidate learning to ensure security of understanding.

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Early years Expected standard

Mapwork of familiar places develop children’s understanding of the local area. Repeating spiral patterns and modelling circular movements using famous paintings by artists, such as Vincent Van Gogh or Andy Goldworthy, develop children’s fine and gross motor skills effectively. The early years leader is well respected, trusted and knowledgeable about the children who attend the setting and the wider families. She is well supported by committed and professional members of her team.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including governors, demonstrate a clear commitment to ongoing developments and take decisive action to secure improvements. Leadership restructuring and strengthened trust oversight are improving the school’s effectiveness. Improvements to the science and personal development curricula and pupils’ attendance are evident.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Effective moral leadership promotes the community-centred ethos, where leaders prioritise inclusion, wellbeing and relationships. Effective collaboration across a network of small schools supports capacity and expertise. Leaders’ willingness to act on external review findings and trust ‘risk assessment’ review processes are leading to further improvements. The information is used to form action plans that identify the right priorities to embed better handwriting, spelling and adaptive teaching practices.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors and trustees provide structured and increasingly effective oversight. Governors check the work of the school, when meeting with staff and pupils. They undertake curriculum visits and compare school results to similar schools. This means governors have a clear understanding of school context, including small cohort variability.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders use a wide range of information from checks on pupils’ work and teaching to hold a comprehensive picture of the school’s performance. They plan for future improvements so high-quality teaching, curriculum sequencing and leadership are embedded. While strategic leadership is effective, implementation at classroom level still has some variation.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors are attentive to staff workload and wellbeing. Staff feel they are valued and supported. Strong teamwork and collective commitment to providing the best opportunities for pupils are evident. Some staff are ambitious, wishing to take on additional curriculum leadership responsibilities.

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

Pupils at Godolphin are eager to start the day. They move sensibly from the playground to calm, purposeful classrooms. They quickly settle into morning tasks, such as reading, writing or practising spellings, knowing exactly what is expected of them. Staff greet them warmly and build strong, trusting relationships, so pupils feel safe, supported and ready to learn.

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

In lessons, pupils learn a wide range of subjects and experiences. They enjoy exciting texts, investigate scientific ideas and work through mathematical problems using practical resources. Teachers generally ask probing questions and encourage pupils to think carefully about their answers. Pupils respond positively to challenge and take pride in their efforts, particularly when they can share their work. At times, their spelling and handwriting errors are not addressed so these continue. For others, checks on their learning are not used to amend plans or approaches so they achieve even more. Staff work together effectively as a collective and cohesive team for the benefit of all pupils. Some wish to contribute more to subject leadership. Leaders, including governors, check that planned actions are having the desired impact on improvements.

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

Pupils enjoy learning beyond the classroom. They take part in enrichment activities, such as sports, outdoor learning and trips, and they speak enthusiastically about these experiences. At playtimes, they join in cooperatively, invent games, and include one another. Older and younger pupils mix easily, and relationships across the school are friendly and respectful.

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

When pupils face difficulties, staff support them sensitively. Pupils know they can talk to a trusted adult, and systems, such as ‘I wish my teacher knew’ boxes help them share concerns. Staff listen carefully and act quickly, helping pupils feel secure and understood.

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

Pupils understand the school’s high expectations. They respond well to praise and rewards, and behaviour remains consistently positive.

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Next steps

Leaders should raise pupils’ achievement further so that pupils consistently achieve well across the curriculum from their starting points, especially in handwriting and spelling. Leaders should ensure teachers, including those in the early years, use checks on the impact of teaching and the curriculum to embed adaptive approaches, especially in writing and mathematics, so pupils consistently achieve well. Leaders and governors should ensure subject leadership improves and they monitor the impact of their actions to check that what they intend to improve, does improve.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Crofty Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer Simon Hague, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Hosking.

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About this inspection

The executive headteacher of the school is Lucy Wandless and head of school is Colin Snook.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 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 executive headteacher, head of school, senior leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and a group of staff to consider their views. The lead inspector held a discussion with the director of development and director of education from the trust and members of the trust board and local governing body.

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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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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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School capacity

Inspectors visited all classroom to look at pupils' work, the curriculum and speak with pupils about their learning and wider school activities.

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School capacity

Inspectors spoke with some parents at the start of the school day. They considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.

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School capacity

Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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School capacity

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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School capacity

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 (final) 56% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 65% 60% 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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national average

2022/23 (final) 76% 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

2022/23 (final) 76% 71% 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

2024/25 (final) 75% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 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

2022/23 (final) 50% 44% 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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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 60% 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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 59% Close to average

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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

2023/24 (3 term) 4.9% 5.5% 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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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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