St Wenn School

St Wenn School

Address: St Wenn, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 5PS Unique reference number (URN): 111901

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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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Achievement Expected standard

Over time, leaders are ensuring that pupils' attainment typically provides them with a secure foundation for their future education. As a result of an effective inclusive culture, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers learn as successfully as their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

On the whole, pupils write well and benefit from increasing opportunities to practise this as they move through the school. Reading is a whole school priority. Pupils read well, securing early reading skills quickly. They describe a love of reading encouraged by the school’s impactful reading offer. Standards in mathematics are strengthening. Teaching of the curriculum and learning in books over time demonstrate that the published outcomes for the end of key stage 2 do not fully reflect the progress current pupils make.

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Achievement Expected standard

Generally, across the wider curriculum, pupils have a suitable recall of their previous learning. However, this is not fully secure across the school. Where the curriculum is embedded well, pupils recall learning and make links across subjects with greater success.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The majority of pupils attend well. The school places high importance on attendance. The school’s offer is such that pupils’ enjoyment of learning and sense of belonging means they want to be in school. On the rare instances where pupils struggle with regular attendance, leaders work with care to identify what the challenges are. Leaders and staff put in place sensitive and creative support and adaptations to encourage increased time in school. This typically has a positive impact. Leaders track attendance closely so that they can make a difference at the earliest opportunity.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils conduct themselves with consideration for others. The foundations for this start in early years where children learn the routines and expectations of being part of St Wenn. It results in a school were pupils feel safe, with little worries about the behaviour of their peers, such as bullying and discriminatory behaviours. Pupils have confidence that any concerns they speak up about will be well managed by staff. Pupils’ interactions and play at breaktimes are worthy of note. They support, encourage and include each other, making use of the different spaces and equipment available to them. In lessons, pupils typically show positive attitudes to learning. Staff make appropriate adjustments for pupils with additional needs, so they can take part in lessons. As a result, pupils, no matter the barriers they face, feel supported and are ready to learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad curriculum with priority given to basic foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Staff teach phonics well. They give pupils regular practice using the sounds they have been taught. Older pupils have plentiful opportunities to read a wide range of books. Important basic skills in handwriting and spelling are a focus for each class. On the whole, pupils get the support they need to close gaps in their reading and writing quickly. Standards in early writing are suitably ambitious, as they are in reading. Leaders are securing important improvements to the teaching of mathematics. They are building on the successful model and partnership working used in the English curriculum. It is making a difference to pupils’ mathematical knowledge and skills. This is evident in their books.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

On the whole, teaching helps pupils understand new ideas and revisit earlier learning. Staff typically use effective strategies to check what pupils understand and how well they can recall previous knowledge. These include ‘flip books’ and ‘double page spread’ assessments. Staff design helpful adjustments for pupils who need something additional or extra. This is based on their detailed knowledge and understanding of pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders make ongoing improvements to support effective teaching and learning across the curriculum. Sometimes the checking of the impact of these improvements is not as precise and informative as it could be. This leads to some inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is taught and meets leaders' intentions. For some pupils, it impacts on how well they retain what they have learned, beyond the exciting activities that enrich their learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Children benefit from a well-sequenced early years curriculum. Developing communication and language is a key priority. The learning environment is designed to encourage talk. Children, from 3 years old, use ambitious vocabulary in their interactions with each other. At the start of the day, children settle promptly into the established morning routines. These have a clear focus on children’s physical, social and emotional development, for example building strength in their hands. These daily activities also give children regular opportunities to practise early writing, for instance, develop a steady pencil grip and practise forming letters correctly. Staff introduce early mathematics through practical tasks that help children understand number. Staff deliver phonics lessons with consistency.

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Early years Expected standard

Children benefit from targeted challenges that increase their development across different aspects of the 7 areas of learning. This successfully provides the foundations for the curriculum from Year 1 onwards. Children, including those with barriers to their development, learn effectively. The outdoor space enhances children’s learning. Here, staff engage children purposefully in the set activities through high-quality interactions. These extend children’s play, building curiosity and encouraging problem-solving.

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Early years Expected standard

Children make appropriate progress from their time in pre-school and are prepared for Year 1. Parents and carers support children's development. They are warmly welcomed to take an active role in their child’s early years education.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the school is a welcoming and supportive place for pupils. Staff work alongside pupils and closely with families. This enables staff to identify pupils’ needs and barriers quickly and shape the support and adaptations they need. This begins in the early years. Adaptations made and support provided are successful in the classroom and beyond. As a result, pupils overcome barriers that may impact on their attendance, for example, or in meeting leaders’ high expectations for behaviour and conduct.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively. Staff know who these pupils are and the barriers that may present with them. Pupils known to social care and those in care benefit from leaders' and staff's detailed knowledge of them and their expertise in how to support them to flourish in school. Leaders use alternative provision with thought and care so that it has a positive impact on pupils’ education. This inclusive culture is helping improve outcomes for vulnerable pupils across the school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

There is an increasing focus on staff's training and successful partnerships with external professionals, such as the virtual school. This strengthens what the school offers. Leaders are alert to the need to check the impact of their actions and decision-making with greater precision and strengthened effectiveness. This is to gain the necessary assurances that provision is firmly embedded across the school and that it is making the difference that they intend.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including governors, have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and the areas that need improvement. Staff are proud to work at the school and of the positive culture leaders have created. Parents and carers praise the nurturing approach of staff and value the sense of community at the school. It provides a positive school experience for pupils and their families.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors fulfil their statutory duties and communicate openly with staff, parents and pupils. Leaders and those responsible for governance make decisions that are in the best interests of pupils. Examples of this include extending the early years outdoor space, developing an inclusive learning environment and impacting positively on attendance through 'fabulous Fridays' and mini band opportunities. Leaders acknowledge the need to increase the effectiveness of how they check on the decisions they make. This is in order to embed greater consistency across the school and ensure that their intentions are realised.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel valued and supported. They appreciate the care for their wellbeing and thought to their workload, as leaders drive school improvement. Staff welcome the training they receive. Leaders work with other schools and external agencies to share ideas and strengthen their practice. Leaders are increasing their collaborative working and support beyond the school. As this develops, the importance of growing staff expertise and accountability across different roles and responsibilities becomes more critical, in order to sustain the positive impact the school has on pupils' quality of education. Leaders are working to embed a more distributed leadership model.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders place high importance on pupils’ wider development. They consider carefully the experiences that will support pupils the most. This includes a residential trip to Bristol to widen their knowledge of the wider world around them. These rich opportunities prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. There is a tangible commitment to developing lifelong qualities and values in pupils, such as kindness, honesty, respect and tolerance. Pupils embody these as they go about their day in school. This work begins in the early years, building on children's personal, social and emotional development in Seahorses Class.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that there is an effectively planned personal, social and health education curriculum. The curriculum is adapted well to meet the needs of pupils at St Wenn. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), develop an age-appropriate understanding of how to maintain healthy lifestyles, positive relationships and understand risks to their safety and wellbeing, including online. They understand the importance of speaking out if they feel unsafe and how to take care of their own wellbeing and mental health.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils take part in a wide range of experiences that broaden their interests and help them develop confidence. They enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and sporting competitions that build determination and teamwork. Leaders track participation closely and make appropriate adaptations to ensure that all pupils benefit from the school’s offer, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. Pupils are articulate and able to debate their views with others. They talk confidently with adults and are able to question them thoughtfully. This equips pupils well for the social and emotional demands of secondary school.

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

Pupils at St Wenn are clearly proud of their kind and caring school and the community it sits at the heart of. Pupils start their school day with enthusiasm for what lies ahead. There is a sense of energy and eagerness as they arrive at school, greeted by a warm welcome from staff who know them well. There are high expectations and clear routines, which pupils know well. This is because they have been established from when they were in the early years. This sets the tone for pupils’ behaviour and conduct across the school day. It ensures that the school is a purposeful place to learn and grow. Pupils feel safe and want to be in school because they enjoy their time here.

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

Pupils embody the school’s nurturing ethos. They are welcoming and respectful. It creates a trusting space where pupils have confidence in staff to manage any worries they may have and support them with challenges they may face. These are rarely about unkind or discriminatory behaviour as pupils say that this does not really happen at St Wenn. Pupils are supported to treat others with consideration and contribute positively to school life. Opportunities include pupil leadership roles, such as reading ambassadors, house captains and eco councillors.

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

Pupils enjoy learning, and older pupils in particular talk in detail about what they know. On the whole, pupils achieve outcomes that prepare them well for moving on to secondary school. Reading is a school priority. Pupils enthuse about their whole class readers and the reading bench area. All of which supports an increasing love of reading.

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

Pupils benefit from the detailed knowledge that staff have about them. It ensures that any special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning and development

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Team inspector:

Sarah Jane Tustain, Ofsted Inspector are quickly identified. Adaptations and adjustments are appropriately made to support pupils to be fully included in all that St Wenn has to offer.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen their checking of the quality of provision across the school, including the curriculum, how well pupils learn and the impact of actions and decision- making, in order to assure themselves that leaders are making the best possible difference to pupils' education offer. Leaders should ensure that the approach to the curriculum, and how it is taught, is embedded with greater consistency and effectiveness, particularly across the wider curriculum, so that there is increased impact on pupils’ knowledge and awareness of the world around them, preparing them fully for their next stage in education. Leaders should continue to develop expertise in staff’s areas of responsibility so that this impacts on pupils’ development, learning and outcomes as fully as possible.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Alix Farquhar.

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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 (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, staff, pupils and parents/carers during the inspection. The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.

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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 currently makes use of 1 registered alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 22 September 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 6 years. National average: 26.5%

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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 needs support 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) 57% 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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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of 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

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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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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 59% ‘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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Persistent absence

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

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 14.1% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 19.2% 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.

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Urgent improvement

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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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