Kea Community Primary School

Kea Community Primary School Inspection report

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111861 Unique Reference Number Cornwall Local Authority 289078 Inspection number 3 °4 July 2007 Inspection dates Pauline Robins HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 192 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority D P Beaumont Chair Simon Marley Headteacher 24 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection Kea School address Truro TR3 6AY

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01872 272265 Telephone number 01872 272265 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 3 °4 July 2007 Inspection dates 289078 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Kea is a smaller than average primary school. Numbers have fallen in recent years and this reflects the local demographic trend. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage and none speak English as an additional language. Twenty four pupils are identified as having learning difficulties, which is lower than the national comparative figure. Four pupils have a statement of special educational need which is marginally above the national average. There are significantly more boys than girls in the school, with boys making up almost two thirds of the pupils. Over the past 18 months the school has been redeveloped and previously inadequate buildings have been replaced.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007

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Grade: 2

Kea Community Primary School is a good school and its pupils have benefited significantly from the recent improvements to the school buildings and facilities. Continuing to function as a school when major building work is taking place is never easy. The staff, pupils and governors have done well to keep their focus on education and have not allowed the building works to detract from raising standards. The school has a number of strengths which ensure that the pupils receive a good, well balanced education with many opportunities for good personal development. There is a school council in place but its development has stalled. It does not have a high enough profile nor does it provide pupils with enough opportunity to become involved in whole-school developments. This is a caring school where pupils are well looked after. The majority of parents are very supportive of the school. As one parent wrote, 'Kea School stands out for me as a school that

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Grade: 2

is also good at the things which are harder to measure…….it is a wonderful community where people care what happens and there is a great deal of teamwork, respect and creativity.' Pupils enter and leave the school with above average attainment. However, senior managers are not complacent and they set school targets which are challenging and strive for further improvement. Teaching and learning are good overall. During the inspection much good teaching was observed but also some weaker practice was seen which the school is addressing. Although class targets are set in literacy and numeracy, these are not always discussed sufficiently with pupils at an individual level and are not consistently referred to when teachers are marking the pupils' work. Senior leaders are accurate in their assessment of the school's strengths and weaknesses and are clear about areas for development. The school is successfully addressing areas of weakness

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Grade: 2

and there is every indication that the school has good capacity to improve further. However, senior leaders have been overly cautious when making judgements against the inspection criteria and were more conservative in some areas than the inspection team. Subject leaders are enthusiastic and are keen to develop their curriculum areas. They have begun to monitor through scrutinising and moderating pupils' work but do not yet have the confidence to use this information to hold their colleagues to account. The Foundation Stage is well led and managed. Many children attend the pre-school on the same site and there is good liaison and arrangements for transition. As a result the children are confident when they enter the Reception class and their standards are above average. Teaching and learning are good and pupils are well prepared for entry into Key Stage 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

• • Achieve consistency in target setting and the guidance pupils receive to improve their work. • Empower subject leaders to take greater responsibility for raising standards, monitoring and holding colleagues to account. • Develop the role of the school council to give pupils more responsibility and involve them in future school improvement plans. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007

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Grade: 2

When the children join the Reception Year, their standards are slightly above the national expectations. They make good progress and by the end of the year almost all have achieved the standards that are expected nationally and many have exceeded them. Although Year 6 pupils were not in school at the time of the inspection, inspectors were able to look at their work. The results of the 2007 Key Stage 2 standardised tests have just become available and these confirm the school's predicted results. The percentage of pupils who reached the expected levels in English and mathematics is above the national average and represents good progress for this year group. Similarly, at the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils are working above the nationally expected level in reading and mathematics. The school has correctly identified that in writing these pupils are slightly below the national average but are nevertheless

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Grade: 2

making secure progress. The school has reached the challenging targets it set for this year. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities also make good and sometimes exceptional progress. This is closely monitored, and appropriate strategies, sometimes beyond those found in most schools, are in place to support pupils. Where some pupils are making only satisfactory progress, this is a reflection of the quality of teaching and is being closely monitored and acted upon by the school.

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Grade: 2

From starting school, pupils make good progress developing as mature, confident and articulate young people. Children in the Reception class quickly learn to share and develop their independence and social skills responding to high expectations and good support. They continue to develop well throughout the school. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities learn to cope well. They receive good support and join in purposefully in school activities. Moral, social and cultural awareness is good and this is reflected in the good relationships and the good behaviour observed in and around the school. Pupils work well in groups and individually. Effective team building starts in Reception. Spiritual awareness is satisfactory. Pupils' opportunities for development are more limited in this area. Pupils enjoy school largely as a result of lively and interesting teaching and good attendance reflects this enjoyment. They

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Grade: 2

have good knowledge of how to stay safe and they adopt healthy lifestyles. They make a satisfactory contribution to school life and this is an area for development. For example, the tasks the school council is currently expected to carry out involve fairly limited responsibilities for the pupils and they have not yet initiated many changes. By the time pupils reach the end of their careers at Kea they are well prepared for embarking on the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good overall. Some teaching is of an exceptionally high quality and a small percentage is inadequate. The headteacher has identified the weakness and is taking appropriate action, coupled with support, to bring about improvement. Teaching is effectively monitored and the school is accurate in its evaluation of lessons, providing support where teachers need it. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007 Pupils told inspectors that 'the teachers make lessons fun' and, as a result, most pupils have good attitudes to their learning and make good progress. The enthusiasm and subject knowledge of the teachers shines through. They use questioning strategies to ensure that pupils understand the tasks set and are moving forward in their learning. They insist that answers are accurate and that pupils use language which is appropriate to the subject. The support provided by the

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Grade: 2

teaching assistants is good. They are sympathetic to the needs of the pupils but also allow them to develop their independence. Class targets are set for all pupils in literacy, mathematics and personal, social and health education. These are helpful to the pupils in knowing what they need to do to improve their work. However, the target setting process is not yet sufficiently sophisticated to ensure that targets meet the needs of every pupil throughout the school year.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum provides pupils with a good level of challenge and a wide range of experiences. It helps them develop independence and enables them to make good progress. It is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all pupils. Children's early introduction to learning in the Reception class successfully extends the skills and knowledge with which they enter the school. There is good continuity of experience between Reception and Year 1 but this is not as apparent between Year 1 and Year 2. Pupils use their literacy skills regularly across many areas of the curriculum. However, opportunities to use numeracy skills in a similar manner are not as frequent. A recent curriculum innovation is successfully extending pupils' cultural understanding, particularly that which stems from their local heritage. This adds more meaning and relevance to their work, especially in the humanities subjects. Learning and personal development are further supported

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Grade: 2

by visitors to the school, visits and residential opportunities. A significant percentage of pupils successfully engage in a good range of extra-curricular activities.

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Grade: 2

Staff provide good care for pupils, paying close attention to their health and safety. The procedures for ensuring they are well protected are robust. There is good support for pupils with learning difficulties. They make good progress as a result of the helpful support they receive and the effective work programmes put in place for them. Support and guidance for pupils' personal development are good and they are significant in contributing to the progress they make. Pupils are set appropriate class targets in literacy and numeracy. However, these are not always fully explained to pupils and not all teachers maintain an ongoing dialogue with pupils about their work. Some teachers give pupils clear guidance on how to set about achieving their targets but good practice is not consistent throughout the school. This is also reflected in the marking of pupils' work as not all staff adhere consistently to the school policy.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and senior leadership team work well together and have complementary skills. They recognise the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are taking action to bring about improvement. The process of self-assessment is accurate but they are overly cautious when making judgements on the school's performance. The headteacher has a calm and purposeful style of leadership. He has a clear vision for the school and recognises the need to achieve 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007 consistency in all aspects of the school's work. Middle leaders are developing their roles. Most have a real enthusiasm for their subjects and are committed to raising standards. Through the performance management process they have worked with the headteacher to identify and find opportunities to develop their areas of expertise. They recognise that the next step is to use their monitoring to celebrate and challenge the performance of colleagues and take responsibility

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Grade: 2

for standards in their area. The governing body has a wealth of expertise which has been of benefit to the school. The chair of governors has provided strong support, particularly through the period of the building project. The governors clearly understand the questions they need to ask in order to hold the school to account and have systems in place to verify the information they receive. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

4 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Kea Community Primary School, Truro TR3 6AY I would like to thank you all for the really enjoyable two days my colleague and I spent at Kea School. We were sorry to miss the Year 6 pupils but I am sure they had a great time at their new secondary school. We would like to thank the school council and the group of pupils who came to tell us about the work you do and what they like and would like to improve at Kea. We were particularly impressed with the way you behave so well and the care and respect you have for each other and the staff. Indeed you told us that one of the things you like about coming to school is that people are so friendly. Your recent test results show that you are doing well in lessons and you make good progress, including those of you who sometimes find learning difficult. We think that the curriculum is interesting and it gives you lots of good opportunities

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

to learn about your local environment. Kea is a good school but there are always things that can be improved. We have asked the teachers to do three things: • Make sure that you all understand your targets and are clear about what you need to do to improve your work. • Look closely at the work you are doing in different subjects and make sure that everyone is doing the best they can. • Give the school council more responsibility and involve its members in making plans for the future of the school. I am sure you will do your best to help the staff achieve these targets. Have a good summer holiday and all best wishes for the future of Kea School. Yours sincerely Pauline Robins Her Majesty's Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Kea Community Primary School, 3 °4 July 2007

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