Tregadillett Primary School

Inspection Report Tregadillett Community Primary School

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111948 Unique Reference Number Cornwall Local Authority 289111 Inspection number 31 January 2007 Inspection date Michael Barron 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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Tregadillett School address Primary Type of school Launceston Community School category PL15 7EU 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01566 772944 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01566 773990 Fax number 99 Number on roll (school) B Tibbetts Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mary Dolan Headteacher 9 December 2004 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289111 31 January 2007 4 °11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This smaller than average primary school serves a rural area of Cornwall. Pupils come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. All are from White British heritage and no pupils have a first language other than English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school which gives pupils a sound start to their education. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher, staff and governors share a vision of improving standards and achievement. They have worked well during a period of changes to the teaching staff to ensure the school has continued to evaluate its performance and implement improvement strategies where needed. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils enjoy school and value the friendly atmosphere. They describe their school as a happy place and say they feel safe. Parents appreciate that the school offers a supportive environment in which to learn and comment that, 'staff really care about the children'. Pupils work hard and try to do well. They display responsible attitudes, have a good community spirit and learn how to make sensible and healthy choices. They learn respect for others and are

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Grade: 3

prepared satisfactorily for their future life. Standards and achievement are satisfactory overall. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good and children achieve well. Pupils make good progress in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2 because of good teaching and attain above average standards. Teaching is satisfactory overall in Years 3 to 6 and pupils make satisfactory progress. However, the school has identified pupils' writing and problem solving skills in these year groups as areas in need of improvement. Standards are presently below average in Year 6 in English and mathematics because of the lower overall ability of this group of pupils. The school's curriculum is satisfactory overall. It is enriched by a range of additional activities that further develop pupils' skills and enjoyment of learning. Whilst provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is satisfactory, the school has still

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Grade: 3

to fully develop provision for gifted and talented pupils. There is also a need to ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to develop their understanding of the multicultural nature of British society. Procedures for care, guidance and support are good and contribute well to pupils' progress and their sense of well-being. However the quality of teachers' marking of pupils' work is inconsistent and does not always give pupils ideas of how to improve. The governing body fulfils its duties well and offers the school a good level of support and challenge.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Develop pupils' writing skills in order to raise standards in English in Years 3 to Year 6. • Improve pupils' problem solving skills in order to raise standards in mathematics, especially in Years 3 to Year 6. • Ensure that the quality of teachers' marking is consistent throughout the school and that it helps pupils to improve their work. 2 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 2007

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Grade: 3

Overall, children's achievement is satisfactory but is better in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2. Attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is broadly average but varies slightly from year to year. Children make good progress because of good teaching and this prepares them well for the next stage of their education. Pupils continue to make good progress in Year 1 and Year 2 because of good teaching and this is reflected in the school's results in national tests at the end of Year 2. Standards are satisfactory overall, although pupils attain better standards in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. Even though the school has worked well to improve achievement in Years 3 to 6 during the present academic year, it recognises that standards still have to improve, especially in English and mathematics. Areas in need of development include pupils' writing, especially extended writing, and their

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Grade: 3

ability to use basic mathematics when solving problems. The initiatives the school has put in place have already had some impact on improving achievement in mathematics in Year 6 and this was evident during the inspection. This group of pupils are now making satisfactory progress and are on course to achieve the challenging targets set for them in national tests. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make satisfactory progress overall.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' attitudes are good. They are eager to learn and they say that they enjoy being in school. They talk enthusiastically about how good they think their school is and about how the School Council gives them an effective voice in school affairs. Behaviour is good. Pupils are sensible and work and play well together. As one pupil put it, 'We have so much fun in our lessons we don't even realise we're learning.' Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils have developed a good understanding of how to keep healthy and fit. Older pupils are able to explain the benefits of fruit and vegetables in their diets and are beginning to make informed choices about what they eat. Their moral, spiritual and social education is good and pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong and how to stay safe. Visits to places of interest, for example Truro Cathedral, help bring learning alive and provide pupils with experiences of life outside their village

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Grade: 2

locality. However, pupils have still to develop a realistic understanding of the multicultural nature of modern British society. 3 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 2007

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Grade: 3

Overall, teaching is satisfactory but better in some year groups than others. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. It is well organised and provides children with a range of interesting activities which combine independent learning with teacher directed tasks. Adults work well to ensure children feel safe and secure. As a result children make good progress. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is good and ensures pupils achieve well. The introduction of new teaching staff, including an advanced skills teacher, together with improved teaching methods, has improved the teaching in Years 3 to 6. As one older pupil put it, 'Some lessons used to be boring last year; they aren't now.' Teachers use a variety of approaches to try to make learning interesting. Pupils often work hard but do not always present their work well. Teachers and teaching assistants work effectively together to help pupils with their learning, especially when

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Grade: 3

supporting pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. The quality of teachers' marking is inconsistent and does not always follow the school's policy of linking marking to improving individual progress by giving pupils a clear understanding of how to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets the needs and interests of pupils satisfactorily. The school has recently reviewed its curriculum in order to provide pupils with more opportunities to apply and use numeracy and literacy skills in other subject areas, for example, developing the use of calculating skills when cooking. However these initiatives have not been in place long enough to judge their impact on achievement. Whilst the needs of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are met soundly, the school has not yet developed suitable provision to meet the needs of its identified gifted and talented pupils. Satisfactory planning for pupils' personal, social and health education ensures that pupils become aware of the importance of fitness and well-being. Pupils also have opportunities to take part in a range of popular out of school activities, including sports clubs. Interesting visits and visitors to school

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Grade: 3

increase their enjoyment of learning and their knowledge of the wider world. The Foundation Stage curriculum is good. Children are provided with a wide range of opportunities which fully reflect their needs in all areas of learning and contribute to their enjoyment and their developing independence. The recent addition of an outdoor covered area now means that children have more opportunities to develop the skills associated with outdoor play. 4 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Procedures for care, guidance and support are good and contribute to pupils' sense of well-being and enjoyment of learning. Parents have very positive views of the school and comment about the high quality care and support their children receive. Child protection procedures are understood and followed by all staff. Relationships between children and adults are good. Pupils feel safe and say that they know who to turn to if they have a problem. Health and safety routines and risk assessments are fully in place and the school has established a single central record of staff checks in line with government requirements. Good induction and transfer arrangements help pupils to settle quickly into new routines and pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities receive an effective level of support.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher is a good leader who has a clear vision for improvement and has effectively ensured the school has continued to focus on raising standards and achievement during a period of changes to teaching staff. She has received sound backing from her senior management team. Together they have analysed and re-evaluated provision and taken action when weaknesses have been identified. New initiatives have already encouraged teachers to make lessons more relevant and interesting for all pupils, especially in Years 3 to 6, and this has led to improvements in achievement in these year groups. However there is still a need to improve the rigour of the school's systems for the monitoring of teaching and in particular the quality of teachers' marking. The governing body has good links with the school and fulfils its duties well, offering a good level of support and challenge to the school where appropriate. The school

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Grade: 3

works closely with parents, who value the fact that their views are regularly sought and taken into account. Resources are used well and links with external agencies, such as educational psychologists, support pupils' learning effectively, particularly those with learning difficulties and disabilities. 5 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 2007 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 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 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 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 3 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 2 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. 7 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 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? 8 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us feel very welcome when we visited your school. We really enjoyed our day and especially enjoyed talking to some of you about what you like the most about your school and seeing you work in lessons. A special thanks to all of you for being so friendly. Here are some of the things we particularly like about your school: • You attend a satisfactory school which gives you a sound start to your education. • You behave well and are very polite and well mannered. • We were impressed by how much you like your school. • Your headteacher and teachers take good care of you. • The children in the Reception class and in Years 1 and Year 2 make good progress in learning because of good teaching. Your headteacher and teachers can do some things to make your school even better. We have asked them to: • make sure that pupils in Years 3 to Year 6 improve the standard of their work in mathematics

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and in English, especially writing and problem solving • make sure that when teachers mark your work they all give you ideas of what you have to do to improve. You can help your school to get even better by working hard in lessons and doing the best you can. We wish you the very best for the future. 9 Inspection Report: Tregadillett Community Primary School, 31 January 2007

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