Kingsteignton School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school's work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection.

The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Lee Goodenough. This school is part of Education South West multi-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Matthew Shanks, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Graham Austin.

What is it like to attend this school?

Since the previous inspection, there have been substantial changes to the le...adership and organisation of the school. The school transferred into a new trust, which has guided it well through a period of change.

The school is now in a more stable position. With support from the trust, the school has developed the curriculum to ensure that there are high expectations of what pupils can achieve. This is making a difference to how well pupils learn.

However, some of this work is in its infancy. Pupils are not yet building their knowledge well enough across the curriculum.

Pupils are happy, enjoy coming to school and treat each other well.

Their high attendance is evidence of their positive attitudes to learning. Pupils take pleasure in talking to adults about their school. Staff build warm relationships with pupils, starting in the early years.

This enables pupils to learn in a nurturing environment where they feel well supported. For example, the 'sunflower club' helps pupils with their mental health and well-being.

Pupil leadership roles help pupils to become responsible, active and respectful citizens.

For example, pupils in Year 6 take real pride in their roles as 'buddies' for Reception children in order to help them settle into school life.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum. Across subjects, the school has identified the knowledge pupils need to know and remember from early years to Year 6.

This helps staff to know what to teach and when. To support this, staff benefit from training, including from subject experts within the trust. This is helping staff to develop their expertise and to teach the curriculum more effectively.

With support from the trust, the school is improving the teaching of the curriculum. It has strengthened the support in place for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils benefit from early identification of their needs so as to gain the support they need.

The school has placed greater focus on helping pupils to secure knowledge into their long-term memory. For example, the school ensures that pupils revisit prior learning at the start of every lesson. This is supporting pupils to know and remember more.

However, the impact of some curriculum changes is at an early stage. Pupils are not building their knowledge securely based on what they have learned before. Consequently, they are less prepared for their next stage, including some pupils with SEND.

The school makes checks on how well pupils are learning the curriculum, such as through 'elicitation tasks' at the beginning of units of work. However, some checks on pupils' understanding are not rigorous enough to support future learning. Some pupils have unknown gaps in knowledge or make repeated errors in their learning that go unaddressed.

The school does not adjust the curriculum well enough to help pupils secure their knowledge. This means that pupils do not make the progress through the intended curriculum as well as they should.

Teaching pupils to learn to read and to develop a love of reading is a high priority.

Children start learning to read as soon as they start school. Staff receive regular training to ensure that they teach phonics well. As a result, pupils can decode and blend words with confidence because they are secure in the sounds they know.

The school checks how well pupils learn to read and support those who need help to keep up. This ensures that pupils become confident and fluent readers quickly.

Pupils show positive attitudes to their learning, and they know the school routines well.

This makes it a calm and orderly school. For example, pupils know what to do when asked to stop and listen in the playground. Pupils value the recognition they receive when they are successful.

The weekly celebration assembly is a highlight of the week for pupils where they celebrate earning house points together. The school promotes high attendance through regular monitoring and support.

The school supports pupils to develop their knowledge beyond the academic.

Through the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum, pupils learn about living in the wider world. For example, they know how to keep themselves healthy. Teachers teach pupils the importance of road safety and help them to keep safe when crossing a busy road.

Leaders and those responsible for governance have considered the pace of change to support the well-being and workload of staff. Staff value the support they receive to teach the curriculum, such as working with colleagues across the trust. However, some staff have concerns around the quality of communication.

Some parents share this view. Consequently, some unresolved concerns are impacting the development of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school is not implementing the curriculum well enough to ensure that pupils build their knowledge based on prior learning. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and so they are less prepared for their next stage, including pupils with SEND. The trust must ensure that pupils build their knowledge securely based on what they have learned before.

• Some checks the school makes on how well pupils are learning the curriculum are not sufficiently rigorous. As a result, pupils have unknown gaps in their knowledge or make repeated errors in their work over time. The trust must ensure that assessment is effective and supports staff to adjust learning to address pupils' misconceptions.

• Some staff and parents have mixed views about the quality of communication from the school. As a result, some concerns remain unresolved. The school and trust should continue to strengthen its systems for communication to enable successful working partnerships with all stakeholders.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2019.

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