Landewednack Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff do not expect enough of pupils. Pupils do not remember the knowledge they need to be successful across the curriculum. The teaching of reading is weak.

Teachers' use of assessment is poor. This all means that pupils' work is of a low standard. As a result, many pupils are not prepared well enough for the next stage of their education.

Pupils show varied attitudes to their learning. Staff have not created a sense of urgency about learning. Strategies to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to learn with their peers do not work.

Consequently, pupils get distracted and do not do as much as they should.

Pupils va...lue this family-oriented school. They know the school rules and show respect for each other.

Pupils say bullying is rare. They live by the 'shine' values promoted by staff. Pupils recognise the contribution they make to the local community.

Pupils who find managing their own behaviour challenging are supported well.

Staff are very caring. They know pupils' personalities well.

Staff look to support pupils as much as possible. This means pupils rightly feel safe. However, pupils rely on adult support too much.

Pupils do not learn to take responsibility for themselves, particularly in lessons.

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

Leaders fail to insist on high standards. Teachers expect too little of pupils.

The standard of pupils' work across the curriculum is poor. While pupils with SEND learn with their peers, weaknesses in teaching hinder their learning, as it does all pupils. Overall, pupils do not learn the basic knowledge required to be ready for the next stage of their education.

Curriculum planning does not reflect leaders' ambition for pupils. Learning is not well sequenced. This means that pupils' knowledge is often jumbled and unclear.

Pupils do not remember crucial knowledge, particularly in English, mathematics and the humanities. For example, in history, pupils remember the punishments people received in the past. However, they do not know how important periods of time relate to each other or when key historical events took place.

Leaders in the school and the trust are not aware of the poor standards. Leaders' checks on the quality of education are too sporadic and rely too much on data. This means low expectations and weaknesses in practice go unchallenged.

For example, some staff do not insist that pupils write their letters accurately in phonics sessions. Others intervene too quickly before pupils are given time to think. This limits pupils' progress in learning and remembering more of the intended curriculum.

Leaders' plans for improving the school are not focused on the right things. This is because leaders' evaluations of the school are overly generous and lack precision.

The implementation of the reading curriculum is weak.

Too little is expected of pupils. Pupils do not participate fully in all aspects of phonics sessions. When pupils lose focus, this goes unnoticed, and so gaps in knowledge grow.

Teachers do not insist that pupils watch and listen when new sounds are being learned. Pupils learn that if they find something hard, adults will fill the gaps for them. Consequently, pupils struggle to remember all the sounds they have been taught and cannot blend sounds independently.

Pupils do not take books home that are matched to the sounds they are learning. Early readers encounter words such as 'picturesque' and 'chaperone', which they cannot decode. Their memory of tricky words, such as 'was' and 'said', is also limited.

This all means that reading fluency is often weak. Pupils' ability to read books on their own is hindered. Pupils struggle.

This holds back their love of reading.

Provision in the early years is poor. Leaders expect too little.

The activities offered do not reflect the needs and interests of children or promote effective learning. Children often play in an unconstructive way. Adults do not engage well enough with them to ensure that sessions are purposeful.

Communication and language are not promoted well, despite leaders recognising this as a key challenge for many children. Consequently, children's progress is limited. They disengage from learning before they have even started school.

Landewednack is a caring school. Pupils' personal development is promoted in a range of ways. Pupils enjoy learning outside and through trips and visits.

Staff are well trained in approaches to support pupils with their mental health. However, weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum are mirrored in the implementation of the personal, social and health education. Consequently, pupils' personal development could be better.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established clear policies and processes that underpin safeguarding practice. Pupils are safe.

There is a designated member of the local governing board who oversees safeguarding. Staff follow policies and processes diligently. There is regular training for staff, including in how to identify, report, record and escalate concerns about pupils at potential risk.

Staff know pupils particularly well. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides useful support to promote pupils' well-being and respond to specific needs. Consequently, pupils know they are cared for and who to go to if they have a concern.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders are clear about their aspiration for pupils. They have worked on improving curriculum planning and organisation to achieve this. However, the implementation of the intended curriculum has many weaknesses.

Leaders need to improve the impact of teachers' practice so that pupils learn more and remember more of the curriculum. ? The reading curriculum is weak. Leaders' attempts to use the resources they have, have had limited impact on pupils' ability to read effectively.

Many pupils do not like reading, because they find it hard. Leaders need to embed a systematic approach to teaching phonics. This should include ensuring that pupils who are early readers have access to books that they can read on their own.

• Teachers' expectations are too low. Pupils learn to rely on adult support and do not acquire positive attitudes to learning. This contributes to slow learning and low standards of work across the curriculum.

Leaders should raise their own expectations and those of teachers so that pupils are better prepared for the next stage of their education. ? Provision in the early years is ineffective. Children like attending and build trusted relationships with adults.

However, the positive relationships and assessment of children's learning are not used well enough to promote children's development. Children in the early years do not acquire the language and communication skills they need to be ready to start school. Similarly, they do not develop the learning behaviours they should have by the time they are five years old.

Leaders need to develop their intent, and improve the implementation, of the early years curriculum as a matter of urgency. ? Leaders' monitoring and systems for accountability are flawed. An overreliance on data and word of mouth means that trust and school leaders are unaware of the low standards and expectations.

The effectiveness of governance arrangements needs to be improved. Local leaders should improve the quality of monitoring to be better informed about provision. In turn, clear systems of accountability should be used to raise expectations and improve outcomes for pupils.