St Petroc’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At St Petroc's, pupils feel happy and well cared for. Parents told inspectors about the positive and supportive staff.

There is a nurturing ethos based on the school's Christian values. Pupils are polite and friendly. There are high expectations for behaviour.

Pupils feel safe. Bullying is extremely rare, but pupils are confident that if it did happen, it would be dealt with quickly. Pupils behave well in lessons and there is little low-level disruption.

Children in the early years work well together and enjoy learning.

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. They are clear about the key knowledge and skills they want pupils to know.

...However, in some subjects, teachers do not check what pupils know and remember well enough. As a result, some pupils do not make as much progress as they could. Since joining the new trust, leaders have taken strong action to bring about improvements, but it is too early to see the impact.

Leaders ensure that pupils have positive relationships and are good citizens. However, some pupils do not know about fundamental British values and are not as well prepared as they could be for life in modern Britain.

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

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils and want the best for them.

They have ensured that the curriculum is well planned in all subjects. In the early years, pupils experience all areas of the curriculum through carefully planned activities.

In some subjects, pupils' learning is strong and pupils know more and remember more.

In these subjects, pupils are highly motivated. However, for other subjects, the implementation of the curriculum is patchy and pupils are not learning as well as they should. There are occasions when teachers make choices in the classroom that do not meet the needs of all pupils.

Teachers' checks on what pupils know and can remember are sometimes not effective. In these cases, gaps in pupils' knowledge go unchallenged. This hinders pupils' progress through the curriculum.

For example, in mathematics, some pupils have gaps in their key number facts and so they do not build up their fluency in number well enough.

Leaders have prioritised reading. There has been significant investment in training and resources for the phonics programme.

Pupils begin to learn to read in Nursery or as soon as they enter Reception Year. Leaders promote a love of reading, and most pupils talk enthusiastically about reading for pleasure. However, some children do not have enough opportunities to practise their phonics.

Assessment is not used as well as it could be. As a result, some pupils struggle to read their books fluently. They do not catch up as quickly as they should.

Leaders are determined that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) will learn the same curriculum content as their classmates. Leaders work well with parents and pupils to identify needs quickly. However, some staff do not adapt learning well enough for those pupils who find it difficult.

These pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Pupils with social and emotional needs are well supported. Parents told us that 'the staff went above and beyond' and 'nothing was too much trouble'.

Leaders are relentless in their work with external agencies to support pupils and their families, including those pupils going to alternative provision.

There is a very calm and respectful atmosphere around the school. Teachers use clear routines and have high expectations.

Pupils are positive and show responsible attitudes towards adults and pupils.

Leaders have devised a programme to promote pupils' personal development. Nevertheless, this programme is not fully embedded across the school.

Pupils learn that everyone is equal and to respect each other. However, some pupils do not appreciate people's differences as well as they should.

The school used to offer a wide range of clubs and wider opportunities for pupils.

Staff delayed starting clubs because of the move to the new trust. However, leaders plan to restart these in the new year.

Staff told us that leaders have supported them well through the move to the new trust.

Leaders are considerate of staff well-being and workload. Parents told us that the headteacher and the staff were friendly and approachable.

The local governors are supportive of the school, but they do not understand their responsibilities sufficiently well.

The trust has started to bring in processes to help governors carry out their roles well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school.

Staff are well trained and know how to recognise signs of abuse. All staff know what to do if they have a concern about a pupil's welfare.

All staff recruitment checks and training are completed to ensure that they are suitable to work with children.

Leaders update staff and parents monthly on different aspects of keeping safe. Pupils have a strong understanding of how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils know that adults will listen to them if they have any concerns and that they will help.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not been clear enough about how to meet the needs of all pupils. As a result, some pupils do not make the progress they should. Leaders must ensure that teachers adapt their teaching in all subjects to meet the needs of all pupils.

• Some pupils, who are at the early stages of reading, struggle to read fluently. This is because the books they read are too difficult. Leaders need to ensure pupils have books that precisely match the sounds they know so that they can develop their fluency, confidence and enjoyment in reading.

• The curriculum for personal development is not embedded. As a result, some pupils are not being prepared for the diversity of life. Leaders must ensure that pupils understand equality and diversity ready for life in modern Britain.

• Leaders have not established rigorous systems to assess how well pupils remember the knowledge they have been taught. Pupils' recall of prior learning is often patchy. Leaders need to ensure that staff use assessment effectively to check what pupils know and remember across all subjects.