St Teath Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong family feel at the school. The school's motto 'Together Everyone Achieves More' underpins daily life for 'TEAM Teath'.

Pupils of all ages behave well. They play well together and look after one another. From the friendly welcome in the pre-school, to the more individual support for self-esteem in readiness for high school, pupils' personal development is paramount.

The school has high expectations for all pupils. Staff know pupils individually. This leads to accurate identification of any barriers to learning.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met well. Pupils with lower attendance are supporte...d to come to school. As a result, fewer pupils have gaps in their learning and pupils achieve well.

Raising pupils' aspirations is at the heart of the school's work. 'Future Fridays' celebrate careers that are familiar to pupils. However, the school successfully provides pupils with wider experiences of exploring careers on a national and global scale.

This helps to challenge stereotypes and promote curiosity.

The school, with the support of the trust, have made improvements to the systems and processes which keep pupils safe. The culture of safeguarding at the school is secure.

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

The school and the trust have wasted no time in securing significant improvements since the last inspection. They have established a shared vision for an ambitious curriculum. There has been a focus on the design and delivery of a coherent curriculum from the Reception class to Year 6.

While there have been improvements in the pre-school, these are in their infancy.

The school has skilfully ensured the curriculum content matches the school's vision and pupils' needs. For example, passionate about its Cornish heritage, the school has woven this through different subjects.

At the same time, mindful of preparing pupils for life in modern Britain, the school ensures pupils understand and respect diversity. Enrichment activities are intentionally planned to build pupils' cultural capital.

Pupils study a rich curriculum that includes a variety of literature which helps them to learn more complex knowledge.

Improvements to the mathematics curriculum have had a positive impact on pupils' learning. are positive. Pupils are skilled at using mathematical vocabulary to reason and solve problems.

In the wider curriculum, pupils continue to learn ambitious vocabulary. In pupils' history books for example, they use historical concepts accurately to show what they have learned. Work across the curriculum is of high quality and demonstrates pupils' depth of understanding.

The early years' curriculum is not as strong. Children in Reception learn a well-sequenced curriculum with knowledge that prepares them for Year 1. However, children in the pre-school do not learn as well.

The trust, alongside the school have designed a top-level curriculum that meets the requirements of the statutory framework. However, this is not yet broken down into the specific knowledge children should learn at two, three and four-years-old. This makes it hard for staff to know if children are making appropriate progress through the curriculum.

Many subjects are taught well. In phonics for example, staff use subject specific strategies to deliver learning effectively. This is successful.

Almost all pupils learn to read with accuracy and fluency. Those who struggle, receive expert support to catch up. In some other subjects, delivery of the curriculum is less secure.

The school has not ensured that staff have the knowledge they need to teach all subjects as effectively as they could. Where this is the case pupils do not participate as well in activities or learn as effectively.

The trust and the school value all staff.

Staff benefit from the development of their subject and pedagogical knowledge. Where there have been staff changes, the school has acted quickly so that the pace of improvement does not slow. Everyone at the school is committed to continual improvement.

Staff are positive about the benefits of belonging to the trust's professional community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The early years curriculum has not been designed with the needs of all pupils in mind.

The granular knowledge that two, three and four-year-olds need to learn is in the early stages of implementation. Children in these age groups do not achieve as well as they could. The school should refine the curriculum so that children of pre-school age establish secure foundations for future learning.

• The school has not identified the most effective ways for staff to teach the curriculum. Consequently, staff do not consistently have the knowledge and skills they need to deliver learning effectively, including in the early years. The school must improve staff's pedagogical understanding, so that pupils of all ages and stages learn well.