Grampound-with-Creed Church of England School, located in Cornwall, underwent an inspection on March 22 and 23, 2022. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as inadequate, with several areas requiring improvement. The quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision were all assessed as requiring improvement, while leadership and management were deemed inadequate. This marked a significant decline from the previous inspection, which had rated the school as good.
The inspection revealed serious concerns regarding safeguarding procedures. Leaders were found to lack effective measures to protect pupils, leading to a lax attitude towards safeguarding. Staff demonstrated insufficient awareness of potential risks to pupils, resulting in an increased risk of harm. Consequently, pupils were not reliably kept safe, which is a fundamental expectation for any educational institution.
In terms of educational quality, leaders and teachers were criticized for not having high enough expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. The curriculum was not well-planned in some subjects, hindering pupils' ability to build on their prior knowledge. Teachers were unclear about the essential knowledge pupils needed to learn, and pupils often did not understand their progress or what successful learning entailed. However, there were exceptions, such as in physical education, where the curriculum was better structured.
While most pupils reported feeling happy at school and behaved well during lessons, their conduct outside of lessons was less positive. Although bullying was reported to be infrequent, some pupils expressed uncertainty about the procedures in place should an incident occur. Pupils appreciated the opportunities to engage in various sports and demonstrated an understanding of how to maintain their health.
The leadership team, including governors, was found to lack the necessary expertise to effectively fulfill their roles, particularly in safeguarding. Their limited capacity to improve the school was evident, as they received inaccurate information regarding pupils' learning, especially in reading and mathematics. This lack of rigorous monitoring contributed to the school's decline since the last inspection.
Furthermore, the quality of education was not accurately assessed by senior leaders, who tended to be overly generous in their evaluations. There was insufficient checking of how well pupils were learning the curriculum, and leaders failed to identify appropriate areas for improvement. Subject leaders lacked insight into how well pupils were learning in their respective subjects.
Reading instruction was particularly problematic, with some staff lacking the necessary skills to teach effectively. The school's approach to phonics was not well understood, and many pupils were given books that did not match their reading abilities, hindering their development as confident readers. In the early years foundation stage, children had limited opportunities to develop their communication and language skills, which are crucial for learning to read.
The curriculum overall was not ambitious enough for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Learning was not sequenced effectively in several subjects, preventing pupils from building their knowledge over time. Teachers' use of assessment varied across the curriculum, and there was a lack of focus on what pupils needed to know and remember.
In summary, Grampound-with-Creed Church of England School faces significant challenges in safeguarding, educational quality, and leadership effectiveness. Immediate action is required to address these issues and ensure that pupils receive a safe and high-quality education.
