Polperro Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The acting headteacher focuses strongly on improvement. Teaching is now consistently good and pupil achievement has much improved.

Governors have taken highly effective actions to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection and ensure that the school's performance is now good. They continue to challenge school leaders in ways which drive forward further improvements. Subject leaders' planning promotes good practice within their areas of responsibility.

Pupils' behaviour is good. They enjoy learning and work hard. Because of the school's effective safeguarding procedures, pupils say they feel safe.

Teachers plan stimu...lating activities that successfully engage pupils in their learning. By the end of Year 6, pupils' achievement is good. Pupils now make good progress from their individual starting points.

A large majority of pupils are particularly successful in their English grammar, punctuation and spelling. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of the personal care and support they receive. Adults in the early years effectively use a range of approaches to develop children's basic literacy and numeracy skills.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Pupils do not have enough opportunities to write at length. This hinders their ability to fully develop their writing skills in a range of different situations. Teachers do not always use questioning in ways which deepen pupils' understanding.

At times, this limits the progress that they can make.

Information about this school

This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The early years provision consists of one full-time Reception class which also includes some pupils from Year 1.

All other pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 are taught in mixed-age classes: Years 1 and 2; Years 2 and 3; Years 4 and 5; and Years 5 and 6. The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below that found in other schools.

The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is average. This additional government funding is used to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after. However, there were very few of these disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2014.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The acting headteacher has been in place since January 2014. Governors are seeking to appoint a permanent headteacher.