Poltair School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not yet consistently good across all subjects.

Pupils are not often enough making the progress they are capable of, especially in English and mathematics. Examination results in 2017 did not show sufficiently high outcomes in some subjects, including English and mathematics. Leaders have introduced systems and policies to improve standards of teaching, but these are not always applied consistently.

The school has the following strengths School leaders, including governors, have focused on raising expectations in the entire school community. This has led to a positive... response in many aspects of the school's work. The headteacher, governors and senior staff are showing strong leadership in addressing issues of slow progress.

Improvements are now evident for all groups of pupils. Senior leaders have worked to ensure that middle leaders received training and developed the skills to be more effective in raising standards. There is evidence of positive impact throughout the school.

The school's curriculum is suitably broad. Senior leaders are reviewing the provision to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of all pupils. Leaders have worked with considerable success to raise attendance.

These improvements have now been sustained over several years. Pupils' behaviour is good. The use of exclusion as a sanction has been reduced.

This reflects success in preventing poor behaviour. Pupils are polite and well behaved and conduct themselves responsibly around the school site. They treat others with respect and are tolerant of differences.

The school's arrangements for safeguarding pupils are effective. Pupils learn how to look after themselves and minimise risk of harm. Pupils have good opportunities to extend their learning opportunities outside formal lessons.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than average in size, and most pupils are of White British heritage. For a variety of reasons, a relatively high proportion of pupils join the school after the beginning of Year 7 or leave before the end of Year 11. The proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language is below the national average.

The proportion of pupils entitled to support by pupil premium funding is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average. The school currently uses four alternative providers: The Community and Hospital Education Service (CHES) in Camborne, Restormel Acorn Academy in St Austell, Penwith Acorn Academy in Penzance and North Cornwall Acorn Academy in Bodmin.

The school has been monitored and supported by the local authority's school effectiveness team. It has also worked with the Peninsula Teaching School. In 2016, the school met the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 11.