Madron Daniel CofE (VA) School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 May 2025

Pupils value this school as a calm place where everyone is kind. They have no concerns about bullying and they know that adults will help them with any worries. This is because staff build warm relationships with pupils, starting in the early years. Most pupils show positive attitudes to their learning and move around the school sensibly. They play well together during social times and make sure that everyone is included. Under the careful guidance of new leaders, the school has raised its ambition of what pupils can achieve. It has established a shared vision, reflected in the motto 'rise up, take courage and do it'. As a result, there is a shared determination to improve many aspects of the school. However, much of the school's work is in its infancy. As a result, the quality of education still requires improvement. The wide range of opportunities the school provides to pupils is a strength. Trips and experiences enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils visit a museum to deepen their historical understanding, as well as attending St Piran's Day parade in the local town. Pupils value their residential trip to London to learn more about the wider world beyond their village.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the school has not identified with enough precision the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember in key stages 1 and 2. As a result, some pupils are not building their knowledge securely. The school must continue to refine the curriculum so that staff are clear about what pupils should learn, and use this to support the assessment of how well pupils are learning the curriculum.
• There is variation in how well the curriculum is being taught, including in the early years. As a result, some pupils are not learning the curriculum well and so have unaddressed gaps in their knowledge. The school should strengthen the expertise of staff to implement the curriculum effectively, so that pupils are well prepared for their next stage.
• Some of the school's improvements for pupils with SEND remain at an early stage. As a result, these pupils do not get all the support they need to learn the curriculum well. The school should strengthen staff expertise to ensure that these pupils benefit from precise learning plans that help them to make secure progress through the curriculum.
• Some identified weaknesses in the school from the last inspection have not been addressed quickly enough to ensure that all pupils have an improved learning experience. In addition, governors do not yet have a deep understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. As a result, pupils still do not learn well across the curriculum. Leaders, including governors, need to ensure that the school continues to implement the necessary actions quickly and to carefully check the impact of these changes.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)