The PTI Primary Impact Award

Calstock Community Primary School - Winner of the 2024 PTI Primary Impact Award

Calstock Community Primary School is located in a relatively remote and rural part of Cornwall. It works in partnership with Stoke Climsland School, within a Local Authority federation. The number of pupils with SEND is above the national average. The school welcomes children to a community of learning where they develop a culture of high expectation and aspiration but all effort and achievement, in any area, is valued.

During the last 18 months the school embarked on a journey to innovate and improve the teaching of Geography across the school and wider federation. To achieve this they initiated, delivered and field-tested a redesigned critical thinking Geography curriculum. Secondly, the Executive Headteacher organised and led two CPD events for the South West PTI hub schools, building on the learning of previous PTI sessions and developing approaches to global learning, critical thinking and fieldwork.

The curriculum designed and implemented is rooted in ambition and opportunity. The structure provides a progressive understanding of key geographical knowledge, skills and concepts, knitted together with a golden thread, stimulating and embedding, our children’s burgeoning sense of place. Subject specific staff meetings and training sessions were organised, inviting teachers to share practice, children’s work and approaches to the development of a stimulating learning environment. This work has now been shared by the Local Authority with other schools in Cornwall.

Teachers shared how they relished the opportunity to build on The PTI Primary Hub content and link it to a local area study. The simple fieldwork tips and resources shared were of great value and a range of resources were utilised to supplement this work. Connections were made to the wider global themes that children could explore in this environment, such as 'water', 'sustainability' and 'migration'. Subsequent delivery of the Geography curriculum across our federation and local schools has also utilised the learning from the CPD events. This has evidently developed the level of ambition and overall quality of children's taught Geography, the work they produce and the knowledge they acquire.

Appleby's curriculum is designed to cater to all pupils, incorporating local community context and rural experiences, whilst broadening pupils’ horizons and developing aspirations. The school prioritizes providing memorable experiences to enrich learning, aiming to cultivate lifelong learners. 

Appleby’s engagement with The PTI has had a significant impact on the development of the curriculum and the most notable impact has been in Geography. Geography subject leaders were inspired by the training they attended at The PTI Primary Hub with Paula Owens and immediately returned to school to action what they had learned. They conducted a rigorous review of our existing Geography curriculum and identified that, whilst the curriculum met statutory requirements, elements of disciplinary thinking and geographical enquiry were taught much less consistently. 

Subject leaders adapted the curriculum and delivered training to teachers across the school to enhance subject knowledge, effective pedagogy and to introduce the resources purchased following advice received from Paula. The "digimaps" tool, for example, has really brought learning to life. Children’s mapping skills have been improved exponentially and they have really enjoyed using the resource. For teachers, it has not only increased their own subject knowledge but has also enabled them to create resources that link much more closely with the knowledge elements of the curriculum being taught. 

Subject Leaders also developed a series of new units focussing specifically on the local area and developing geographical enquiry. The themes, all entitled The wonder of Appleby focus on a particular human or physical feature of our local area. Teachers are enthused and pupils are motivated through learning actively and getting out of the classroom and into the outdoors. Field work visits have seen children climbing mountains, conducting traffic surveys and exploring the town and our local area. 

Engagement with the PTI has revolutionised Geography at Appleby but more importantly it has inspired both staff and pupils. Teachers are talking with enthusiasm and sharing ideas and good practice not only through planned staff meetings but simply over lunch in the classroom. For subject leaders, this has extended to include colleagues met through the PTI Hub in other local schools.

Our Lady's catchment area has traditionally been relatively settled – the overwhelming majority of pupils (91%) are white British. The staff are committed, talented and professional; providing a caring, safe and supportive learning environment. Children enjoy coming to school and parents support the ethos, which is reflected in high attendance figures.

The school’s involvement with the PTI has had a significant impact on the school’s subject leaders, teaching staff and pupils. The English and Geography subject leaders have become real advocates for their subject; working with staff and supporting other colleagues to increase their pedagogy and confidence. The impact of their work has been recognised in our recent Ofsted inspection where in particular our curriculum was identified as a real strength.

Working with the PTI on areas such as Sense of Place, Shakespeare, Early Reading and Oracy had a major impact on standards and pupil engagement for these subjects.

Our Geography Leader created a successful collaborative project with a cluster all about Fieldwork Fortnight and Sustainability, as a result of attending the PTI Hub day with Sharon Witt and Helen Clarke. These themes formed part of an inter schools Creativity Day. Staff from different schools came together to plan and deliver the event. Prior to this academic year, our Geography Leader was new to leading this area so the impact for her has been remarkable and her subject knowledge has increased dramatically.

Results of national inspections, staff audits and pupils’ data highlight the impact of our work with the PTI. Pupils’ data in Reading and Geography has increased this year despite challenging KS2 SATS and pupils have gone on to excel in many areas beyond the academic curriculum. For example, pupils won both first and second prize in this year’s inter-school public-speaking competition with The Rotary Club, Wigan. Additionally, a previously timid child then went on to enter and be shortlisted for the BBC’s Presenter of the Year Award.