Cockernhoe Endowed CofE Primary School

Inspection of Cockernhoe Endowed CofE Primary School Cockernhoe Green, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 8PY

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of Cockernhoe School. They have a strong sense of belonging, describing their school as like having ‘another family’. From early years, pupils build positive relationships with staff and their peers. Pupils listen to and respect each other’s ideas. They know what it means to be a good friend, so bullying is rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils, but these are not always realised. The curriculum that pupils experience is not well balanced. Some pupils do not learn important information needed to help them better in the future. Some pupils with special educational needs and/disabilities (SEND) do not always get the help and support they need quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and are safe. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils understand the school rules and know why it is important to follow them. They know who to speak to if they have any worries. Pupils trust adults to help them sort out any problems they have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders place importance on broadening pupils’ experiences. Pupils enjoy learning about the school values such as friendship, cooperation and unity. They learn what it means to be part of a community and make a difference. Pupils learn about future careers, such as being a charity worker, a pilot and an author.

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better?

Leaders’ broad curriculum lacks the ambition they intend. In most subjects, leaders have set out the skills that they want pupils to learn but not the specific knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. This includes the vocabulary that pupils need to explain important concepts. Leaders do not check that the curriculum is being taught as planned. This means that in some subjects, pupils experience a disconnected curriculum. Teachers do not check on pupils’ understanding effectively to plan future learning. They do not help pupils to build effectively on previous knowledge, so pupils struggle to remember what they have learned. This is not the case for the early years, where children learn well.

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better?

Pupils enjoy their learning. In the early years, where the curriculum is well set out, children revisit previous learning. Staff check what children can do before moving on. Children receive the support they need to progress in their learning. Staff in the early years ask effective questions to support children’s independent learning. This includes solving problems and looking for more than one solution. This is not routine for pupils in the rest of the school. Across most subjects, teachers do not break learning down into small steps. They sometimes lack the subject expertise to do so. Pupils who find learning tricky do not always get the help they need to achieve, including pupils with SEND. 10 and 11 May 2023

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Leaders have implemented a new phonics programme and have trained some staff well. Pupils have books that are well matched to their reading ability, so they can confidently talk about the books they like and share recommendations. Leaders have created a love for reading. Teachers check what sounds pupils know and provide support for those who find reading difficult. Older pupils who are struggling to keep up with the phonics programme are supported to catch up, but could do so more quickly.

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Leaders have systems in place to identify pupils with SEND. This identification is not always accurate. Teachers do not always know precisely the needs of pupils with SEND. Conversely, children in the early years have their needs well met. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Despite this, some pupils do not always get the support they need because staff are not skilled in adapting the curriculum to meet their needs.

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Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They praise pupils when they make good choices. Pupils are polite and kind. They listen well to instructions and do their best in lessons. In some cases, when tasks are not well matched to the intended learning, some pupils become distracted. Pupils interact well with each other. They are willing to help their peers if they are in need, for example if someone is finding learning tricky or if they have fallen over.

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Pupils learn about other faiths and recall key facts about other religions. They confidently talk about how to stay healthy and active, and why this is important. Pupils attend a range of after-school clubs that develop their talents and interests.

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Leaders, including governors, do not check that pupils are consistently learning a high-quality curriculum. Governors do not always ask questions that focus on how well pupils are achieving or how well the curriculum is being taught. Leaders do not always make their expectations clear for staff, and this means that some staff do not have clarity on how to teach the curriculum effectively for all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular training and updates on safeguarding. They know pupils and families well and are quick to spot concerns that a pupil is at risk. Leaders respond quickly and appropriately. They build partnerships with external agencies to provide support for pupils and families in need of help. Leaders ensure that the necessary checks on staff are carried out.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to stay safe online and how to report concerns to adults. They adapt teaching if this is needed to help pupils understand potential dangers, how to report them and how to stay safe. 10 and 11 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not set out precisely the important knowledge they want pupils to learn in all subjects. This means that pupils do not learn the full curriculum well. Many develop gaps in their knowledge because key content is missed. Leaders must set out clearly the important knowledge pupils need to learn and provide training to ensure that staff have sufficient subject knowledge to teach the curriculum well. Leaders must also ensure staff check how well pupils learn and remember the curriculum.  Some staff do not have the knowledge to identify accurately the support that the pupils with SEND need. They do not adapt the curriculum appropriately for all pupils. This means that some pupils with SEND do not achieve well. Leaders must ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills needed to identify pupils’ needs and adapt learning so that all pupils make progress.  Governors do not have an accurate view of the quality of education pupils are

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

receiving. They do not ask enough questions of leaders to assure themselves that all pupils are learning effectively. Governors need to ensure that they ask questions that deepen their understanding of the curriculum, to allow them to hold leaders to account more rigorously. Governors must have assurances that leaders are doing what they say they are doing, to have a better understanding of the quality of education for all pupils.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 10 and 11 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255094 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has a breakfast and after-school club.  This is a Church of England primary school. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection took place in January 2018. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within eight school years.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with the subject leader, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their 10 and 11 May 2023

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learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also looked at other curriculum plans, including science.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher, subject leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  To inspect safeguarding, meetings were held with the designated safeguarding lead, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector also reviewed records, policies and documents relating to safeguarding.  To evaluate aspects of the school and leaders’ work, the lead inspector met with three governors and the local authority improvement partner.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.  To gather pupils’ views, inspectors observed and spoke to pupils, including at breaktimes. Inspectors reviewed the 17 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for pupils.  Inspectors reviewed the 44 responses and the 44 free-text comments submitted

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to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents.  The inspectors took account of the eight responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for school staff.

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Inspection team

Nerrissa Bear, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Michele Geddes Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 May 2023

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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