Coton Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School

Inspection of Coton Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School Whitwell Way, Coton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB23 7PW

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 14 and 15 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone at Coton Church of England Primary School is proud to belong to this caring community. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They live by the school’s ‘5C’ values: care, challenge, courage, creativity and cooperation. Pupils are polite, kind and considerate of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour, including for the children in the early years. Pupils respond well to this. They take pride in their learning and listen carefully to their teachers. Pupils feel happy and safe in school because they know the adults will look after them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their lessons, saying learning is neither too easy nor too hard. Pupils are encouraged to do their best. Pupils enjoy following the new curriculum. However, with the exception of reading and mathematics, it is not clear how well pupils are achieving in all areas of the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have thought carefully about the experiences they provide for pupils to support them to develop their talents and interests. Sport is a big part of this school, with pupil participation in sports club being very high. Pupils thrive on representing the school in the many sporting events on offer, such as football and cross country.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has an accurate picture of its strengths and weaknesses. While there have been many improvements recently, leaders are aware that there is still more to do, and that time is needed before these improvements are fully developed throughout the school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have reviewed and put in place a curriculum for all subject areas. The school has considered what pupils need to learn and in what order they need to learn it. There has been a focus on reading and mathematics. The wider curriculum is continuing to be developed. However, the school has not checked how well pupils are achieving throughout all areas of the curriculum.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has ensured that staff have received high-quality training to be able to implement the reviewed curriculum, particularly in the core aspects of reading and mathematics. In these subjects, teachers rigorously check pupils’ learning. They ensure that pupils’ knowledge is secure before they move pupils on to new learning. When gaps are identified, teachers make adaptations to enable pupils who need additional support to catch up.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading has a high priority across the school. Leaders have introduced a new approach to teaching pupils to learn to read. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ reading. In Reception, children start to learn the basics of reading as soon as they start school. Staff are well trained to teach phonics. Pupils’ reading books match the phonic sounds they know. This has ensured consistency in teaching 14 and 15 November 2023

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reading throughout the school, which in turn contributes to pupils developing their reading fluency and reading with confidence.

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Children in early years have settled into school very well and benefit from positive relationships already formed. There is a focus on developing children’s language and communication to support them in learning to read. However, other areas of the curriculum are not as strong. While improvements have been made, some of the curriculum content does not ensure that children routinely access the learning opportunities they need to be fully prepared for Year 1.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well by the end of key stage 2. This is because staff know pupils well and are well trained to identify the specific needs of pupils with SEND. The school works well to include external agencies, when required, to support pupils. Staff provide the help pupils with SEND need to access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils behave well around the school. Low-level disruption is not tolerated. Pupils say that any poor behaviour is dealt with fairly by an adult. This ensures that pupils learn without any distractions.

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Attendance is improving. Pupils enjoy school, and most attend regularly. The school targets those pupils who struggle to come to school. Leaders work closely with families to support their understanding of the importance of attendance. Leaders provide the support pupils need to be successful in school.

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Pupils’ personal development is promoted effectively. The school provides a lot of opportunities for pupils to engage in wider curriculum activities. This enhances their learning in school. The school provides the chance for pupils to develop life skills, such as taking on leadership responsibilities by becoming play leaders.

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Staff feel valued and know that leaders care about their well-being.

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Governors have a secure understanding of the school. They provide challenge and effective support. Governors are aware of both what has been done to improve the school and what still needs to be done.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The implementation of the new curriculum is at an early stage for subjects aside from reading and mathematics. The school has not checked how well pupils are achieving in all areas of the curriculum. The school needs to ensure that all 14 and 15 November 2023

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leaders carry out checks on how well pupils are achieving in following the wider curriculum so that pupils achieve consistently well. n In the early years, the curriculum does not give children the breadth of learning opportunities to fully prepare children for Year 1. The school should continue its work to strengthen the curriculum in the early years to ensure that pupils learn the knowledge they need in all areas of the curriculum so they are well prepared for key stage 1.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 14 and 15 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 October 2008

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Information about this school

 In the last five years, there have been significant changes in leadership. A new headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed within the last seven months. n Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with senior leaders from the school, six members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors, other school leaders, members of staff and a representative from the local authority. 14 and 15 November 2023

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: art, early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work, where available.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lessons and breaktimes. Pupils shared their views with the inspectors on behaviour during discussions.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record and child protection records; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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 The inspectors spoke with some parents. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, as well as the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.

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Inspection team

Julie Winwood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ashley Best-White Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 November 2023

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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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