Copthorne CofE Junior School

Inspection of Copthorne CofE Junior School Church Road, Copthorne Ce Junior School, Copthorne, West Sussex RH10 3RD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 18 and 19 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are at the heart of every decision in this caring junior school. The school’s support for pupils who are disadvantaged reflects a highly inclusive ethos. There are lofty ambitions for all, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils rise to meet the school’s high expectations. They keenly demonstrate the school values of courage, creativity, confidence, compassion and curiosity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Published data for 2023 indicates that pupils were not always achieving positively in reading and mathematics. However, pupils now attain well. They achieve success with reading, writing, mathematics and the wider curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pastoral care is a strength, ensuring that pupils feel happy, special and valued. Parents herald the compassion and commitment of leaders, saying they ‘always go above and beyond.’ Pupils celebrate and welcome all faiths and cultures. The school nurtures individual needs as unique qualities. This is embodied by ‘autism ambassadors,’ an enthusiastic team of pupils with and without autism, who strive to make playtimes and school life autism friendly. Well-being spaces such as ‘Arthur’s Place’ and the reflection garden enhance mental health and happiness further. Pupils showed incredible patience and care for newly hatched ducklings, born on-site during the inspection. Pupils thrive with the rich opportunities that these special experiences bring.

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better?

Pupils with SEND blossom with high quality support. Staff collaborate to identify needs and design adaptations for pupils in every class in every subject. Dyslexia resources support pupils to work independently with pride and success. Pupils with English as an additional language skilfully use translation software for valuable support. Parents value the clear communication and help they receive. At the last inspection, the new leadership team had recently formed, and there were weaknesses with the curriculum and phonics provision. Since then, leaders have galvanised the school. The whole curriculum is now sequenced with clearly defined skills and knowledge. This has taken time to embed, so achievement was not reflected in published outcomes in July 2023. Pupils are now achieving well across the school. The sharp focus on subject leadership and teaching has particularly benefited disadvantaged pupils, who are flourishing.

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better?

Reading is highly prioritised. Pupils start every day engaging in high-quality reading lessons. They learn to read and analyse texts with effective guidance from staff. Anyone who struggles to read now receives dedicated support. Staff are well-trained and knowledgeable, running small catch-up groups which provide effective help. Pupils read books matched to the sounds they need to practice. As a result, pupils become fluent and confident readers. In writing, pupils plan and construct impressive narrative, argument and playscript texts. In mathematics, pupils grasp new concepts and apply them to solve problems. In subjects such as history and art 18 and 19 June 2024

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and design, staff support pupils to acquire skills through appropriate activities, produce high-quality work, and remember more knowledge over time. In core subjects, teachers check pupils’ understanding precisely. This is less developed in foundation subjects, which means that teachers may not always identify and address misconceptions.

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Behaviour is positive around the school. Pupils are polite, respectful and kind. Relationships are warm, modelled by leaders and staff, who always take time to celebrate pupils’ efforts. When pupils need help with their emotions, expert support helps them to regulate their feelings, so they feel settled and ready to learn. Leaders are working hard to improve attendance as it is not yet high for all pupils.

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The school prepares pupils for modern Britain with impressive work on online safety. Personal development is enriched through focussed projects such as healthy living week. Pupils learn about faiths and beliefs through a suitable religious education curriculum. Physical education, sports events, a rich club offer and a wealth of playtime opportunities keep pupils active and healthy.

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Leaders are ambitious, reflective and deeply caring. The school engages well with support from the local authority. Professional development has boosted knowledge and expertise across the school. Staff are dedicated, proud and happy. Morale is buoyant, as everyone feels part of the journey. Governors give expert support and diligent challenge, bolstering the success of this thriving school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Previously, pupils have not achieved highly in published data in reading and mathematics. This means that pupils may not have been well prepared for secondary school. The school must ensure that teaching and learning is consistently effective to ensure that pupils achieve highly in reading and mathematics by the end of key stage 2.  Assessment is not fully embedded in some foundation subjects. In these areas of the curriculum, teachers may not always precisely identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The school must ensure that assessment is used effectively across the whole curriculum to help pupils to securely learn and remember the key content over time. 18 and 19 June 2024

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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). 18 and 19 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Frances Strickley

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 March 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Chichester. The school last received a section 48 inspection in November 2023.  The school currently uses no 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 educa- tion provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, teachers and support staff.  The lead inspector met with five governors, including the chair of governors. 18 and 19 June 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For deep dives, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed and evaluated pupils’ work in English, science, religious education (RE) and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE).  The lead inspector listened to a range of pupils read. The inspector observed catch-up interventions to learn how staff provide extra support to pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and consid- ered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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 Inspectors spoke to a range of pupils to learn their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  Inspectors spoke to a range of parents and took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Scott Reece, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Catherine Cottingham Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 June 2024

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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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