Costock CofE Primary School

Inspection of Costock CofE Primary School Main Street, Costock, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 6XD

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive from the joy and fellowship of school life. The school's positive ethos and ambitious values, including service and truth, encourage pupils to, 'shine like a star'. Pupils are happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful friends and welcome everyone to their school. They are proud of the school's family ethos. Reflecting the views of many, one pupil said, ‘The school might be small, but it is still mighty because we work together.’ Caring relationships between pupils are typical during social times. The oldest pupils serve lunch proudly to their younger peers. Pupils play with friends happily and enjoy sports together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. Pupils love school and enjoy learning new knowledge. They are confident and proud of their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers praise the quality of education that their children experience. One parent, typical of many, said, ‘The school provides such a caring environment for my children. The teachers are so supportive and do so much to make sure that the children in their care are happy.’

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

The school has set out a well-ordered and ambitious curriculum. Although some subject curriculums are new, there are effective opportunities for pupils to review important knowledge and connect new understanding to prior learning. For example, in science, pupils draw on what they know already about how sound travels to help them understand how whales communicate underwater.

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

Teachers use precise questions to deepen pupils' understanding. Their clear explanations ensure that pupils have an accurate understanding of new vocabulary. Staff in the early years make effective use of modelling to help children learn about mathematical patterns. The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. These pupils benefit from tailored teaching so that they can learn alongside their peers. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

The school fosters a love of reading. Many pupils read accurately and fluently. Well-trained staff deliver the school’s phonics programme effectively. Pupils enjoy learning new sounds. The books they read match the sounds they are practising. However, staff sometimes do not check closely enough that pupils’ knowledge of these sounds is secure. Pupils’ misconceptions are not always addressed quickly enough. As a result, some pupils do not develop their reading skills as quickly as they should.

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

Pupils have positive attitudes towards their education. They learn to embrace failure and know that making mistakes is a natural part of the process. Pupils are keen to reflect on their learning. For example, one pupil explained how art, ‘allows me to express my unique self.' Pupils embody the school's values to make positive behaviour choices. They earn and wear their 'integrity stars' with pride. 8 and 9 October 2024

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In the early years, warm relationships with staff encourage children to be confident and curious. Children collaborate happily with their peers, for example when constructing hedgehog houses with model bricks. They love being imaginative, for instance, when identifying tools in their pretend hardware shop and negotiating the sale prices.

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The personal development and well-being of pupils is central to the school's ethos. There are plenty of quality opportunities for pupils’ character to flourish. The popular gardening club is a hive of activity. Pupils love growing vegetables and being responsible for the garden's maintenance. They appreciate that being outdoors and working with plants supports their emotional well-being. Pupils learn about equalities. They know about important aspects of life in modern Britain, such as fundamental British values and how to stay safe online.

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The school sits at the heart of its local community. Governors understand their role and support the school well. However, the school does not always evaluate the impact of its work thoroughly enough to ensure that it is having the desired impact on pupils’ experiences and achievements.

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Staff value the consideration given to their workload and well-being. However, this is sometimes challenging, given that staff are often responsible for leading the curriculum in multiple subject areas.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are some inconsistencies in how effectively staff deliver the phonics programme. Some pupils have misconceptions about phonics that are not resolved fully. This affects how accurately and fluently these pupils read. The school should ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to implement the phonics programme consistently well, so that all pupils become confident readers as quickly as possible.  The school’s evaluation of its work to improve is not always focused sharply enough. Some aspects of the school’s improvement work are not followed up rigorously enough to check that they have had the desired impact. This means that the school does not always understand what is working well and what needs to change. The school should ensure that its work to improve the school identifies and then prioritises the key things that will help pupils be successful. 8 and 9 October 2024

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 8 and 9 October 2024

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of two unregistered alternative provisions.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club that are overseen by the governing body.  The school is a Church of England school with a Christian ethos. Its most recent section 48 inspection, for schools with a religious character, took place in July 2019. The school’s next section 48 inspection is due to take place within the next 12 months.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 8 and 9 October 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders from the school. The lead inspector met with governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects and considered the support provided for pupils with SEND.

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 Inspectors discussed pupils’ attendance and behaviour with school leaders.  Inspectors considered the views of parents who responded to Ofsted Parent View. They also spoke with some parents at the school gate.  Inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff. They held discussions with staff and pupils.  Inspectors considered a wide range of evidence, including documents published on the school’s website.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; 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.

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Inspection team

Donna Moulds, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Talbot Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 October 2024

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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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