Cosgrove Village Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Cosgrove Village Primary School 3 Bridge Road, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire MK19 7JH

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school's work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Cosgrove Village Primary School provides a safe and caring environment for all pupils. Pupils are happy here. They are polite and respectful. At playtimes, pupils enjoy being together and playing games. Older pupils proudly act as role models for younger pupils. Staff know the pupils very well. Pupils trust staff to resolve any problems or disputes calmly and fairly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff in the early years design activities to help children develop the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for their next stage in education. However, staff do not always support children to engage with these activities purposefully. As a result, some children in the early years do not progress as well as they might.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. Pupils try hard in lessons and most achieve well. This includes a significant number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school provides excellent, personalised support so that these pupils can thrive alongside their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school supports pupils to develop mature attitudes towards diversity and equality. Pupils learn to respect differences. They told inspectors that everybody feels welcome and part of the school community.

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

The school uses an effective phonics programme to teach pupils how to read. Children in the early years learn phonics as soon as they start school. Pupils continue to learn phonics through key stage 1 until they can decode words accurately and read fluently. 22 October 2024

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They enjoy practising reading from books that are well matched to their stage of reading. However, phonics is not always taught consistently well. Staff do not always model sounds clearly or resolve pupils’ misconceptions quickly. As a result, some pupils do not gain the knowledge they need to become fluent readers as quickly as they should.

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The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. In all subjects, the curriculum precisely defines the knowledge, skills, and vocabulary that pupils will learn. Topics are sequenced well so that pupils can build on what they already know and make connections in their learning. Staff adapt the curriculum effectively so that pupils in mixed-age classes encounter the right learning at the right time.

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Teachers usually present new knowledge clearly. They ask well-considered questions to check pupils’ learning and promote discussion that helps to deepen pupils’ understanding. Staff make sure that activities give pupils opportunities to practise what they have learned. They routinely provide pupils with feedback that helps them improve their work. Almost all pupils with SEND enjoy the same learning activities as their peers. Staff adapt these activities and provide suitable resources so that pupils with SEND can work independently.

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In mathematics and English, staff often check pupils’ recall of important knowledge. They identify when there are gaps in pupils’ learning, or when they have misconceptions, and solve these quickly. However, the routines for checking how well pupils can remember what they have learned are not as well developed in the other subjects.

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A small number of pupils with complex SEND benefit from specialised support in ‘the nest’. These pupils develop their communication skills and build their resilience. Routines and learning activities are designed to meet these pupils’ specific needs and interests. Other pupils with SEND also benefit from expert guidance that helps them learn how to regulate their emotions and behaviours so that they can benefit from the school’s curriculum.

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The vast majority of pupils attend school well. Incidents of poor behaviour are rare. In most classrooms, pupils display positive attitudes to learning and high levels of engagement. This is not always the case in the early years. Staff do not always communicate expectations to children clearly. Some children struggle to concentrate and maintain their focus on learning.

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Pupils learn to respect the school’s values: kindness, respect, honesty, perseverance, responsibility, and friendship. They enjoy the rewards and recognition they can earn for displaying these values in lessons and around school. The school provides well for pupils’ wider personal development. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and maintain good physical and mental health. Through assemblies and enrichment activities, pupils explore fundamental British values and learn about different faiths and cultures.

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Staff support each other well to create a positive learning environment for all pupils. They appreciate the support they receive to help them manage their workload and well-being. 22 October 2024

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Since the last inspection, the school has maintained its standards in most areas. However, the provision for children in the early years is not as effective as it was previously.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff in the early years do not always support children well enough to engage with the planned learning activities. As a result, children sometimes struggle to maintain a clear focus and secure their learning. The school needs to ensure that all staff know how to support children’s learning effectively in the early years.  Routines to check the impact of the curriculum in science and the foundation subjects are not well established. As result, teachers do not know reliably what pupils have learned in these subjects. The school needs to ensure that teachers often check what pupils have learned in the science and the foundation subjects and what they need to revisit.  The teaching of phonics is not consistent. Staff do not always model sounds clearly. They sometimes miss pupils’ misconceptions. As a result, some pupils do not learn to read fluently as quickly as they should. The school needs to ensure that all staff deliver

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately. 22 October 2024

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2019.

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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). 22 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Jude Busari (Executive headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher was appointed in 2019. She is responsible for this school and for another primary school.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 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 have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the assistant headteachers, the coordinator of the provision for pupils with SEND, and other school leaders.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 22 October 2024

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  Inspectors scrutinised records relating to attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils through discussions and Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors spoke to a range of parents and took account of responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Katie Towers Ofsted Inspector 22 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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