Cowling Community Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Cowling Community Primary School Gill Lane, Cowling, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD22 0DF

p.1

Outcome

Cowling Community Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love all aspects of Cowling Community Primary School. They are happy and proud to attend here. Pupils feel safe in this friendly, welcoming school. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and caring. Staff know the pupils well and take good care of them. The school helps and encourages all pupils to shine.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is varied and ambitious. Teachers make lessons interesting and fun. As a result, pupils love learning.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They follow the school ‘4Rs’: ready, responsible, respectful and resilient. Pupils strive to do well and are proud of their achievements. They work together cooperatively and play happily at breaktimes. Older pupils help the younger ones at lunchtimes. Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils are confident that staff will help them to sort out any friendship issues.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides many experiences to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils help to take care of the local environment. For example, they litter pick and help with the development of the local park. Pupils are proud of their leadership roles. They have the chance to be play leaders or reading ambassadors. The well-being ambassadors are trained to help other pupils. Pupils are looking forward to Voting Day, when they will choose new school councillors. 5 November 2024

p.1

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

Pupils benefit from a curriculum which is thoughtfully designed and sequenced. It is designed in a way which allows pupils to make meaningful connections between topics and subjects. For example, in geography, pupils learn about rivers and this aligns well to their learning about the water cycle in science. Connections to past learning are also carefully planned. Teachers are skilled in making learning come alive. Pupils are fascinated to learn about a modern artist whose work is on a subway poster. They rub their hands together with glee to explore the effects of friction. Pupils speak with enthusiasm and excitement about what they know and remember.

p.2

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

The curriculum for early years provides strong foundations for future learning. For example, children learn single-digit numbers inside out. They practise what they learn in formal sessions through exploration and play.

p.2

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

The school has put in place effective approaches to check pupils’ learning in English and mathematics. Teachers use their checks on pupils’ learning to identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. However, in the wider curriculum, the school is still working out the best ways to check what pupils know and remember. In these subjects, sometimes, teaching is not adjusted well enough to help pupils achieve as well as they might. The school has identified this as a priority for development.

p.2

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

Reading is a high priority. The school encourages pupils to be avid readers. Pupils enjoy hearing their class book at the end of every day. Staff teach the phonics programme expertly. Children in Reception learn to read at great pace. They use the sounds they have learned to read short phrases. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 read and spell with increasing confidence. Teachers check pupils’ learning throughout lessons. Pupils who have fallen behind get the help they need to catch up.

p.2

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

The school ensures that pupils’ needs are identified effectively. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from well-considered support that helps them to achieve well. The school’s inclusive ethos helps everyone to feel welcome. Staff are determined for all pupils to enjoy everything the school has to offer.

p.2

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

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Pupils understand the importance of attending school every day. Pupils are polite and respectful. The school promotes pupils’ pride in their school and local community. Pupils help to improve the local area. They learn about world issues, such as child labour and fairtrade. This helps to strengthen their understanding of diversity and human rights. Pupils have opportunities to take part in a range of sports. School clubs, such as chess and cooking, are rotated to give pupils a chance to try different things.

p.2

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

The school makes considered decisions in the best interests of pupils. Staff appreciate the training they receive and leaders’ consideration of their well-being. 5 November 2024

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some of the foundation subjects, the school is still working out how to check what pupils know and remember. Where this is the case, it is difficult for teachers to know how well pupils are achieving. Sometimes, this affects how well teaching is adjusted to help pupils learn the intended curriculum. The school should refine further the assessment approaches in these subjects, so that teachers have the information they need about pupils’ learning and achievement to ensure that pupils achieve highly across the curriculum.

p.3

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2015.

p.3

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. 5 November 2024

p.3

4

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 5 November 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 26 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher is new to role since the previous inspection. She previously held the role of deputy headteacher at this school.  There is a breakfast club and an after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. In addition, they met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. 5 November 2024

p.5

6

 The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors considered how the school prepares pupils for life in modern Britain.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  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.  The responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, Ofsted Parent View, were reviewed. This included any free-text responses. The responses to Ofsted’s online pupil and staff questionnaires were also considered.

p.6

Inspection team

Janet Keefe, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

David Harrison Ofsted Inspector 5 November 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7