Great Coates Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Great Coates Primary School Cromwell Road, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN37 9EN

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Emma Emson. This school is part of Harbour Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Richard Briggs, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christopher Cherry.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Great Coates Primary School embody the school’s motto of ‘success and happiness for all’. They are enthusiastic about learning and display a thirst for knowledge. Pupils collaborate with their peers very well. Pupils develop their character through the presentations they prepare regularly for their peers. In Year 6, pupils proudly deliver a whole-school assembly. They do this with confidence and clarity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has exceptionally high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Pupils achieve extremely high outcomes across all areas and at the end of key stage 2. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils who make excellent progress in all aspects of their education here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In Nursery and Reception, children learn routines quickly. This helps them to settle well into school life. Pupils’ behaviour across the school is exemplary. They are polite and courteous to each other, the adults in the building and visitors to the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop a deep appreciation of protected characteristics and fundamental British values. They understand these help to promote equality and diversity. Pupils are happy here and are proud of their school. 19 and 20 November 2024

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

The school has created an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND. It has defined clearly the important knowledge pupils need to know. This is meticulously sequenced to build pupils’ understanding over time. Teachers deliver the curriculum consistently, meeting the school’s high expectations. They check pupils’ learning often and correct any misconceptions promptly. As a result, pupils have an exceptional understanding of the themes they study in the curriculum.

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

Reading is at the heart of the school. Across the curriculum, teachers use books and texts to guide and promote learning in all areas. They read to pupils daily. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their favourite class reads such as ‘Planet Omar’. They read for pleasure at home and take pride when recording this in their reading diaries.

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

Children begin to learn phonics straight away in Reception. Staff are experts in the delivery of phonics. The school swiftly identifies any pupil who is struggling to keep up with the phonics programme. Effective support ensures that these pupils quickly catch up and become fluent readers.

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

In the early years, children interact with each other and the adults around them extremely positively. In Nursery, children take part in pre-phonics activities, for example learning songs and rhymes. In Reception, children engage eagerly in their learning. They answer questions confidently and extend their learning through mature use of the inside and outside areas. Pupils are well prepared for learning in key stage 1.

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

The school offers excellent support for pupils with SEND. It identifies the needs of these pupils effectively. Staff receive training to provide well-considered support so pupils with SEND can access the curriculum successfully. This support is applied consistently well across the school. In some cases, the school goes above and beyond the expected to provide high-quality, tailored support. This support is extremely effective. As a result, pupils with SEND are thriving.

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

The school has rigorous systems in place to keep attendance high. It has implemented innovative methods to keep attendance high profile. For example, the attendance mascot ‘Harold’ regularly hands out rewards to pupils and posts updates for parents on social media. A traffic light system indicates individual class attendance each day. Some of these strategies have also been rolled out to other schools in the trust. As a result, attendance is high and is improving over time.

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

The school holds an annual careers fair. This allows pupils in upper key stage 2 to investigate future education and careers options. Pupils have opportunities to become leaders in a variety of different roles. For instance, sports leaders deliver games for younger pupils at lunchtime, and digital leaders help plan an e-safety day. Pupils attend a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as choir, sports, yoga and film clubs. The choir perform a Christmas concert to a local care home. 19 and 20 November 2024

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School leaders work tirelessly to improve the school at every opportunity. The school provides high-quality professional development and training. Staff appreciate the support they receive to reduce workload. They feel valued and enjoy working at the school. Trustees and the local academy council have a strong oversight of the school. They challenge and support school leaders to provide the best education possible for their pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 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. 19 and 20 November 2024

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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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Great Coates Primary School joined Harbour Learning Trust in June 2016.  The school provides a breakfast and an after-school club for its pupils.  The school does not use any 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the principal, the head of school and other senior staff. The inspector also met with the CEO of the trust.  The inspector met with the chair of the local academy council and a trustee. 19 and 20 November 2024

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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’ interest first.  The inspector spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at different times and in different areas across the school.  The inspector met with groups of staff and considered the responses expressed through the online staff survey.  The inspector spoke to parents and carers and took account of views expressed through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Chris Sergeant, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 19 and 20 November 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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