Coston Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Coston Primary School Oldfield Lane South, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 9JU

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this inclusive and welcoming school. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and nurturing. The school ensures pupils can share any worries and concerns they might have. This keeps them safe. Pupils know they will be taken seriously and be well looked after.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what they want pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve. Pupils try hard in lessons. They typically produce work of good quality and current pupils mostly achieve well in English and mathematics. However, the curriculum in some other subjects is not as well established. This means pupils, including those with SEND, do not secure as deep a knowledge and understanding.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the school rules. They behave sensibly in classrooms and around the school. Many pupils commented very positively on the changes the school had made to lunchtime organisation. During breaktimes, they play happily and show kindness to each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has thought carefully about how to provide pupils with a range of experiences that develop them personally. Pupils are particularly proud of applying for roles, such as school council and subject ambassadors.

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

The most recently published results for reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 were significantly below national averages. The school has been swift in their response to this. Leaders, and those responsible for governance, have accurately 26 and 27 November 2024

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identified the areas that need to be addressed. They are proactive at working effectively with external partners to make improvements to the quality of education they provide.

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The school has reviewed and redesigned much of the curriculum. As a result, it is typically well sequenced and identifies the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn. Currently, most pupils in key stage 2 learn more successfully in these subjects than published results might suggest. The school has recently developed systems for checking what pupils have learned in each subject more closely, and identifying who may be at risk of falling behind.

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In many subjects, the curriculum is taught well. Explanations are generally precise, and assessment used effectively. However, there are some occasions when teachers do not have secure subject knowledge. In these instances, explanations are not as clear as they need to be, and pupils’ misconceptions sometimes go unaddressed. Similarly, some teaching does not fully develop pupils’ vocabulary. As a result, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not build their knowledge as well as they should.

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Children are taught to read as soon as they start their Reception year. Staff model sounds consistently, and children learn to use effective strategies for segmenting and blending words. Pupils have structured opportunities to practise their reading and to develop fluency. Staff make careful and regular checks to identify any pupils who might not be keeping up with the phonics programme. These pupils are well supported to catch up with their peers. Despite many pupils’ low starting points as well as a high number at the earlier stages of learning English, most pupils learn to read fluently and achieve well in the phonics screening test.

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The additionally resourced provision for pupils with autism provides a nurturing environment and skilful support. The curriculum here has been expertly designed. It provides pupils with a wide range of experiences to prepare them for life beyond school. Staff know how to identify pupils’ needs, and most pupils with SEND within mainstream classes are typically well supported to access the curriculum.

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The school has developed a rigorous, supportive approach to improving attendance. Attendance has improved significantly and is now in line with national averages. Routines for behaviour are clear and consistent. The schools’ values underpin these. Pupils know what is expected of them. They listen carefully and have positive attitudes towards their learning.

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Pupils benefit from a range of experiences that enrich the curriculum and help to prepare them for life in modern Britain. This includes field trips in the local area to enhance their learning in geography, visits to museums and leadership opportunities, such as eco- heroes. For example, they learn about their rights and responsibilities, how to stay safe online and what makes a healthy relationship.

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Governors are knowledgeable and offer a high degree of both support and challenge. Staff feel well supported and say that their workload and well-being are taken into consideration. 26 and 27 November 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, explanations and development of pupils’ vocabulary are not sufficiently clear or precise. As a result, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not secure as deep a body of knowledge in these areas. The school should continue to provide ongoing support for teachers’ subject knowledge and monitor its effectiveness so that the curriculum is implemented in line with leaders’ ambitions.  On occasion, pupils’ misconceptions are not swiftly identified or addressed. As a result, pupils sometimes move on to new learning before they have a secure understanding of the important knowledge they need. The school should ensure that the agreed systems for assessment are consistently implemented.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2015. 26 and 27 November 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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Chair of governing body Darren Phillimore-Farden

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 July 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school has an additionally resourced provision for pupils with SEND.  The school does not currently make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s educational provision.  This was the first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and took that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspector also held discussions with a representative of the local authority and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 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’ interests first.  The inspector spoke to pupils during lesson visits and observed their behaviour in lessons and at lunchtimes.  The inspector considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. She also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Sabrina Edwards, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 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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