Pot Kiln Primary School

Pot Kiln Primary School

Address: Butt Road, Great Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 0DS Unique reference number (URN): 124536

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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This school requires significant improvement

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the Nursery and Reception Years are welcomed into a caring environment. Staff ensure that they get to know each child well. They treat children with respect and support children with warmth, kindness and care.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all children to achieve well. Leaders have established a well-sequenced and detailed curriculum. They identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities promptly and adapt the provision well to help these children learn alongside their peers. This allows all children to develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of their education.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff ensure that learning activities are purposeful. They provide opportunities for children to develop their vocabulary and their knowledge of the wider world through books, stories and poems. Children listen attentively to stories, for example, about a trip to the beach, and they enjoy participating in the related learning activities. As a result, children build their vocabulary, apply their learning in different contexts and sustain concentration for extended periods. Staff model language well, helping children to broaden their vocabulary and communicate with confidence. They ensure that children develop the physical skills required to hold a pencil and form letters correctly. As a result, children are well prepared for writing. Children in the early years provision make good progress from their starting points.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have carefully designed the school's provision for pupils’ personal development. It is a strength of the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils relish leadership opportunities, such as being members of the collective worship team. Through the school council, pupils help leaders to make decisions, such as how to redesign the playground. Members of the pupil wellbeing committee support their peers to develop resilience.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils enjoy attending the clubs that the school offers. These include crochet, nurture and gym. Leaders check closely which pupils benefit from attending clubs. They encourage disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to engage with activities to support their development and wellbeing. Leaders encourage pupils to explore their individual talents. For example, they connect pupils with opportunities in sport and the arts beyond school. As a result, pupils develop confidence, resilience and pride in

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Needs attention

their achievements. Residential trips, outdoor learning and musical performances further enhance pupils’ character development.

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Needs attention

Pupils develop respect and tolerance for a range of different religious beliefs. They demonstrate the fundamental British values through their actions and conduct. Pupils learn to challenge stereotypes. They know why it is important to embrace equality and diversity.

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Needs attention

Pupils learn about online safety. For example, pupils understand both the dangers and the advantages of using social media. Pupils know how to keep themselves physically healthy. They can identify the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

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Needs attention

The school’s pastoral provision is effective, enhancing pupils' behaviour and wellbeing. Targeted support helps pupils understand their own, and others', emotions. Lunchtime clubs are enjoyed by pupils who find unstructured playtimes difficult. Staff also signpost families to appropriate sources of support. Consequently, pupils receive the help necessary to meet their needs.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils' overall attendance is below national averages. Some pupils miss school too often, and this interrupts their learning. This is particularly the case for some disadvantaged pupils. As a result, these pupils do not learn as well as they should, and they do not benefit fully from the curriculum.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have implemented a range of strategies to improve attendance and reduce persistent absence. These include providing incentives and rewards for good attendance and working closely with families to address barriers that prevent pupils from coming to school often. However, leaders do not evaluate the impact of these attendance strategies precisely enough. They are unsure which of their actions are most effective in improving attendance. As a result, low attendance continues to hinder some pupils' progress through the curriculum.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders' actions to improve behaviour have had a positive impact. Raised expectations and targeted training mean that staff apply the school's behaviour systems consistently. Effective support for pupils who need to improve their behaviour has resulted in a reduction in suspensions. Parents and carers, staff and pupils recognise these improvements in behaviour. Pupils around the school generally behave politely and respectfully. Most pupils engage well during lessons. Bullying is not common. Leaders deal with incidents of bullying, discrimination and derogatory language swiftly and effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have introduced changes to the teaching of English and mathematics and provided staff with training to support teaching improvements. However, this work remains at an early stage and is not embedded securely across the school. Leaders do not check if staff implement agreed approaches consistently. As a result, practice varies between classes and subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Classrooms are typically calm, and pupils are usually focused on learning. However, teachers do not check pupils' understanding of new learning consistently well. As a result, they do not spot misconceptions and gaps in pupils' learning promptly enough and then adapt teaching swiftly to meet pupils' needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

While staff use some effective strategies to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), this support results in some pupils becoming overly reliant on staff assistance. This limits opportunities for these pupils to work independently and practise applying their learning for themselves. Consequently, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not develop secure knowledge and understanding of the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a curriculum that aims to build pupils’ knowledge over time. They evaluate its effectiveness and make any improvements necessary.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The teaching of early reading is a strength. Staff deliver phonics with consistency and fidelity. Staff model sounds accurately and support pupils effectively. Books match pupils’ needs, and pupils develop fluency by practising often.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders do not monitor closely enough whether support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is tailored effectively to meet these pupils' individual needs. As a result, leaders do not have a clear view of how well pupils with SEND learn. Some of these pupils' individual learning plans lack precision and are not reviewed well enough. Consequently, some pupils with SEND do not receive effective support and do not progress through the curriculum as well as they should.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Despite these weaknesses, leaders promote an inclusive culture. Staff receive training so that they can support pupils, including those who are vulnerable, to learn and retain core knowledge effectively, for example, when developing reading fluency in younger pupils.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The school makes effective use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils, for example, to help these pupils to manage their emotions. Leaders engage well with families to support pupils’ wellbeing and mental health. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to identify pupils’ needs. They seek advice from social care professionals and other agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils receive coordinated support and remain safe. Alternative provision is used effectively to support pupils whose needs cannot be met fully in school.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Since the previous inspection, instability of leadership has slowed the school's improvement work and contributed to weaker pupil outcomes over time.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders and governors understand the school’s context. They identify priorities for development accurately. Leaders have implemented appropriate improvements in key

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Urgent improvement

areas, including reading, behaviour and teaching.

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Urgent improvement

Leaders have taken action to strengthen the curriculum and teaching. They provide professional learning that is linked closely to the school's priorities. Staff value the training and support they receive. When leaders establish clear approaches and give staff time to develop expertise, staff implement these approaches effectively. For example, the teaching of early reading and phonics is now more consistent. However, leaders do not check the impact of their actions rigorously enough. Consequently, improvements to some areas, including mathematics, are not embedded consistently across the school. This limits their impact on pupils’ learning and achievement.

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Urgent improvement

Governors fulfil their statutory duties. They provide effective challenge in some areas, including behaviour. However, governors are not sufficiently well informed about key priorities, including attendance and inclusion. As a result, governors do not challenge leaders sharply enough about the pace and effectiveness of improvements.

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Urgent improvement

Leaders support staff wellbeing and consider workload when making decisions. Staff appreciate this support and speak positively about leaders’ efforts.

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Urgent improvement

Leaders engage positively with parents and carers and the wider community. Parents value the care and support that their children receive.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, do not achieve as well as they should. This is reflected in their achievement in national tests and assessments. At the end of key stage 2, pupils' achievements in reading, writing and mathematics are significantly below those of pupils nationally. This has been the case for a number of years. Pupils do not gain the knowledge that they need to be ready for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Teachers do not identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge quickly enough. In subjects beyond English and mathematics, pupils do not secure the knowledge and skills set out in the curriculum.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Leaders have focused on improving outcomes in phonics and reading. As a result, pupils' attainment in phonics is now close to the national average.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should. This is because teaching is not consistently effective. Pupils in older year groups have gaps in their reading, writing and mathematics knowledge. In particular, pupils do not recall multiplication facts with sufficient fluency and accuracy. This limits their confidence and success in mathematics. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not build the knowledge and skills they need consistently across the curriculum. As a result, pupils are not prepared well enough for secondary education.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Over time, attendance has been too low for some pupils. These pupils miss out on important learning experiences. Some pupils do not receive the support they need to improve their attendance.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Typically, pupils arrive at school happy and keen to start their day. They are welcomed warmly by staff. Some pupils who need additional support benefit from wellbeing checks to make sure that they are ready for the day ahead. Pupils and staff have positive and trusting relationships. As a result, pupils feel safe. Most pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They follow the school rules and usually behave well. Bullying is rare. Pupils are tolerant of others and understand what it means to be different.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Children in the Nursery and Reception Years feel especially secure and happy. Staff know children well and care for them closely. They enjoy learning through play in a calm and purposeful environment. Pupils in the early years and key stage 1 acquire the essential reading knowledge and skills that they need.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from a range of experiences and opportunities that enhance the curriculum. Everyone, including pupils who are vulnerable, takes part. When pupils demonstrate particular talents or interests, leaders provide opportunities for these to be developed further. Older pupils take on additional responsibilities and help their younger peers when they need support.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teaching is consistently effective in all year groups so that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make positive progress and achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils’ understanding consistently well and adapt teaching promptly to resolve misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Leaders should ensure that staff identify pupils’ needs accurately, understand barriers to learning and act swiftly to address them so that pupils are successful. Leaders should check carefully that the school's attendance strategy is having the intended impact and take swift action when needed. Leaders should strengthen the school's quality assurance systems so that leaders at all levels identify and act on any areas of weakness quickly. Leaders should make sure that their plans for improvement are sufficiently detailed and

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Next steps

precise so that governors can hold leaders to account effectively.

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Lead inspector:

Mark Carter-Tufnell, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Laura Hewer, Ofsted Inspector Mark Anderson, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Kevin O'Connell.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

The inspection took place on 7 and 8 July 2026.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders, members of the local governing body and 2 local authority school improvement advisers. Inspectors met with groups of pupils, visited a sample of lessons and looked at pupils' work across a number of curriculum subjects. Inspectors also spoke with some parents and carers.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The headteacher took up post in April 2025. Prior to that, they were the acting headteacher for a period of time.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has provision for 3-year-old children.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Sean Ambrose The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2022/23 (final) 68% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 36% 46% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 37% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 57% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 47% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 50% 61% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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