Chilcote Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Chilcote inspires pupils to thrive in their academic achievement and personal development.

Pupils are very well prepared for the next stage in their education. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics in Years 2 and 6 have been consistently high for ten years. All groups of pupils make rapid progress and achieve exceptionally well by the end of Year 6.

Teachers and teaching assistants have excellent subject knowledge, are highly skilled and share their expertise well. Teachers constantly challenge pupils to do their best. They plan imaginative work which enthuses pupils and provides them with a rich diet of memorable experie...nces.

Teachers develop pupils' personal qualities and teamwork skills to the full. This enables pupils to work very successfully with each other and with staff to extend their learning. Teachers check pupils' understanding of their work regularly and thoroughly, and use this information expertly to support pupils who need extra help.

Pupils are highly motivated. They repay staff's trust in them by trying their best and through their outstanding behaviour in lessons and around the school. Excellent relationships prompt pupils to encourage each other to succeed.

Pupils are mature, reflective learners. Key Stage 2 pupils know their targets very well and understand how to make best use of them to improve their work. Pupils contribute enthusiastically to school life through the many posts of responsibility they fulfil.

The school fosters pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well. Pupils feel entirely safe and well cared for in school. Their attendance is above average.

The school benefits from outstanding, dynamic leadership at all levels. Senior leaders and governors provide subject leaders with excellent support to enable them to fine-tune their skills and inspire them to take the initiative in updating their subject areas. Staff are ambitious, reflective and self-critical.

They strive to improve teaching continuously in Chilcote, and in other schools, by observing each other closely at work and sharing points for development. Teamwork is very strong and morale is high. The school's actions to improve the youngest pupils' competence in working with letters and sounds (phonics) are yet to show full impact on raising standards.

Information about this school

The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school. Half of the pupils are from White British backgrounds; a quarter are from Pakistani backgrounds and most of the remaining pupils are from Indian backgrounds. An above-average proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language but it is mainly a small number of pupils in the younger years who are at an early stage of learning English.

The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium, which is additional funding for certain groups such as those known to be eligible for free school meals, is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also average.

The school has morning and afternoon Nursery classes, two Reception classes and two classes in all other year groups. The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club, which are managed by the governing body. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics.