Coleshill Church of England Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Coleshill Church of England Infant School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

This school's ambition for all pupils to 'Let Your Light Shine' resonates through every interaction and activity. Each day, pupils are welcomed warmly by staff. All staff know every pupil exceptionally well.

This means that staff bring out the best in everyone, exploring interests and celebrating their successes in or outside of school. Pupils love coming to this school where they have such a nurturing start.

Pupils embody the values of the school: love, honesty, respect, perseverance, resilience and st...ewardship.

These enable pupils to live up to the school's high expectations as they learn important habits so that they thrive and achieve well academically. Consequently, pupils are motivated, happy learners who are ready for their next steps.

The wider development of pupils is a real strength of the school.

Pupils learn how to express their views constructively and stand up for what they believe in. For example, pupils wrote to the local MP to express their views. They develop a strong moral compass and confidence.

For example, they take on leadership roles and compete against other local schools in sports. Pupils engage with the wider community, such as showcasing their art in the local church and inviting villagers to performances at the school.

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

The school has carefully designed the curriculum to enable pupils to gain a secure understanding across the broad range of subjects.

Early years is deliberately and thoughtfully included in all curriculums and prepares pupils well for key stage 1. The school has, rightly, prioritised phonics so that pupils quickly learn to read fluently. Staff teach phonics with precision.

They check pupils' recall to identify gaps, then provide help swiftly to anyone who needs extra support. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive precise support to help them access learning with independence. This means that these pupils achieve well as staff adapt work intelligently to the needs of each child.

Staff have strong subject knowledge. They model methods clearly and use questioning skilfully to check what pupils know and then act on any misconceptions. This helps pupils then build on their knowledge securely.

For example, in physical education, staff support pupils to evaluate each other's shapes and movements using precise language. As a result, pupils develop a strong understanding of fundamental movement skills. The tasks that staff use match the new knowledge that pupils need to learn.

However, in some lessons, these tasks do not challenge pupils to think as deeply as they could. At times, pupils are moved on to new work because most pupils have finished. This means that pupils who need more practice do not always have the opportunity to embed what they are learning, and those who finish their work are not challenged to think and achieve as highly as they could be.

The school has made recent improvements to the early years' environment. Children benefit from a space that engages them and excites them to learn. The relationships between children and staff are trusting, kind and warm.

This means that children learn how to persevere and are eager to know more in this safe and welcoming space. At times, however, staff do not use opportunities to develop children's communication and language as well as they could. The school knows this is developing and have put in place staff training to ensure that all interactions between staff and children are of a high-quality and extends children's language skills.

Pupils behave well in lessons. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Where a small number of pupils struggle to concentrate, staff act quickly to gently guide them back to their learning.

The school celebrates pupils who embody the school values in their learning, such as through 'Shining Star' weekly recognition. This motivates pupils to do well and to continue to improve in their learning.

Through the school's excellent wider development work, staff support pupils to understand democracy.

Pupils vote for school council representatives who help to bring about improvements in the school. For example, seeking views from pupils about new play equipment. The school teaches pupils to look after themselves by staying physically and mentally healthy.

Pupils also learn how to care for the wider world, such as carrying out litter picks or growing their own vegetables as they model being an 'eco warrior', one of the 'Coleshill Characteristics'.

Leaders are compassionate and reflective. Staff are unanimous in their praise for leaders.

This school is highly inclusive. The recent improvements have been achieved because the whole school community works so well together, with the diligent support and challenge of knowledgeable and dedicated governors.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes the tasks that teachers use do not challenge pupils to deepen their knowledge as effectively as they could. This means that, at times, pupils are moved on before they have developed the depth of understanding that they could. Teachers should ensure that tasks are carefully considered so that these can be adapted to challenge pupils and support pupils as needed.

• Children in the early years do not consistently benefit from high-quality verbal interactions with some adults. This means that some children do not develop their communication and language skills as quickly as they could. The school should continue their ongoing work to strengthen teaching in the early years through appropriate training, support and guidance for staff.

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 good for its overall effectiveness.

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.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in 5 and 6 February 2019.