Colgate Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Colgate Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are enthusiastic in lessons. They rise to the challenges set by their teachers.

Pupils demonstrate high levels of motivation. They are interested in what they are learning because teachers support and guide them to do their best. They know that teachers want them to achieve well.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. These expectations are commonly understood by pupils, and this is reflected in their positive behaviour and conduct. Pupils are polite... and considerate towards each other, staff and visitors to the school.

They work and play nicely together. They know that they should be kind to each other. As a result, bullying is rare.

The school's learning values of community, diversity and growth are the 'golden threads' that run through the heart of the school. Pupils know why these values are important to school life. They learn about different cultures, traditions and religions, are respectful of each other and celebrate difference.

One parent said, 'Leaders and teachers really do care about the children. Community spirit is a strong value here at Colgate Primary School.'

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

Leaders have planned an engaging and ambitious curriculum.

They have mapped out what they want pupils to learn from the start of early years to the end of Year 6. As pupils move through the school, they develop detailed knowledge in many subjects. Teachers plan interesting lessons.

They explain new ideas and concepts clearly. However, teachers do not always adapt the curriculum to enable all pupils to achieve well. Sometimes, teachers plan activities for pupils that are too difficult or too easy.

As a result, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not follow the curriculum well enough.

All subjects in the curriculum include progressively sequenced vocabulary, knowledge and skills, which pupils develop year on year. Some teachers use assessment information well to identify gaps in knowledge and adapt future lessons, where needed.

This helps pupils keep up with the curriculum. However, not all teachers routinely check that pupils are remembering new learning. This is because leaders have not made their expectations for assessment clear enough to teachers.

Reading is prioritised by leaders across the school. Staff are confident to teach phonics because they have undertaken thorough training. The books that pupils read are well matched to the sounds that they have learned.

Teachers identify gaps in pupils' phonic knowledge expertly and plan extra support to help them keep up with their learning. Staff are skilful when reading with pupils. They take care to remind pupils about their current and prior learning.

This helps pupils recall and apply their phonic knowledge independently. As a result, pupils quickly become confident and fluent readers.

Leaders have high ambition for pupils with SEND.

They take advice from external professionals when needed. This helps them make sure that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as other pupils. The special educational needs coordinator provides detailed guidance and training for staff.

This enables teachers to plan learning activities that are right for pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

Leaders and governors are determined that all pupils will achieve well.

They routinely evaluate areas of improvement. For example, plans are already in place to make sure that a greater number of pupils achieve the greater depth standard in writing in Year 2 and Year 6.

Leaders promote pupils' wider development.

Focus is given to helping pupils who need extra support to manage their feelings and emotions. The school's overarching values of inclusion, communication, leadership and caring run seamlessly alongside pupils' personal, social, health and economic education. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

They are taught about the importance of eating healthily and keeping fit, as well as looking after their mental health. Pupils value the leadership opportunities that are given to them. For example, the 'Colgate Ambassadors' show visitors around the school with pride and help younger pupils have a positive experience at lunchtime.

Staff are proud to work in this small school. Most teachers have multiple responsibilities, which they carry out with great enthusiasm. Staff here work extremely well as a team.

They feel trusted and valued by school leaders. Leaders consider workload when making changes so that teachers can do their job well. Teachers are grateful for the support and training that leaders give them to continue to develop their practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Staff receive regular and relevant training to keep their knowledge about safeguarding pupils up to date.

This helps them identify pupils who are at risk of harm. Staff report concerns quickly if they arise. Leaders work actively with external agencies to make sure that pupils and their families get the help they need.

The school's curriculum provides opportunities to teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. This includes online safety. Pupils are confident to talk to adults if they have any concerns.

They know that staff will listen and help them if they need it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all teachers adapt the curriculum so that it meets the needs of all pupils closely enough. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum is sufficiently adapted to enable all pupils to achieve well from their different starting points.

This will provide pupils with better opportunities to deepen and consolidate their knowledge and understanding across all curriculum subjects. ? Systems for assessment are not as strong in some subjects as they are in others. Where this is the case, teachers are not as sure about how well pupils are learning.

Leaders must sharpen their expectation for assessment procedures and ensure that all teachers are clear about what needs to be done and when. This will enable teachers to check if pupils are falling behind and plan what they need to learn next.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 on 14 and 15 December 2017.

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