Colville Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils join a community where 'love, laughter and learning' come together to create a supportive environment.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive appropriate assistance and care. Adults in school try to understand what makes each pupil tick. This helps pupils feel happy and secure.

It gives them the confidence to share their worries, knowing they will be supported and kept safe.

Polite and kind behaviour is the norm. Pupils learn to interact positively by observing and emulating the adults around them.

Those who take on roles such as school councillor or dinner helper strive to improve the school... environment. Breaktimes and lunchtimes are buzzing with activity. The school involves pupils in choosing equipment and games, creating opportunities for active play and positive interactions.

The school sets high expectations for pupils' learning. This shows in how pupils approach their education. For example, Year 2 pupils confidently use coins to calculate specific amounts in mathematics, while Year 6 pupils clearly explain the evolution of finches into 18 species in science.

These expectations support pupils in achieving well in statutory assessments. Combined with their calm conduct, this helps to prepare them for secondary school.

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

Reading is central to the curriculum.

Regular checks of the sounds pupils know inform one-to-one or small-group tuition and ensure extra practice for those who need it. Books are matched to the letter sounds pupils know, building confidence and supporting their progress. The school successfully fosters a love of reading.

For example, pupils enjoy daily story time. They relish the chance to request new books for their class libraries.

The curriculum exposes pupils to a wide variety of people, places, ideas and skills.

For instance, in art, pupils learn how artists' lives influenced their style and the broader impact of their work on the art world. Staff generally engage pupils effectively through demonstrations and explorations, preparing them well for success in their schoolwork.

Although pupils engage in effective learning activities across subjects, expectations for writing are less consistent.

This can result in some pupils' mistakes, in aspects such as letter formation or punctuation, not being fully addressed. In the early years, there is a strong focus on practising reading, but children have fewer opportunities to develop accurate writing skills before entering Year 1.

In some subjects, staff use broad statements to check what pupils know and can do.

This can make it hard to identify specific gaps in their knowledge. This is reflected in instances when pupils struggle to recall or apply the key words, concepts and skills they have been taught. The lack of precision in assessment means gaps can go unnoticed.

This makes it more difficult to adapt teaching to meet pupils' different needs effectively.

The school fosters a strong culture of inclusion. Clear referral processes identify pupils' needs.

Regular progress reviews of the school's communication passports and additional support plans ensure that support for pupils with SEND is effective. Staff, including those in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND, receive effective, targeted training. Staff collaborate well to ensure pupils with SEND receive the support they need.

Starting in the early years, classrooms support effective learning. Staff teach and reinforce behaviours such as active listening and taking turns. Pupils are calm and attentive, showing respect for staff.

Regular praise and rewards, such as the weekly golden assembly, encourage pupils to build positive behaviours as habits.

The school's personal development programme helps pupils to build their confidence and cultural awareness through events such as theatre trips and class assemblies. These activities improve their public speaking and performance skills.

Educational visits, such as to places of worship or local businesses, promote pupils' understanding of different religions, cultures and careers.

Governors have a strong understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. This is informed by open information-sharing.

Governors help to drive improvement of the school, for instance through agreeing to fund additional mathematics training to improve teaching quality and therefore raising pupils' achievement.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They value the cheerful newsletters and the opportunities to visit 'open classrooms' to engage with their child's learning.

Leaders and staff are approachable. Parents feel comfortable raising concerns, knowing they will be resolved quickly.

Staff appreciate leaders' openness, which fosters trust and encourages collaboration with school development.

The school prioritises staff's well-being by valuing their personal lives, promoting a balanced workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Expectations for pupils' writing could be more consistent across the curriculum.

On occasion, issues are not identified or addressed promptly. As a result, pupils' errors persist. The school should raise expectations, provide teachers with clear guidance and ensure regular opportunities for writing, including in the early years, to help pupils write competently and confidently.

• In some subjects, the assessment process is not precise enough to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. This leaves some pupils unclear about key words, concepts and skills, limiting their progress. The school should develop a more accurate approach to assessment to ensure gaps in pupils' learning are identified promptly and addressed effectively.

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