Coopers Edge School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Coopers Edge is a happy and welcoming school. Staff are aspirational for pupils. They promote the school's motto of supporting each other to achieve more tomorrow than today.

Pupils feel safe and form positive relationships with staff. As a result, pupils enjoy school and flourish in this nurturing environment.

Most parents and carers agree that their child benefits from the range of opportunities on offer.

They are positive about how the school communicates with them to share news and pupils' achievements. The school promotes a positive and respectful culture. Staff use the behaviour tree to model their high expectations.

Pupils, in turn, focus well... on their learning. Children in the early years quickly learn the expected routines of the classroom.

Pupils participate in a range of extra-curricular activities, such as the young voices choir, cheerleading and a board games club.

They are supported to develop their cookery skills in the pupil kitchen. Most pupils in Year 6 become members of the pupil parliament. They learn about democracy and take on roles to develop their leadership skills.

For example, pupils act as the treasurer to raise money for the school, or the environment champion, who encourages pupils and staff to make sustainable choices.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and inclusive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to progress through a broad curriculum.

A small number of pupils have an adapted curriculum, which is suitable to meet their needs.

Staff benefit from professional development, which extends their expertise in all subjects. As a result, their subject knowledge is strong.

Teachers use different approaches to check what pupils remember of the curriculum. They identify when a pupil misunderstands new learning and take steps to rectify this. However, although pupils are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about what they have learned in the short term, teachers do not know whether pupils retain this knowledge in the longer term.

This is evident mainly in the foundation subjects, where assessment is not well embedded.

The school promotes a love of reading. Staff understand the importance of reading for pupils' future success.

Pupils follow a guided reading programme and participate in 'book bingo' to extend the range and type of texts they read. Pupils follow a well-planned phonics curriculum, which helps them to learn to read. All staff receive training, so they know how to teach the early reading curriculum effectively.

Staff regularly assess the sounds that pupils know. They adjust groups and interventions when needed, so pupils are supported to catch up quickly when necessary.

Although key stage 2 published outcomes in mathematics are below what is typical nationally, the school has acted quickly to review the content and sequence of the mathematics curriculum.

Improvements have also been made to the way in which the curriculum is taught. The impact of this can already be seen, as pupils know and remember more mathematical concepts.

Staff are knowledgeable about early childhood learning.

They respond to the changing needs of each cohort that join the school. For example, children in the early years complete 'dough disco' to develop their fine motor skills. Staff carefully plan the vocabulary children will be introduced to through the curriculum.

They respond to children's interests, as well as to seasonal events.

Leaders have a strong oversight of pupils' attendance. They support pupils and their families with understanding the importance of regular attendance.

Consequently, pupils' attendance remains high.

Pupils enjoy their social times. They use the play resources to be creative and take considered risks.

The school is developing its oversight of pupils' behaviour across the school. However, as this is in its infancy, this information is not used to identify patterns of behaviour that might inform subsequent actions the school might take.

Pupils have a mature understanding of fundamental British values.

They learn about how to keep themselves safe, including when online. The personal development curriculum teaches them about road, fire and water safety. Pupils develop their character through attending residentials, participating in charity work and hearing from visiting speakers and authors.

Staff, including early career teachers, enjoy working at Coopers Edge. They say senior leaders support them personally and professionally. Although reducing workload is an ongoing challenge for the school, staff know this is a priority.

The local governing body know the priorities for continued school improvement. They hold the school to account for the actions it takes effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment to check what pupils know and remember in the long term. As a result, teaching does not remedy gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding. The school should ensure that assessment is used to identify what pupils know and remember and that it then informs subsequent curriculum planning and teaching.

The school does not have a clear oversight of patterns of behaviour across the school. This means that it is not able to identify whether there are emerging trends that need to be considered in future planning. The school should consider how it can better evaluate incidents and patterns of behaviour.

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