Coton Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone at Coton Church of England Primary School is proud to belong to this caring community.

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They live by the school's '5C' values: care, challenge, courage, creativity and cooperation. Pupils are polite, kind and considerate of others.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour, including for the children in the early years. Pupils respond well to this. They take pride in their learning and listen carefully to their teachers.

Pupils feel happy and safe in school because they know the adults will look after them.

Pupils enjoy their lessons, saying learning is neither too easy nor too hard. Pupils are enco...uraged to do their best.

Pupils enjoy following the new curriculum. However, with the exception of reading and mathematics, it is not clear how well pupils are achieving in all areas of the curriculum.

Leaders have thought carefully about the experiences they provide for pupils to support them to develop their talents and interests.

Sport is a big part of this school, with pupil participation in sports club being very high. Pupils thrive on representing the school in the many sporting events on offer, such as football and cross country.

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

The school has an accurate picture of its strengths and weaknesses.

While there have been many improvements recently, leaders are aware that there is still more to do, and that time is needed before these improvements are fully developed throughout the school.

Leaders have reviewed and put in place a curriculum for all subject areas. The school has considered what pupils need to learn and in what order they need to learn it.

There has been a focus on reading and mathematics. The wider curriculum is continuing to be developed. However, the school has not checked how well pupils are achieving throughout all areas of the curriculum.

The school has ensured that staff have received high-quality training to be able to implement the reviewed curriculum, particularly in the core aspects of reading and mathematics. In these subjects, teachers rigorously check pupils' learning. They ensure that pupils' knowledge is secure before they move pupils on to new learning.

When gaps are identified, teachers make adaptations to enable pupils who need additional support to catch up.

Reading has a high priority across the school. Leaders have introduced a new approach to teaching pupils to learn to read.

This is having a positive impact on pupils' reading. In Reception, children start to learn the basics of reading as soon as they start school. Staff are well trained to teach phonics.

Pupils' reading books match the phonic sounds they know. This has ensured consistency in teaching reading throughout the school, which in turn contributes to pupils developing their reading fluency and reading with confidence.

Children in early years have settled into school very well and benefit from positive relationships already formed.

There is a focus on developing children's language and communication to support them in learning to read. However, other areas of the curriculum are not as strong. While improvements have been made, some of the curriculum content does not ensure that children routinely access the learning opportunities they need to be fully prepared for Year 1.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well by the end of key stage 2. This is because staff know pupils well and are well trained to identify the specific needs of pupils with SEND. The school works well to include external agencies, when required, to support pupils.

Staff provide the help pupils with SEND need to access the same curriculum as their peers.

Pupils behave well around the school. Low-level disruption is not tolerated.

Pupils say that any poor behaviour is dealt with fairly by an adult. This ensures that pupils learn without any distractions.

Attendance is improving.

Pupils enjoy school, and most attend regularly. The school targets those pupils who struggle to come to school. Leaders work closely with families to support their understanding of the importance of attendance.

Leaders provide the support pupils need to be successful in school.

Pupils' personal development is promoted effectively. The school provides a lot of opportunities for pupils to engage in wider curriculum activities.

This enhances their learning in school. The school provides the chance for pupils to develop life skills, such as taking on leadership responsibilities by becoming play leaders.

Staff feel valued and know that leaders care about their well-being.

Governors have a secure understanding of the school. They provide challenge and effective support. Governors are aware of both what has been done to improve the school and what still needs to be done.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The implementation of the new curriculum is at an early stage for subjects aside from reading and mathematics. The school has not checked how well pupils are achieving in all areas of the curriculum.

The school needs to ensure that all leaders carry out checks on how well pupils are achieving in following the wider curriculum so that pupils achieve consistently well. n In the early years, the curriculum does not give children the breadth of learning opportunities to fully prepare children for Year 1. The school should continue its work to strengthen the curriculum in the early years to ensure that pupils learn the knowledge they need in all areas of the curriculum so they are well prepared for key stage 1.

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