Cusgarne Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well throughout the school.

By the time they leave at the end of Year 6, their attainment is above average. Children make a strong start to their learning in the Reception Year. They are inquisitive and respond well to the stimulating activities provided for them and make good progress.

The quality of teaching is consistently good, and some is outstanding. Teachers expect the best of their pupils who, in turn, find their lessons enjoyable and informative. As a result, all pupils achieve well, including those whose circumstances mean they are at risk of not doing so well.

Pup...ils' behaviour is consistently good. Pupils feel valued and extremely well cared for. As a result, they attend regularly, respond well to their teachers, feel very safe, take good care of each other and are extremely proud of their school.

The headteacher provides the school with clear direction and purposeful leadership. Working closely with her small team of staff and governors, standards have continued to improve since the previous inspection, a period that saw some significant changes in staffing. Governors challenge and support leaders well.

They are fully involved in all aspects of the school and are committed to securing further improvement. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teachers do not use a consistent approach when they mark pupils' books and written comments they provide are not always clear enough to help pupils improve their work. Teachers do not always do enough to make sure pupils spell correctly.

When teachers ask pupils to check the quality of their work, they do not always provide clear enough guidelines to help pupils do this successfully.

Information about this school

Cusgarne is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in Class 1, with pupils from Year 1.

Pupils in Years 2 and 3 are taught together in Class 2 and those in Years 4, 5 and 6 are together in Class 3. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. No pupils have English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school at times other than would normally be expected is higher than the national average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average, as is the proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. Only a very small number of pupils are supported by the pupil premium.

This is additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those with a parent or carer in the armed forces. A very small number of pupils are either educated at home part time or at another school. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.