Cofton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Cofton Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Cofton Primary is a warm and welcoming school. Its two key aims are for pupils to be happy and successful.

These aims run through every aspect of the school's work. Relationships are what make this a reality. Staff have a steely determination to put the needs and interests of pupils first.

This helps pupils feel safe in school.

The school is determined that all pupils reach their full potential. Skilled staff and strong leadership make this a reality.

They recognise that success is not the same for every ...pupil. The school sees each pupil as an individual and treats them as such. The support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well considered and effective.

They achieve well.

Pupils behave beautifully at different points of the day. They listen attentively in lessons and contribute their responses keenly and confidently.

During social times, pupils make use of the extensive school grounds. The school has thought intelligently about how to zone these areas. This means that there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Pupils now get the chance to enjoy their social times together, after these previously being at different times. This leads to older pupils naturally supporting younger pupils impressively. Pupils are proud of their school.

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

The school's work to improve the curriculum has been positive. It has thought about how pupils should revisit key concepts purposefully across different topics. This well-considered thinking has strengthened the way that pupils learn the curriculum and helped to deepen their understanding.

Careful consideration has been given to how staff can support pupils to remember and recall key learning. The approaches the school uses in mathematics to support this have been rolled out across other subjects such as history and geography. This is proving to be successful.

Pupils learn to read as soon as they start school. Staff teach phonics well, supporting pupils to become fluent and capable readers. Most pupils are able to keep up with the pace of the programme.

If pupils do need extra support, they are identified quickly, and extra sessions help them close any gaps in learning they might have. However, in other subjects, some misconceptions that pupils have are not consistently identified or addressed. This leads to the same mistakes being made.

The school also provides activities for some pupils at the earlier stages of writing to complete that are beyond their capability. This means that some pupils are not given sufficient opportunity to develop the key skills necessary to secure firm foundations in writing.

The school supports pupils with SEND well.

It identifies each pupil's specific needs with precision. Staff make careful adaptations in lessons so that pupils learn seamlessly together whenever possible. Staff strive to provide learning opportunities for pupils with SEND in the best way possible.

This is regularly reviewed and continually adapted to ensure it remains effective. Everyone is welcomed with open arms.

Children get off to a good start in the early years.

They settle quickly in a nurturing environment. Children show good levels of determination and concentration to complete the different activities planned for them, both inside and outside. They can extend their learning in different ways in the impressive outdoor space.

The school places a strong focus on preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. It provides opportunities for pupils to make links with other pupils living in a different part of the city. Through this experience, they learn about lives, religions, beliefs and cultures that are different from their own.

This helps develop respect and tolerance, opening pupils' hearts and minds to life beyond their immediate community. Pupils enjoy taking on additional responsibilities in school. These opportunities allow them to bring about genuine change and improvements.

An example of this is the school council recently helping choose the school's new catering provider and menu.

The school is very well led. Every decision the school makes is for the benefit of pupils.

Staff feel valued because they are. The school is determined to continue on its journey of continual success and improvement. It knows precisely what it does well and what it can improve further.

Governors support with this. They are skilled and dedicated professionals who complement the highly effective work of leaders in school. The vast majority of parents and carers are highly complimentary about Cofton.

They appreciate and value the education, care and guidance their children receive in a supportive, caring environment.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some activities that pupils are expected to complete in writing are beyond their ability.

This means some pupils are not securing the vital foundations necessary to become fluent and confident writers. This includes with their handwriting. The school should continue to prioritise ensuring that pupils are given opportunities to develop their writing skills in a coherent and sequential way, paving the way for future success.

• Some staff do not consistently identify gaps, misconceptions or mistakes in pupils' work. This means that some pupils do not build on prior learning as well as they might. The school should ensure that these members of staff place a high priority on identifying misconceptions pupils have in the moment and support them to know how to address these misconceptions effectively.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in January 2020.

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