Coldfall Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a high ambition for all pupils.

Pupils regularly meet the school's high expectations. This is reflected in the school's high results in published national assessment tests. The school wants pupils to grow into well-rounded individuals as they get older.

Consequently, the school places equally high importance on supporting pupils' personal development. Pupils adhere to the school values and 'golden threads' exceptionally well. This ensures they are highly respectful to one another, treat each other fairly and value diversity.

Pupils regularly and enthusiastically take part in activities to improve the world around them. These include supporting ...international children's charities and engaging in litter picking in the nearby woods.

Pupils are safe and happy here.

Breaktimes are a fun and an exciting time of the day for everyone, where pupils engage in a rich variety of activities. These include well-supervised tree climbing, piano playing and dancing to music played through loudspeakers. Pupils play together excitedly.

They behave with great maturity and treat each other with exceptional levels of kindness and respect. The school carefully selects older pupil mentors and buddies to support pupils in younger year groups. This helps pupils to understand the school routines in a supportive way.

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

The curriculum is delivered highly effectively. It is broad and ambitious, in line with the national curriculum. Precisely, the school sets out the essential knowledge and skills for pupils to learn from the early years onwards.

Subject content is skilfully sequenced to ensure knowledge builds cumulatively over time. Regular revisits to previously taught information help pupils remember subject content over time and connect ideas together. For example, children in the early years learn about weather.

They revisit and build on this knowledge year on year through their learning about temperature and weather conditions around the world. In Year 6, pupils use their knowledge to help them understand climate change.

Systematically and effectively, teaching checks how well pupils learn.

The school spots quickly when misconceptions arise. Teaching addresses gaps in knowledge successfully. The robust implementation of the curriculum helps pupils to secure strong knowledge across subjects by the time they leave the school in Year 6.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive strong support to learn the curriculum. The school enlists support from experts such as psychologists and therapists to help them understand pupils' needs. Consequently, the school recognises quickly if pupils have SEND.

The school makes highly effective adaptations to teaching and resources for pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND learn very well.

The school fosters a strong love of reading across the school.

Reading time is an essential part of the school day which is enjoyed by all. In the early years, children enthusiastically and intently listen to stories. This includes stories read to them by visiting parents and carers who take on the role of 'mystery reader' for the day.

Pupils receive effective help and support to swiftly become fluent readers. Phonics teaching begins in the early years. There is a consistent approach to teaching phonics.

Teaching is securely aligned to the letter sounds pupils know. Pupils read books aligned securely to the phonics they learn. This helps them to develop confidence with reading.

Parents receive clear guidance so they can support their child with reading at home.

Pupils are eager to learn here. They are rarely absent from school.

If concerns about attendance arise, the school takes swift, appropriate action to improve it. This includes working closely and supportively with pupils and their families to understand and address any perceived barriers.

The school's provision to support pupils' wider development is extensive and carefully thought through.

In recent times, the school made significant changes to the way pupils use the outdoor space. The school uses pupils' outdoor play to teach important skills such as negotiation, teamwork, and resilience. The school provides a vast range of extra-curricular clubs and experiences to help pupils explore their interests.

These include capoeira, drama, and cooking. Pupils regularly represent the school at sporting competitions and national musical events. The school ensures pupils have equal access to what it has on offer.

Pupils are taught about a range beliefs, cultural traditions, and religions. They are taught age-appropriate information about the importance of healthy, respectful relationships. The curriculum includes teaching about how to stay safe, including online.

The governing body provides effective support and challenge to the school. It engages with leaders and school staff purposefully to ensure workload demands are balanced reasonably.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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