Coit Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection.

However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community at Coit Primary School.

Pupils feel safe and enjoy learning. Behaviour is excellent. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning.

Pupils have high expectations of themselves. In lessons, pupils are calm and focused. A...t social times, they play well together.

Bullying is extremely rare. Staff manage behaviour incidents quickly and effectively.

Curriculum planning is ambitious.

Leaders have thought carefully about how they can help pupils learn to think like subject experts. However, this approach is new. The full impact of the new curriculum has not been realised at this early stage.

Some curriculum planning is not broken down in sufficient detail. Activities usually match pupils' learning needs, but this is not consistent across all subjects.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are usually supported well.

This is especially true within the resourced provision, Treehouse. This provision provides a nurturing environment for pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

Pupils are encouraged to be actively involved in the life of the school community.

For example, some pupils helped to redesign the school playground. Pupils also participate in the end-of-year talent show. Leaders also encourage parents and carers to get involved in the life of the school.

They help parents to understand how to support their child at home. For example, many parents have attended workshops on how to support their children with reading. Parents also come into school to talk with pupils about the jobs they do and the world of work.

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

Leaders provide regular opportunities for staff to access training, especially in curriculum design and reading instruction. There is a sophisticated approach to curriculum planning. It is designed to help pupils understand how subject experts think and behave.

However, this approach is new. It is not having an impact at this early stage. Planning is detailed but is not consistently broken down as fully as it should be.

Leaders continue to develop planning so that their aims for the curriculum can be fully realised.

Subject leaders are knowledgeable. They regularly observe lessons and look at books to quality assure the curriculum.

Leaders are highly trained and pay close attention to detail. They have high expectations of staff but are also very supportive. Staff enjoy working at the school and the majority feel supported by leaders.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They deliberately think aloud to help pupils understand how they approach tasks and solve problems in different subjects. They address pupils' misconceptions to help them stay on track.

Occasionally, the work provided, for example in 'challenge' tasks, does not match the learning needs of the children securely enough.

The resourced provision for pupils with SEMH is highly effective. Pupils follow a bespoke curriculum that meets their academic and emotional needs.

Staff work conscientiously to build pupils' vocabulary. Pupils feel safe and are happy to attend. Within the mainstream school, most pupils with SEND learn well.

However, some pupils with SEND are occasionally withdrawn for more targeted support, for example in mathematics. This support is not consistently matched to pupils' needs.Children in the early years are safe and happy.

Leaders design activities to support the teacher-led sessions. These activities are purposeful and engaging. Staff take every opportunity to develop pupils' vocabulary while they play and learn.

Most children learn to read quickly. The reading leaders ensure that staff deliver the phonics programme consistently. This helps children to stay on track because routines are clear.

Most of the books and texts that children read match the sounds they know. Sometimes, this is not the case. On these occasions, children are not able to access the reading as they should.

Leaders are working to improve this shortcoming.

Leaders are committed to ensuring that pupils develop into responsible citizens. There is an active school council.

There are many opportunities for pupils to engage with new experiences. There are regular educational visits. Visits are carefully chosen to deepen pupils' knowledge of the planned curriculum.

Pupils also visit the local library, which helps them to develop a love of reading. Leaders have developed a range of extra-curricular clubs, such as yoga, craft club and multi-skills. Almost all pupils attend at least one club across the school year.

The curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) covers a wide range of important topics, such as online safety and healthy relationships. Pupils learn to respect people from all backgrounds. They speak positively about other cultures and faiths.

Pupils are respectful in the way they treat each other and visitors to school. Pupils remember much of what they learn through the PSHE curriculum, but there are gaps. For example, despite electing school councillors, pupils were not able to talk about democracy.

Although pupils engage well in lessons, they sometimes struggle to articulate their ideas. Leaders have not provided sufficient opportunity for pupils to develop skills in debating and discussing important topics. There are plans in place to develop this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are trained well. They are alert to potential risks to pupils, such as the risk of domestic abuse.

They report all concerns appropriately. These are followed up quickly and effectively by leaders. Leaders put support in place for pupils who need extra help.

Leaders make timely referrals to external agencies, such as local authority children's services, when needed. Pupils feel safe and have a trusted adult to talk to in school.

Checks are carried out on staff and visitors to make sure every adult is appropriately vetted and safe to be around children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, learning is not sufficiently well broken down in the planning and is not adapted well to pupils' learning needs consistently. Leaders should continue to develop the curriculum, ensuring that learning is consistently clearly broken down into small steps and that work securely matches pupils' learning needs, including for children in the early years. ? Leaders have not deliberately planned to develop pupils' skills in debating and discussing.

Pupils sometimes struggle to articulate what they mean. Leaders should develop debating and oracy across the curriculum, building on the vocabulary planning already in place.Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in December 2016.