Cookley Sebright Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents praise the caring environment provided at Cookley Sebright School. Pupils are happy and confident in school and enjoy positive relationships with staff. Pupils benefit from the many opportunities to be active through events such as the 'mini marathon' challenge.

All staff are committed to helping pupils experience a curriculum based on the values 'enjoy, discover, achieve'. They want pupils to 'be happy, feel valued and experience success'. However, some curriculum planning is not organised well enough.

Some teachers do not consider what pupils have learned previously before planning their new learning. This means that some pupils, especially the mo...st able, do not make as much progress as they should.

Pupils learn about, and understand, what bullying is.

Pupils are generally friendly and kind to one another but say that sometimes bullying does happen. However, pupils also say that staff listen to them and deal with any problems that arise.

Most pupils behave very well.

They listen carefully and show respect to staff. However, this is not always the case. A small number of pupils can be silly and overly boisterous.

Some teachers do not deal with issues well enough, which occasionally leads to learning being disrupted.

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

On their appointment in 2018, the headteacher and deputy headteacher quickly concluded that there were significant weaknesses in the school. They immediately took the necessary actions needed to stem the decline in pupils' outcomes, many of which have begun to have an impact.

They have clear and suitable plans for what needs to happen next, but these plans have not been fully implemented.

Subject leaders have not been given the time or training to develop their leadership skills fully. Consequently, they have not refined and developed the curriculum in their subjects or checked how well it is being taught.

Curriculum planning does not have enough detail to enable teachers to have a precise understanding of what knowledge and skills need to be taught and in what order. Some teachers are highly effective at identifying what pupils have learned previously and then planning to build on this learning well. Pupils in these year groups make strong progress.

However, pupils in other year groups do not make as much progress because teachers do not base learning on what pupils know and can do. This is especially so for the most able pupils who often spend too much time on learning things they already know.

Leaders recently introduced a new phonics and reading programme.

They provided staff with training and support to deliver the programme and have ensured that a wide range of high-quality books are available for pupils to read. The strong focus on reading for pleasure has successfully developed pupils' love of reading. The additional reading sessions for pupils who have fallen behind in their reading are helping them to catch up well.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) helps them to make strong progress. However, the quality of phonics and reading teaching is variable across the school. Some staff's expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low.

This means some pupils do not make as much progress as they should.

Leaders, particularly the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), have ensured that the school is fully inclusive of all pupils with SEND. The skilled additional support that pupils with SEND receive helps many to make strong progress.

This is a particular strength of the school.

Children in the early years get off to a flying start. They develop their independence skills quickly, such as going to the toilet and washing their hands without support.

Right at the start of Nursery, children learn to sit and socialise, taking turns and listening to one another. However, some staff's expectations of what children can do are too low. They do not build on children's prior learning well enough.

By the end of the Reception Year, not enough children reach the standards they should.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and benefit from a stimulating learning environment. Wider opportunities, such as outdoor learning and sporting activities, contribute well to their personal development.

However, opportunities to develop pupils' understanding of diversity and differences are more limited. Consequently, pupils do not have much understanding of other faiths and cultures.

There is a very nurturing ethos across the school.

The majority of pupils show care, empathy and respect towards their peers and adults. However, this is not always the case. Occasionally, some pupils are overly boisterous and silly.

Teachers do not always address this behaviour, so it continues. This interferes with other pupils' learning. While pupils are tolerant of this occasional inappropriate behaviour, they do not like it.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff make sure that safeguarding pupils is prioritised. They report concerns quickly and leaders make sure they investigate all the concerns.

Staff work closely with a range of agencies so that pupils have the right support to keep them as safe as possible. Leaders always check that new staff do not pose any risks to the pupils.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, especially when using technology and the internet.

When staff identify a potential risk that pupils may face, they adapt the personal, social, health and economic curriculum so that pupils learn how to protect themselves if needed.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have introduced new reading and phonics programmes. However, they have not checked how well the programmes are being taught.

Some teachers' expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. This slows pupils' progress in reading. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the highest expectations of what pupils can achieve.

They should provide staff with further support and training so that the teaching of reading is effective in all classes to enable all pupils to make strong progress. ? There is curriculum planning in place for all subjects. However, the planning does not set out the key knowledge and skills that need to be learned in each year group well enough.

Some teachers do not pay due regard to the planning that is in place. Consequently, pupils are not building on their prior learning as well as they should. Leaders should refine and develop the curriculum planning so that it sets out exactly what knowledge and skills must be taught, and in what order, in every year group.

This will enable pupils, especially the most able, to make strong progress in all subjects. ? In the early years, some staff's expectations of what children can achieve are too low. Leaders need to review and develop the early years provision, including making sure that all staff have the highest expectations of what children can achieve.

This will enable children to reach the standards they should by the end of the Reception Year. ? Subject leaders have not received the time and support they need to carry out their roles effectively. Senior leaders should provide subject leaders with training and time to enable them to develop their leadership skills.

This will enable them to identify and implement the actions needed to improve the quality of education in their subjects. ? Some staff do not have high enough expectations of pupils' behaviour. They do not consistently challenge some low-level disruption which, on occasion, interferes with other pupils' learning.

Leaders should ensure that all staff have consistently high expectations of pupils' behaviour and challenge any inappropriate behaviour so that there is no disruption to learning. ? Pupils have limited understanding of fundamental British values, particularly an understanding of other faiths and cultures. Leaders and teachers should provide more opportunities for pupils to learn about and experience different cultures and faiths so that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain.