Coldean Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 December 2022

Pupils are proud to belong to this vibrant, inclusive and happy school. Leaders ensure that the school values of 'kindness, resilience, trust and pride' are at the heart of everything they do. Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard, enjoy learning, and take great satisfaction in their achievements. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils conduct themselves well. As they grow in this nurturing environment, pupils develop confidence and self-esteem. Pupils feel safe and trust staff to sort out any disagreements. If bullying occurs, staff deal with it effectively. Pupils relish the opportunity to enrich their learning, are eager to complete the 'Coldean 50' experiences, take on leadership roles, or compete in sporting and inter- house challenges. They benefit from a broad range of clubs that help to foster their interests and talents. Pupils learn about the importance of treating everyone fairly and respectfully. They learn from a range of visitors and take part in activities to celebrate different cultures, faiths and professions. Pupils make positive contributions to the wider community. For example, they created their own Commonwealth Games baton, which visited every school in the city spreading a message of hope.

What the school should improve

• Too many pupils do not attend school as often as they should. This means that they frequently miss important learning. Those responsible for governance, and school leaders, should work together strategically so that all pupils attend school regularly and can achieve the best possible outcomes.
• The writing curriculum is not securely and consistently embedded across the school. As a result, some pupils are not building their knowledge, skills and understanding of writing coherently and sequentially. Leaders should build upon the success of their work in reading and ensure that the teaching of writing is understood and delivered effectively across key stage 1 and 2.
• There is some variability in the quality of the foundation curriculum's implementation. This means that some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could in some subjects. Leaders should ensure that staff are confident and follow expectations for delivering learning across the whole curriculum.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)