Cossington Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 June 2024

Pupils enjoy attending this small, friendly and welcoming school. Many say that they look forward to coming to school because of the care that staff show them. Staff model the kindness and respect they expect the pupils to show. Pupils respond by being kind, caring and wonderfully inclusive towards each other. Their behaviour is exemplary. There are strong relationships between the staff and pupils. The intimate nature of the school and its ethos of 'care, significance and purpose' mean that all pupils are known well by staff. Pupils care for each other. Older pupils take responsibility for looking after younger children. Pupils say that they feel safe. They know that staff will take any worries they may have seriously. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent, summing up the views of many others, said, 'My children are extremely happy here due to the hard work of the staff, who always put the needs of the children first.' The school has high expectations for all pupils. Staff want pupils to develop as confident learners and 'courageous advocates'. This ambition underpins all of the school's activity. Pupils thrive and grow in confidence because of the rich experiences the school provides.

What the school should improve

• The support that pupils receive for reading does not always contain the precision needed to ensure that these pupils become accurate and fluent readers as quickly as they could. Staff do not always address gaps in pupils' phonics knowledge. This limits these pupils' ability to catch up and keep up with their peers. The school should ensure that all staff who support pupils with reading have the knowledge they need to implement precisely and effectively the school's reading scheme so that pupils become accurate and fluent readers as soon as possible.
• Some disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, are not always supported by interventions that precisely address their needs. Staff do not have sufficient information, including clearly defined success criteria, to provide some of these pupils with highly effective intervention. As a result, these pupils do not always make as much progress through these interventions as they could. The school should ensure that all staff have the necessary information, knowledge and skills to make sure that these pupils get the precise help they need to be successful.

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