Cotgrave Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 December 2025

This school fosters a nurturing, family ethos. Staff know every pupil and understand their needs well. Warm, welcoming relationships between staff and pupils help pupils feel happy and secure. The school's nurturing ethos particularly supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, helping them feel that they belong and are included in all aspects of school life. Children make a successful start to their education in the early years. Most pupils gain the fundamental knowledge they need to achieve well by the end of key stage 2, preparing them for secondary school. However, pupils' achievement over time and across the breadth of the curriculum remains too variable. Pupils do not become fluent readers as quickly as they should. This is because the school's ambitious curriculum is not taught consistently well, and staff do not routinely address barriers to learning. Leaders are tackling these weaknesses, but changes such as the new phonics programme are still in the early stages. This means they have had little time to make an impact. The school actively promotes pupils' broader development. A range of clubs and activities nurture their interests. Pupils enjoy performing in school productions, inspired by visits to the pantomime. Residential visits build pupils' character and resilience. The school's values shape daily life. They encourage pupils to be kind, respectful and positive members of the community. High expectations and clear routines help pupils behave well. Pupils follow instructions and listen attentively in class. Older pupils eagerly support younger pupils on the playground. Pupils enjoy playtimes and feel confident that bullying is very rare at their school. They trust staff to act swiftly to resolve any concerns. Most pupils attend school regularly, but some of the most disadvantaged pupils still miss too much school. This makes it harder for them to achieve well.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the delivery of the phonics programme beyond early years is embedded, and pupils receive effective support to close gaps in their knowledge quickly when needed.
• Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across the school so that pupils progress well across the curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information and their knowledge of pupils' barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to adapt the curriculum and teaching so that pupils build successfully on what they know.
• Leaders should ensure that their attendance strategy and use of the pupil premium funding have the intended impact to raise attendance rates of disadvantaged pupils.

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