Cottesbrooke Infant and Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 April 2026

Pupils feel happy and safe at this warm and welcoming school. Adults take the time to get to know them and are always ready to help them if they need it. The school's values contribute to the ethos of the school. Pupils learn to be caring and polite, brilliant learners, to treat each other equally and to stay safe. Pupils enjoy their learning. Staff provide a range of activities during lessons that inspire a sense of awe and wonder. However, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. They do not develop the knowledge and skills that they need to become fluent and accurate in reading and writing. Some pupils do not develop a secure understanding of important knowledge across the curriculum. This means that they struggle to remember previous learning, hindering their ability to build on what they already know and can do. Pupils with barriers to their learning or wellbeing, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are generally well supported by staff. For example, staff provide additional support for pupils who find reading difficult. This is starting to show impact. Leaders broadly monitor how well pupils progress in their learning, which means that pupils' needs are typically met. Before children start school, staff meet them and learn about them. This helps children to make a positive start in the early years. Behaviour around the school is positive. Pupils typically treat their friends with respect and kindness. Bullying is rare. If it does occur, staff address this swiftly and effectively. Pupils enjoy attending school, but too many do not attend as regularly as they should. This means that they miss out on important learning and experiences. Pupils are given experiences that they might not have outside of school. They attend clubs, such as yoga and choir, and talk about the fun they have.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that staff check precisely what pupils know and remember so that gaps in pupils' learning close quickly and they achieve as well as they should.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils develop secure handwriting and transcription skills so that they write with greater accuracy and legibility.
• Trustees should develop their knowledge and skills so that they can evaluate more precisely the impact of leaders' actions, particularly to support disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders should develop more precise analysis of attendance information so that they can sharpen the impact of their actions and accelerate improvement in pupils' attendance, particularly for those who are persistently absent.
• Leaders should broaden the programme for personal development so that it is carefully tailored to pupils' aspirations and has the desired impact on pupils' experiences and outcomes.

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