North Somercotes CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 23 January 2024

The pupils at North Somercotes thrive at this friendly and welcoming school. The school has worked hard to develop the curriculum, ensuring all pupils learn well. Pupils are proud of their school. One pupil, reflecting the views of many, said, 'Our school is unique and inclusive.' Everyone in school has the chance to 'make their light shine'. Pupils are responsible and caring. They understand the school's way of managing behaviour. Mutual respect between staff and pupils is evident. Pupils are attentive in lessons, and they stop to listen straight away to adults. Staff prioritise the well-being of pupils, who feel safe in school as a result. Lots of pupils take advantage of the wealth of clubs on offer, such as fencing and Spanish. These are available to all. Some pupils take up the opportunity to learn to play musical instruments, and many enjoy the chance to sing in the choir. Everyone celebrates pupils' achievements. Pupils who are good role models to others become 'values champions'. Great work is shared in 'shining star assemblies'. Pupils feel that what they do is valued and rewarded. They are very keen to earn a golden token to use in the book vending machine. Parents are supportive of the school. One parent said, 'I could not wish for a better school for my children.' This echoed the views of many.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, checks on how well pupils are retaining key knowledge over time are not as well developed as others. This means that the school does not have a sufficiently accurate picture of how securely pupils are learning the curriculum. The school needs to adapt and strengthen assessment processes in these subjects to identify gaps in pupils' learning and plan future curriculum adaptations to ensure pupils learn well across the full range of subjects.
• In a few subjects, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of implementation. Checks have not yet taken place to establish what is working well and what might need to be improved further. The school needs to continue to evaluate how well these newer curriculums are being implemented.

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