Cockton Hill Infant School

Overview

Cockton Hill Infant School has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The report describes a school where pupils are “cheerful and confident” within a “supportive environment” that fosters a “strong sense of community.” Leaders and staff share a common goal to provide pupils with “the best start to their educational journey.”

Strengths

• Pupils are “proud to attend” and demonstrate “enthusiasm” for the opportunities provided, including clubs, trips, and forest school activities.
• The curriculum is “well designed,” with strong progress in phonics and mathematics; early years children “confidently use mathematical language.”
• Staff build “warm, respectful relationships” with pupils, resulting in instances of poor behaviour being “extremely rare.”
• The school provides tailored support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including a “nurture” provision to help manage emotions.
• Parents and carers are “overwhelmingly positive” about the school and celebrate how it helps their children progress.

Areas to improve

• In some lessons, tasks do not sufficiently support curriculum aims, slowing progress for some pupils and hindering those with SEND from achieving as well as peers.
• Some pupils have poor attendance, missing out on learning opportunities; the school should better understand barriers to attendance by working with parents and external agencies.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.