Cove Infant School

Overview

Cove Infant School is described as a "friendly, nurturing school" where pupils greet visitors with "happy smiles" and treat one another with respect. The inspection found that the school aims to "nurture, inspire and empower" pupils, who "love to learn" and achieve well within a "bespoke and ambitious curriculum." Overall effectiveness is judged as Good, marking an improvement from the previous inspection.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate strong relationships, "trust adults to help them with any worries," and actively support charities and keep the environment tidy.
• The curriculum is "sequenced in a precise and sensible order," enabling pupils, including those with SEND, to "learn confidently and effectively."
• Reading provision is effective, with a "positive culture of reading" and well-trained staff delivering a "well-sequenced programme" of phonics.
• Staff and governors work well together as a "real team," sharing a goal to secure the "very best education for all pupils."
• Pupils have "strong age-appropriate knowledge of how to keep themselves safe online" and engage in activities promoting physical fitness.

Areas to improve

• In a small number of subjects, the "most important knowledge and skills" are not always clear, preventing teachers from checking pupil understanding accurately.
• Teachers do not always use the "most effective activities or strategies," meaning some pupils do not develop their understanding as well as they could.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."