A primary school on the outskirts of Bristol has been described by inspectors as a “welcoming and inclusive school” as it retained a good standard of education in its most recent Ofsted report. Courtney Primary School, in Courtney Road, Kingswood, was inspected on September 24 and 25.
The report praised the pupils at the school for being “wonderful ambassadors” who are proud and happy to attend. The primary school has 192 pupils on the school roll and prior to being rated as ‘Good’ in 2019, it was rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ by Ofsted in 2017.
The school is described as being at the heart of the community where the values of ‘nurture, inspire and flourish’ underpin all aspects of the school. The school has high expectations of pupils and pupils behave well, succeeding in their learning.
The report said: “The school provides a broad curriculum and stimulating experiences that enrich pupils’ learning. Residential trips help pupils to learn valuable life skills such as team-building.
“Pupils have exciting opportunities to develop their talents and interests. All pupils can join clubs, such as dodgeball and hockey. Pupils can also learn to play an instrument.
“The school forges valuable and supportive partnerships with pupils and their families. This has a positive impact on pupils’ well-being, as they feel safe at school and they trust adults to take good care of them. Many parents and carers praise the school.”
Inspectors noted that since the previous inspection (in April 2019), that there have been several changes to leadership and staffing, but that the school has since stabilised the staff team and improved the curriculum, which has had a positive impact on pupils. The current headteacher, Georgina Scott, has been in her position since January 2021.
The curriculum at the school is “ambitious and rich” in many subjects and the school has identified the important knowledge and vocabulary it expects pupils to learn. But some subjects are at an earlier stage in their development so not as implemented as well as other subjects. This is reflected in the achievement of pupils, where in a few subjects, checks on learning do not “routinely pick up gaps in pupils’ knowledge”.
Looking for Bristol Parenting top stories in one place? Sign up for our newsletter here.
Courtney Primary identifies and meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. It adapts the curriculum and provides additional support when necessary, meaning all pupils are well supported to achieve their best.
Reading is a key priority at the school, beginning when children first join the school in reception, and the phonics programme is “consistently delivered well”. Most pupils become confident and fluent readers. The report added: “A small number of pupils who struggle to read, including pupils with SEND, receive extra help. This is improving their accuracy.”
The report said: “The effective teaching of the reading curriculum helps pupils to develop wider reading skills, such as comprehension and inference. The school provides a variety of exciting books to inspire pupils’ love of reading and pupils enjoy reading for pleasure. They are thrilled to choose additional books as a reward for regular reading and are absorbed when adults read to them.
“Staff use good subject knowledge to model and explain learning carefully. They provide opportunities for pupils to revisit and consolidate previous learning. Pupils use their existing knowledge to help them to develop new knowledge.
“The school provides highly effective social and emotional support for pupils who have difficulty managing their emotions, including some pupils with SEND. Pupils say there is always someone to talk to if they have any worries. This helps to ease any anxiety they might feel and encourages them to recognise and manage their emotions appropriately.”
The behaviour of pupils was also praised by inspectors who said that they follow routines and behave well. The school’s “comprehensive curriculum” supports the personal development of pupils by offering positions of responsibility alongside their learning.
Want the latest Bristol breaking news and top stories first?Click here to join our WhatsApp group. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read ourPrivacy Notice.