Wetherby primary school near Leeds hits strong standards across the board in glowing Ofsted report

A primary school near Leeds has been praised for reaching strong standards across the board by Ofsted inspectors.

Collingham Lady Elizabeth Hastings CofE Primary School, located on Linton Road, Wetherby, scored a ‘Strong standard’ rating in all seven inspected categories during an Ofsted visit on April 21 this year.

Inspectors adjudged the school to have reached a strong standard in the areas of achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing.

The school was previously rated as Good, under Ofsted’s old scoring system, during its last full inspection in 2011 - and subsequent follow ups.

“Pupils achieve well,” inspectors said. “This is reflected in their achievement in national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 over time, including for disadvantaged pupils, and in their progress across the wider curriculum.

“Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that sequences knowledge from the early years to Year 6. Leaders ensure that pupils secure the foundations of reading, writing and mathematics from the start.”

Pupils' attendance at Collingham Lady compares favourably with national averages, according to the report. It shows sustained improvements over time, as leaders have placed a high priority on attendance and punctuality.

Behaviour around school is “purposeful and orderly.” Leaders and staff share their high expectations through clear explanations and careful modelling. Relationships across the school are open, thoughtful and underpinned by trust.

Children in the schools early years setting get off to a highly successful start to their education. They progress well from their starting points both academically and socially.

Adaptations to the curriculum are considered and implemented carefully. For example, physical adaptations are put in place to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities can access the curriculum fully.

The education watchdog added: “Leaders ensure that their firm commitment to inclusion is realised consistently in practice. The school’s core values drive staff practice and promote diversity and inclusiveness.

“Leaders make skilled use of the robust well-established procedures to identify pupils' needs quickly and accurately. This includes the needs of disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers.”

The school's professional development offer is of high quality, according to the report. Leaders are ambitious in providing an inclusive school where high-quality teaching means that all groups of pupils achieve success.

They have designed a comprehensive, coherent and well-sequenced programme of personal development. This programme equips pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, with important and age-appropriate knowledge about personal safety, relationships and sex education as well as their identification and management of risk.

Focusing on areas of improvement, inspectors noted that leaders should further enhance opportunities to secure and consistently embed foundational skills within the wider curriculum for key pupils.

Paul Cook, headteacher at Collingham Lady, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the inspection recognised the strong standards and high-quality provision across all areas of our school. The report is a fair and accurate reflection of life at Collingham – an inclusive and caring school where every child is supported to achieve their best.

“Our vision, 'We are family, all are welcome, you are loved', is at the heart of everything we do, and we are delighted that the report celebrates the positive relationships and strong sense of belonging that make Collingham such a special place.

“This achievement belongs to our children, staff, parents/carers and governors. We are grateful for the contribution each of them makes to our school and for all that we have achieved together. We look forward to building on this success in the years ahead.”