Cotham Gardens Primary has been praised by Ofsted for the progress it has made after being placed in special measures.
His Majesty’s Inspector Dale Burr issued a report to headteacher Emmeline Smith and chief executive Chris Season after making a monitoring visit in September.
He highlighted improvements in leadership, teaching and learning, curriculum, expectations of behaviour, and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The inspector noted:
• “Your action plan focuses on the right steps …..[and] you and other leaders have maintained a strong focus on raising the quality of teaching and learning.”: The report states, • “The approach to teaching reading is much stronger. Careful thought has been given to the reading curriculum.”
• “Ongoing staff training has helped sharpen the quality of support given to pupils with SEND.”
• “Classrooms are generally calm and purposeful. Pupils are increasingly showing positive attitudes to learning. Consequently, they can learn with minimal distraction.”
The school welcomed the monitoring report and the improvements made in national tests in 2025. The school saw a rise of more than ten percentage points in SATS results in Reading, Writing, and Maths.
Mr Seaton said: “Prior to the 2024 inspection, Cotham Gardens Primary experienced considerable change and turbulence in leadership and governance. Ofsted at that time rightly identified that standards were not as high as they should be. This monitoring visit confirms that the new leadership structure and governing body are both determined and ambitious in their plans for excellence at Cotham Gardens Primary. I am so proud of the whole team.”