Crosby-on-Eden CofE School

Crosby-on-Eden CofE Primary School Low Crosby, Crosby-on-Eden, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA4 6QN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Crosby-on-Eden provides an outstanding education for its pupils and prepares them extremely well for the next stage in their education. This includes their personal development as well as their academic achievement.  The school is very highly regarded by pupils, staff, parents and members of the local community. Pupils say that there is nothing they would wish to change about their school.  All groups of pupils make outstanding progress and leave at the end of Year 6 with attainment that is consistently above that found nationally. Equality of opportunity is outstanding.  Previous relative underachievement in boys’ writing in Key Stage 1 has been addressed exceptionally well and rapid improvement has occurred there.  The effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage is outstanding. Children have an excellent start to their school life and make great strides in their learning.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teaching is outstanding. Teachers are very enthusiastic and use skilful questioning to challenge pupils and make them think. Occasionally, however, learning and progress is not optimised, as teachers do not always give pupils clear ways of being able to tell how well they are learning.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding and this plays a significant part in their successful learning. Pupils feel extremely safe.  Leadership and management of the school are highly effective. The headteacher delegates responsibility well and all teachers play a large part in the success of the school, including the pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching.  Many aspects of the curriculum are innovative, such as outdoor learning through its Forest School activities. Pupils enjoy these activities hugely and they contribute extremely well to their excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Governors are highly involved with the school

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed nine lessons, taught by five teachers, and looked at the work of many children and pupils in all subjects.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including those relating to safeguarding and child protection, development planning, the monitoring of the quality of teaching and also information about teachers’ professional development.  Discussions were held with the headteacher and with all the teachers, all of whom carry some responsibilities within the school.  The inspector met with the Chair of the Governing Body who is also one of the trustees of the school, which has recently become an academy.  The inspector spoke to many children and pupils in the school in lessons, breaks and lunchtimes. She also spoke to the school council at lunchtime on the first day of the inspection.  The inspector listened to four pupils in Key Stage 1 read at lunchtime on the second day of the

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Information about this inspection

inspection.  The 11 responses to the staff questionnaire and the 39 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) were analysed. In addition, the inspector also spoke to several parents during the inspection during a visit to the school’s sports day on the afternoon of the first day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Alison Thomson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Crosby-on-Eden School is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. There are four classes, one combining the Nursery and Reception of the Early Years Foundation Stage, one for Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, one for Year 3 and 4 pupils and one for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils.  The school converted to academy status in November 2012, but has kept the same name and wishes to remain known as a school. At the time of the last inspection, the predecessor school was judged to be outstanding.  All pupils are White British and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium is much lower than average. (This is funding available for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, students in local authority care and those whose parents are in the armed forces). The pupil premium group in the school incorporates pupils from all of the above groups.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action is above average. The proportion of students supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  No pupils are educated off-site .  The Forest School training status awarded to staff enables an outdoor approach to learning to be promoted.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Optimise learning and progress in all lessons by:  ensuring that teachers always give pupils clear ways to enable them to understand how well they are learning  providing sufficient opportunities and encouragement for pupils to reflect on how well they are learning.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start in Nursery with variable levels of skill, but generally they are as expected for their age. Pupils make outstanding progress throughout the school and leave at the end of Year 6 with attainment that is consistently above average in all areas, including English and mathematics.  Previous underachievement, such as boys’ writing in Key Stage 1, has been addressed very well by providing topics that particularly interest them. As a result, attainment in writing is now above average across the school. All pupils now make at least good progress in reading, writing and mathematics and for the large majority progress is outstanding.  Pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs make outstanding progress. The very few pupils who are in receipt of pupil premium funding make outstanding progress in all areas, including English and mathematics and there are no gaps in the performance of these

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

pupils and other groups in the school. This reflects the school’s commitment to equality of opportunity. Additional funding is used to provide additional support one-to-one and small-group support by teaching assistants, so that any relative underachievement is addressed well.  Children make outstanding progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage because of a close focus on literacy and numeracy. During the inspection Reception children were seen making outstanding progress in linking letters to sounds. They thoroughly enjoyed finding the square depicting the correct sound to stand on when the music stopped.  Progress in reading is outstanding throughout the school. This was evident from the pupils’ reading journals, listening to Key Stage 1 pupils read and observing the school’s daily reading sessions across the school. It was impressive how much the pupils enjoyed their reading and were able to talk maturely about books they had read.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils have excellent literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills. These aspects are incorporated well into other lessons and pupils are confident in explaining their work to others. This reflects their confidence and good communication skills.  Pupils’ achievement is of a consistently high standard because of outstanding leadership and management, rigorously checking the progress that pupils make and addressing any underachievement early.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Most teaching is outstanding and it is never less than good. Teachers are very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and skilled at providing work that is suitably matched for each pupil in their mixed- age and mixed-ability classes.  The responses to Parent View and talking to parents revealed that parents agree strongly that their children are taught well.  Challenge is a feature of many lessons and pupils rise to this extremely well. They are given opportunities to share ideas and then express their views to a wider audience, and are encouraged to come up with their own criteria for success. This was seen to excellent effect in a Year 5 and 6 English lesson where pupils made outstanding progress in writing a newspaper article on the miners’ strike in the 1970s. This lesson was one of many that developed the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils were asked to consider the rights

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

and wrongs of people chopping down trees they did not own when they could not afford to keep themselves warm.  Occasionally, teachers do not give pupils clear ways of being able to tell if they are learning well or provide them with sufficient opportunities or encouragement for reflection on how well they are learning. When this happens learning and the progress pupils make slows.  Teaching assistants provide excellent proactive support for pupils who have specific educational needs. They question them very skilfully and encourage them to work out things by themselves.  Marking in books is excellent, particularly so in literacy. There are many helpful comments which help pupils improve their work and some instances of pupils responding to those comments.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of the large majority of pupils is exemplary and has been so for some time. This view is echoed by staff and parents and was evident throughout the inspection.  Pupils are reflective and set themselves very high standards. They rate behaviour 'as eight out of 10' and say there is always room for improvement.  Pupils' outstanding behaviour has a highly positive impact on their learning. Pupils work extremely well together and rise to challenges, such as choosing difficult problems to solve from 'the maths challenge box' in Year 2.  There are many opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities, such as helpers in the dining room and by putting away play equipment. Pupils who perform roles as `school mentors’ work very proactively helping younger children at lunchtimes and playtimes.  Pupils say that they feel extremely safe at school. They have a very keen awareness of the different forms that bullying can take and say people rarely fall out. Pupils describe their school

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

as ‘a big happy family’ and a place where people respect each other. This was illustrated well during an assembly where pupils eagerly applauded other pupils who had been awarded certificates for excellent work or attitudes.  The school council represents pupils very well. They say the school listens to their wishes and one young member of the school council expressed his pleasure that they now get tomato ketchup when they have potato wedges.  Attendance of all groups of pupils in consistently above average.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school’s leadership team, including those who are in charge of different subject areas, is outstanding. The headteacher delegates responsibility extremely well and brings out the best in her staff. Members of staff complement each other extremely well and all are keen to keep improving the school.  Systems for checking how well pupils are learning are of an extremely high quality. Any pupil who is in danger of not progressing as well as they might do is identified early and helped to catch up quickly. As a result, all groups of pupils perform equally well. This reflects the inclusiveness of the school and its intolerance of discrimination.  By regularly observing the quality of teaching in lessons and by providing staff with feedback on how they can improve, leaders have very successfully improved the quality of teaching so that it is never less than good and most is outstanding. A comprehensive system of appraisal and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

performance management has been adopted, which is linked to the pay scales. Teachers are held to account for the progress of their pupils extremely well. The staff questionnaires show that they are extremely positive about all aspects of the school.  The curriculum is skilfully adapted to the interests of the pupils and there are many occasions where it is extended beyond the classroom. There is a wealth of clubs, visits and visitors. Pupils say these are some of the reasons that they like their school so much. They told the inspector how much they gained in confidence from residential visits.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. This is through a wide variety of activities such as musical opportunities, theatre visits, the chance to learn a new language and visits to various places of worship, including that of Buddhists.  The school's safeguarding meets statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school’s trustees are relatively new in post, but provide effective support through a number of governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body as representatives.  The governance of the school:  Governors work very closely with the school. They are frequent visitors and have a good knowledge of the quality of teaching. They are well trained and understand the data relating to pupils’ progress. Governors are fully involved with the allocation of the school's budget, including the funding for pupils eligible for pupil premium and of teachers' pay linked to their performance. They hold the school to account well and say they are determined the school should continue to be successful.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 138896 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 412451

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Academy converter School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 94 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Michael Briggs Headteacher Sara Varian Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01228 573632 Fax number Not applicable Email address admin@crosby-on-eden.cumbria.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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