Cranbrook Church of England Primary School

School report Cranbrook C of E Primary School Carriers Rd, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3JZ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of pupils Require improvement 3 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires special measures.  Pupils’ achievement is inadequate because over time there has been too much weak teaching. Standards at the end of Year 6 are too low in all subjects, except writing. Improvements made are not always sustained.  Children in the Reception class currently do not make enough progress because activities are not purposefully enough designed to support learning.  Teaching is inadequate because it is not securing enough progress for all groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Too few pupils reach high enough standards, especially in reading and mathematics. Teachers do not plan lessons that match pupils’ needs. Pupils often have the same work, even if it is too hard for them, which leads some to become distracted because they do not understand what to do.  During lessons teachers do not respond and adapt work quickly enough when pupils find

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the work is too easy or too hard so time is wasted and progress slows.  Leaders other than the headteacher are inexperienced or have not been in post for long. They lack the skills and expertise to play an immediate role in improving pupils’ progress. Leaders’ capacity for improvement is inadequate.  Leaders do not check the quality of teaching rigorously enough. Not enough use is made of wider evidence to secure accurate judgements.  Governors have not held the school to account rigorously enough. Extra government funding is not being used effectively to ensure eligible pupils make sufficient progress.

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The school has the following strengths

 Most pupils are now well behaved in lessons. They enjoy coming to school, which is reflected in the improved attendance.  Standards at the end of Year 2 are improving, except at the higher levels.  Pupils enjoy writing, and the quality of their written work, especially in Years 5 and 6, is high.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons, six of which were observed jointly with the headteacher. In addition, the inspection team observed an assembly, made some visits to look at small groups of pupils and listened to a selection of pupils reading.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, leaders for inclusion, mathematics and English, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body, family liaison workers, a group of pupils and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at documents relating to the school’s assessment of the current progress and standards of pupils; the school’s checks on the quality of teaching; pupils’ books; records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding; and a selection of minutes from governing body meetings. They also reviewed reports from external advisors from the local authority.  Inspectors observed pupils during play and at lunchtime and spoke to them about behaviour and

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Information about this inspection

safety. They also spoke to a group of pupils formally about their learning.  The 14 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View were taken into account as well as the analysis of the school’s own, recently conducted survey. They spoke to a number of parents informally in the playground and formally to some others. They also took into account the 21 responses from members of staff.

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Inspection team

Penny Spencer, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Carol Vant Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Full report

Newly qualified teachers may not be appointed.

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school and numbers are declining.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. There is a small proportion of pupils of Gypsy/Roma heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium is extra government funding for pupils who are eligible for free school meals, are looked after by the local authority or whose parents are serving in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action is above that found nationally, as is the proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement for special educational needs.  Since the previous inspection there has been a high turnover of staff, including at senior level. The current headteacher was appointed as the substantive headteacher in September 2012 following a period as the executive headteacher with responsibility for this and another school.

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Information about this school

Staffing is still not stable.  The school meets the government floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Eradicate inadequate teaching and improve its quality so it is at least good, to rapidly raise pupils’ achievement, especially in reading and mathematics, by making sure that:  teachers use assessment information accurately to plan lessons that are hard enough for all groups of pupils, especially the most able, so they can achieve at the highest levels  teachers assess pupils’ progress more effectively in lessons and then adapt work more quickly when necessary so pupils remain engaged and all behave well  teachers’ marking always gives pupils a clear understanding of what they need to do next and pupils have time to respond to this feedback and correct their work  activities in the Reception class are purposeful and allow children to develop their skills in reading, writing and mathematics, when working on their own or with adults  the good practice seen in some lessons is shared more effectively among the staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve behaviour so it is at least good by ensuring that:  adults who supervise playtimes and lunchtimes implement the behaviour policy more consistently so pupils’ behaviour improves  all instances of reported bullying are followed up thoroughly and monitored closely to prevent them from reoccurring and to reassure parents and pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the skills of leaders and managers at all levels, including governors, by:  making sure that the quality of teaching is rigorously checked using information from work scrutiny, assessment information and lesson observations to secure judgements  creating and implementing accurate improvement plans, especially for English and mathematics, that are clearly focused on pupils’ learning with time-limited, measurable outcomes for success so pupils’ progress is improved  developing the skills of middle leaders so they can be effective in improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in their areas of responsibility  providing high-quality professional development to improve the teaching of mathematics and to support those teachers whose practice is not yet good  rapidly implementing the performance management policy and setting targets for teachers that are closely linked to pupils’ progress and achievement

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 developing partnerships with local schools that will enable teachers and leaders at all levels to observe good practice and improve their skills  ensuring governors gather more detailed and accurate information about the school’s performance so they are better able to both challenge and support the school’s leaders.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance to include a specific focus on the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Achievement is inadequate because pupils do not make fast enough progress, especially in reading and mathematics. Standards at the end of Year 6 are not high enough. Too few pupils reach the higher levels at the end of Year 2 or Year 6.  Children start school with skills that are broadly typical for their age. They are making inadequate progress because the quality of teaching is not good enough. In Reception, there are not enough well-designed activities led by adults to support the development of reading, writing or number work. The learning environment is not stimulating and does not encourage the children learn to work on their own.  Standards at the end of Year 6 are below average in reading and mathematics and have been over time. The school’s own data indicate that progress for an increasing number of pupils is starting to speed up but this is variable across the year groups. As a result, pupils who have

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

fallen behind are not catching up quickly enough.  Work in books, especially in Years 1 and 2, does not indicate that all pupils are making sufficient progress; this is especially the case for more able pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, who are often doing the same work as all other pupils.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs do not make enough progress because work is not planned closely enough to meet their individual needs. The school has only just begun to check on the extra support they receive to see if it is making a difference.  Progress for pupils who are of Gypsy/Roma heritage is very variable in different year groups. In 2013, progress and standards were significantly below those of other groups. However, this was not the case for pupils at the end of Year 2.  The school is failing to promote equality of opportunity because pupils who are supported by the

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

pupil premium do less well than their classmates. At the end of Year 6, in 2013, standards for these pupils were up to six months behind in reading and mathematics and about two months behind in writing.  Pupils are benefiting from the additional sports funding from the government because they are able to participate in a wider variety of sports and activities through improved clubs and lessons. The school has several teams that compete in local competitions and events.  The teaching of phonics (the linking of letters and sounds) has improved. As a result, the number of pupils who reached the expected standard in the national screening check at the end of Year 1 in 2013 has increased from 2012 and was close to the national average. The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard when they re-took the check was above the national average.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 The quality of teaching is inadequate because over time too much teaching has not been good enough for pupils to make consistently good progress. High staff turnover has meant continuity of learning has been disrupted. Teachers do not use assessment data effectively when planning lessons. The planning is too general and in most cases does not take enough account of the needs of different groups of pupils. Work is often too easy for some or too hard for others and, as a result; pupils do not make enough progress.  During lessons some teachers take too long to check whether pupils are doing what is required of them. Tasks are not adjusted quickly enough to enable pupils to either finish the work or extend their learning further.  The teaching of mathematics is weak. Teachers’ mathematical knowledge is not sufficiently well developed for them to plan lessons that explain to pupils exactly what they need to do. Too

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

often pupils follow instructions in text books without fully understanding the reasoning. This does not help them when they need to apply their knowledge in other subjects or when solving problems.  The quality of marking is variable in different classes. In the best examples next steps are clear and pupils have opportunities to respond and improve their work. Where it is not so successful it is too general and comments do not explain how the work can be improved.  In the Reception class, opportunities for children to develop their skills are limited. There is currently no permanent teacher and temporary staff do not have enough experience in this area to understand fully how young children learn. As a result, activities are not planned effectively. Resources are not readily available for pupils to choose for themselves and children have to wait for things to be found or provided. The environment, indoors and outdoors, is not stimulating

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

and does not support their learning.  Teaching assistants are effective in supporting pupils during extra sessions in small groups. When working in class they sometimes tend to do too much for pupils and, as a result, some pupils are too reliant on their support and are not able to work on their own.  There are some examples of excellent teaching, especially of writing, in Years 5 and 6. Work is of a high standard and teachers are skilled at providing the right opportunities for all pupils to succeed. However, this expertise is not shared widely enough or transferred to other subjects to ensure that all teachers benefit and improve their practice.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

 Behaviour requires improvement because it is not consistently good in lessons where the teaching is less effective, or in the playground.  Behaviour and safety have improved rapidly in a short period of time. Pupils who spoke to inspectors were very keen to explain how they felt safe and how their learning was improving because lessons were able to continue without lots of disruption. Many of them reported that behaviour had been awful but was much better now.  The school’s records show how the numbers of incidences of poor behaviour and exclusions have declined significantly in a short space of time. Incidents are fully investigated and guidelines are clear. Family support workers have been very effective in working with pupils and their families to improve both behaviour and attendance, which is currently above average.  Most pupils are polite and well behaved around the school. Some pupils find it more difficult to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

behave well in the playground, where the school’s procedures for managing behaviour are not applied as consistently as in the classroom.  Responses to Parent View were not as positive about behaviour as those from the more representative survey undertaken by the school and from the parents who spoke to inspectors. In both surveys there is a significant minority who feel that while behaviour has improved, it is still not good in all classes.  Pupils who spoke to inspectors were knowledgeable about different forms of bullying, including cyber bullying. They felt that bullying had decreased but it still happened occasionally in the playground and was not always fully resolved. ‘It goes away but then it comes back,’ as one pupil said. All the pupils who spoke to inspectors knew what to do if they were being bullied and most felt that the majority of adults would deal with their problems.  Pupils say they feel safe and well looked after in school and most parents who responded to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

Parent View or who spoke to inspectors agreed.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The headteacher and other leaders are not demonstrating the necessary capability to bring about sustained improvement. Leaders for mathematics and special educational needs are new to their responsibilities and do not demonstrate sufficient skill to rapidly improve progress in these areas.  Leaders have not ensured that the quality of teaching is consistently good enough to enable all pupils to make sustained and rapid progress. Judgements have been too generous in many cases because the emphasis has been on what teachers are doing in lessons rather than the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress. Too little use is made of additional evidence from work in pupils’ books and data from assessments. The high mobility of staff has also hindered the sustained improvements that are necessary to improve standards for pupils.  New procedures for judging the performance of teachers have been slow to implement and

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The leadership and management are inadequate

teachers have not yet been set challenging targets for the coming year that are closely linked to pupil progress and to progression along the salary scale.  Middle leaders are very new to post. They have not completed detailed development plans that will allow them to implement changes and measure their success. They have insufficient experience and training to support other teachers to improve their practice and do not currently support the headteacher in checking the quality of teaching or pupils’ progress.  Teachers have undertaken a variety of different training courses. However, these have not always been closely matched to their specific needs and, as a consequence, have not resulted in a sustained improvement in practice.  Partnerships with parents are improving, although confidence in the school is still low. The headteacher, supported by the governors, is rebuilding trust by ensuring she is a visible

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The leadership and management are inadequate

presence in the playground and through meetings and events. A recent open day was well attended.  The school has not used its pupil premium funding effectively to support eligible pupils. Funding is spread too widely and not all is specifically allocated to these pupils. Leaders do not evaluate precisely enough the impact of the use of this additional funding on progress and standards.  The curriculum meets the needs of pupils and they enjoy the many extra activities, educational visits and events that help their learning. The curriculum supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and tackles discrimination effectively. It is not promoting equality of opportunity well enough because the achievement of some groups of pupils is inadequate.  The local authority has provided intensive support for the school over time. This has included training for teachers, support for the provision in the Reception class and support for the

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The leadership and management are inadequate

headteacher. Despite this support the quality of teaching has not improved sufficiently or been sustained and the pace of change is too slow.  School leaders have ensured pupils are safe and well cared for. The school prides itself on its inclusive, caring approach to all families from the local community.  The governance of the school: The governing body has recently been restructured to enable it to become more effective. Governors are determined to improve quickly all aspects of the school’s work and have been effective in supporting the headteacher through a period of considerable turbulence and staff changes. However, the governing body has not held leaders to account firmly enough to improve achievement and the quality of teaching. Governors understand information they are given on pupils’ achievement and recognise that achievement and progress are not good enough. However, governors have not reviewed the quality of teaching with sufficient rigour.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

They have not ensured that the pupil premium funding is used well in supporting eligible pupils because the information they receive does not carefully link spending to standards and the progress achieved. Procedures to monitor the performance of staff have only recently been agreed and, as a result, the link between their salaries and the performance of pupils has yet to be fully established.

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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 118600 Local authority Kent Inspection number 426679

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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 Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 161 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Caroline Stern Headteacher Anne Foulkes Date of previous school inspection February 2011 Telephone number 01580 713249

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Fax number

Email address office@cranbrook-cep.kent.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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Fax number

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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Fax number

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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Fax number

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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Fax number

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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Fax number

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

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