Crockenhill Primary School

Crockenhill Primary School The Green, Crockenhill, Swanley, Kent, BR8 8JG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ achievement is good because pupils attain well in every year group. At the end of Year 6, their attainment is above average.  All groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and the most able pupils, achieve well.  Teaching is good. Teachers motivate pupils to learn and they use questions well, both to assess what pupils know and to encourage them to work things out for themselves.  Improvements to the teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) have increased the rates of pupils’ progress and raised standards in reading.  Children in the early years do well. Effective leadership and teaching ensure that they make good progress.  The school makes sure that pupils know how to keep safe from harm. Advice and guidance, workshops and visitors to the school teach pupils how to avoid risks and they feel safe.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

development is promoted well through a rich and varied curriculum.  Pupils behave well. They respect each other and their teachers. Consequently the school is a highly cohesive and tolerant community.  Leaders check the quality of teaching rigorously and track pupils’ progress effectively. This ensures that teaching is good and that no groups of pupils fall behind.  Governors are knowledgeable and committed to supporting and challenging the school. They play a key part in assuring the quality of the school’s work.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most able pupils are not always set work which is demanding enough for them to make rapid progress.  When their work is marked, pupils do not always respond to teachers’ feedback.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to apply their mathematical skills to solving practical problems.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited several lessons or parts of lessons, six of which were observed jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. Inspectors looked at a range of pupils’ work and heard a number of pupils from Years 1 and 2 read.  Meetings took place with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and groups of pupils. Inspectors also met members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s data on pupils’ progress and records relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors observed pupils in assemblies, at playtime, during lunch breaks and as they moved around the school. Displays in all areas, including classrooms, were scrutinised.  Inspectors took into account 87 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), as well as the results of a recent parent questionnaire carried out by the school. An inspector also met with a parent.

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Information about this inspection

 The 20 responses to the staff questionnaire were also considered.

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Inspection team

Richard Blackmore, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is a little smaller than the average-sized primary school. In Reception, children are taught in one full-time class.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children in the care of the local authority, is below the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards for primary schools, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school runs a before- and after-school club.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and raise pupils’ achievement by making sure that:  the most able pupils always receive suitably challenging work so that they make the progress of which they are capable  pupils always respond to the teachers’ feedback  pupils have more opportunities to apply their mathematical skills to solving practical problems.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers and governors are ambitious for the school to do well. The headteacher provides very determined leadership and a clear focus on improving teaching and speeding up pupils’ progress. She has a clearly articulated vision for the future which is shared by the staff.  Middle leaders’ checks on teachers’ performance in their areas of responsibility are regular, demanding and accurate. Teachers receive good quality feedback about how to improve. Leaders ensure that improvements are made quickly and that only good performance is rewarded. Teachers are held to account rigorously for pupils’ progress.  The school’s leaders know that there are some weaknesses in teaching, particularly in the challenge offered to the most able pupils, which they must attend to if pupils’ attainment is to rise further.  The school uses a themed approach to learning to offer pupils a broad range of interesting and exciting

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The leadership and management are good

topics. The school has made good progress in developing its approach to the new National Curriculum and is currently exploring, with other local schools, new systems for the assessment of pupils.  There are many opportunities within the school day for pupils to reflect on their work and to think about a variety of ideas and concepts. They learn about different cultures and faiths, which helps their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, they are introduced to democracy by voting for an elected school council which regularly meets with the headteacher to help shape the future of the school. Pupils demonstrate good levels of respect for, and tolerance of, the beliefs and customs of others.  The school is committed to securing equal opportunities for all pupils. The pupil premium is used wisely. Each eligible pupil is identified, their specific needs evaluated carefully and funds used to give appropriate

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The leadership and management are good

additional support. Funding also covers assistance for educational visits and events which significantly enhance the learning of this group.  The school has allocated the primary school sport and physical education premium to good effect, with a particular focus on getting class teachers to work alongside specialist coaches. As a result, teachers’ skills have improved and pupils have been able to benefit from participation in more sports. Pupils talked enthusiastically about the sports activities available after school, which are already having a positive impact on many pupils’ lifestyles and physical well-being.  Arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements, including those for the recruitment of staff and the protection of vulnerable pupils.  The local authority provides regular and effective support validating the school’s evaluation of its work.  Nearly all parents who spoke to inspectors and who responded to Parent View thought that the school is

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The leadership and management are good

well led, that teaching is effective and that pupils’ behaviour is good.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is well informed and effective. It challenges school leaders and holds them to account for pupils’ achievement. By using the data available, governors accurately compare the school’s performance with that of schools nationally. The performance management of teachers is good. Governors understand and carefully check the process of setting targets for teachers and make sure that promotions and increases in pay are justified by pupils’ progress and achievement. They know about the quality of teaching in the school. Governors are fully involved in reviewing policies and receive detailed reports from senior leaders about how these are being used in practice. Governors know how all the additional funding is being spent and carefully monitor its impact.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They enjoy lessons and are keen to do their best. The majority of pupils have very good attitudes to learning, follow instructions well and listen keenly to others but there are times when some pupils are not fully engaged in lessons and their standards of behaviour fall. Throughout the school, pupils are proud of their well-presented work and are keen to share it with visitors. They work well by themselves and in groups and pairs. Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning helps to ensure that they make good progress.  Pupils move around the school sensibly and play at break times with care and consideration for each other. This good behaviour is also evident in the before- and after-school club, where pupils of different ages play happily together. Several pupils who spoke to inspectors said that they valued the help of staff in resolving minor disagreements with friends. Pupils show respect for their classmates and for adults and

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Behaviour

this is preparing them well for a future as young British citizens.  Pupils are proud of their school and speak highly of the staff. They develop a strong social conscience and are eager to take on extra responsibilities such as those which come with being a member of the school council. As one pupil said, ‘Behaviour is really good here.’

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Staff receive good quality training in this area and know what to do if they have concerns about safeguarding issues.  Pupils are acutely aware of what situations to avoid outside school. Pupils are also made aware of other risks, such as those they may encounter when using the internet and mobile devices. As a result, pupils feel safe and secure in school and know how to keep themselves safe at home, in school and when out and about.  Pupils reported that there is no bullying. This is borne out by the school’s records. Pupils are very clear that adults will help them if they have any worries or concerns.  Leaders ensure that the necessary policies to keep pupils safe are in place and monitored effectively. Child protection practices are particularly effective because leaders work closely with external agencies and other professionals to support any pupils at risk of falling behind.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ subject knowledge is good. Teachers provide a range of tasks that motivate their pupils and use questions well, both to assess what pupils know and to encourage them to work things out for themselves. In their turn, pupils are keen to live up to the high expectations of the adults around them and this helps them to make good progress. This was particularly noticeable in a mathematics lesson, where pupils in Year 5 had the opportunity to practise their calculation techniques. Throughout the lesson, they showed a clear understanding of the strategies needed to reach the highest level.  Relationships between adults and the pupils are good. Pupils learn well because teachers know them well and understand what they are capable of.  In literacy, pupils take part in a wide range of activities in small groups every day. These activities are set up to help pupils to make progress in the particular areas of the subject that they find difficult, such as

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The quality of teaching is good

writing extended pieces of work. Skilled learning support practitioners lead these sessions effectively, as well as giving good support in classrooms to individuals and groups. During lessons, pupils use learning prompts such as the ‘literacy pyramids’ to help them to check the quality of their work and improve it.  In mathematics pupils calculate confidently, benefiting from regular opportunities to talk through their ideas with partners. However, pupils are not given regular opportunities to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding to practical problems and mathematical investigations, which slightly limits their progress in the subject.  Pupils receive frequent, high quality marking and feedback from their teachers. As a result, pupils know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. However, although pupils said how much they value this guidance, they do not systematically respond to their teachers’ feedback, so mistakes can

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The quality of teaching is good

sometimes be repeated.  Teaching assistants are well trained and effective. They work confidently with different groups of pupils, sometimes helping those who are unsure to catch up and at other times supervising and checking that the most able pupils keep on task while the teacher is working with other groups.  The teaching of phonics has improved and with it, pupils’ progress in reading. The teaching of reading is also effective because of the additional support teachers provide for those who may be falling behind.

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The achievement of pupils

 The results of national tests at the end of Year 6 show that pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been above average for some years.  The school makes accurate internal assessments of how well pupils are doing. These assessments, and the high quality of pupils’ work in English and mathematics seen by inspectors, suggest that standards are rising and that pupils are making consistently good progress in all year groups.  As a result of the school’s good tracking systems, any groups of pupils falling behind are spotted quickly, and effective action taken.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are clearly identified and their needs are assessed quickly and effectively. Targeted support through small-group work and one-to-one sessions is effective, particularly for those with linguistic needs, and ensures that they make good progress overall.  Pupils read confidently and with understanding because the school’s leaders have developed a strong

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The achievement of pupils

reading culture. Pupils enjoy reading and talk with enthusiasm about the stories they have read. Younger pupils are developing their skills in reading unfamiliar words by using their knowledge of phonics to blend letter sounds together.  In Year 6, in 2014, disadvantaged pupils’ attainment was about three terms behind that of other pupils in the school in mathematics, and around four terms behind in reading and writing. The gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally was less wide in mathematics and reading; eligible pupils were a term and a half behind in mathematics and three terms behind in reading. They were about four terms behind in writing. Evidence from the inspection suggests that these gaps are now closing because this group is now making much faster progress than before. Extra support through a wide range of additional programmes is being used much more effectively.

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The achievement of pupils

 The most able pupils are typically set a variety of tasks that interest them. However, there is not always enough challenge for this group of pupils because they are not always set work that is demanding enough for them to achieve their full potential. Despite this, the most able pupils achieve well because teachers target questions specifically at this group during discussions and follow up on misunderstandings during lessons.

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The early years provision

 There are effective arrangements to ensure that when children join the Reception class, they settle quickly into their new routines. They behave well and enjoy school life and all the new experiences they encounter.  The majority of children enter the early years with levels of knowledge and skill that are below those expected for their age. They make good progress because teaching is good and the class teacher plans activities that interest, excite and challenge them most of the time; only very occasionally are children not fully challenged. As a result, most pupils have reached a good level of development by the time they are ready to move on into Year 1.  Staff regularly observe and record the children’s progress, assess the ways they learn and interact with each other, and use the results well to plan future work. The children’s ‘Learning Journeys’ journals record their learning and show good evidence for their progress across all the areas of development.

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The early years provision

 The school’s leaders have clear priorities and high expectations for every child in Reception. They ensure that there is effective communication between all the adults who work in the early years so that everyone knows how well children are doing and what they should be doing next.  Arrangements for keeping children safe are highly effective. Teachers and teaching assistants are extremely conscientious about monitoring children at all times to ensure that they are kept safe.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 118254 Local authority Kent Inspection number 448805

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 208 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Martin Tibbetts Headteacher Sarah Warshow Date of previous school inspection 21 October 2009 Telephone number 01322 662179 Fax number 01322 662179 Email address admin@crockenhill.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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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 and 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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