Schools & FE · School inspection (CIF)
Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant School
Summary
Anne Vernon (lead), Catherine Precious, Gerry Wilson
What we read, and from where
Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.
- Inspection date verified
21 Nov 2018
- Inspectors verified
Anne Vernon, Catherine Precious, Gerry Wilson
- Early years verified
Outstanding
- Leadership and management verified
Outstanding
- Outcomes verified
Good
- Overall effectiveness verified
Outstanding
- Personal development, behaviour and welfare verified
Outstanding
- Teaching, learning and assessment verified
Outstanding
- Postcode verified
WF4 3LZ
- Name on report verified
Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant School
- URN verified
108212
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2013.
- OverallOutstanding
- Early yearsOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- OutcomesGood
- Personal development, behaviour and welfareOutstanding
- Teaching, learning and assessmentOutstanding
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
In line with other reports of this type graded Outstanding.
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How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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- The exceptional headteacher, together with the highly effective leadership team, has created a strong sense of purpose across the school. p.3
- Pupils are keen to live up to the expectations of the adults around them, and their positive attitudes to learning contribute much to their strong, and sometimes outstanding, progress. p.6
- High expectations and very well-established routines lead children to develop excellent attitudes to learning. p.9
- They said that their children were taught very well and made excellent progress from Nursery onwards. p.9
- The headteacher and senior leadership team provide exceptional leadership and are ambitious for all pupils. p.1
Concerns
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Next steps
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What the report dwells on
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Parents & families15
“Parents and carers are extremely happy with the school.” p.1
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 12
- Words of findings
- 3,470
- about usual (typical 2995)
- Reading level
- Fairly hard
- Flesch 51, typical 47
- Average sentence
- 15 words
- Next steps
- 1
- typical 1
- Hedged sentences
- 1%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant School Stoney Lane, Hall Green, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF4 3LZ
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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding
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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding
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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding
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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection 14 February 2018
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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils
The headteacher and senior leadership team provide exceptional leadership and are ambitious for all pupils. A dedicated team of staff, whose members share the headteacher’s drive and commitment, ably supports them. Governors are equally ambitious and bring a wide range of expertise to the school. They regularly consider the quality of teaching and the progress pupils make. They support and challenge leaders in equal measure. Rigorous systems and procedures underpin the school’s work to continually raise pupils’ outcomes. Any pupils at risk of falling behind are identified quickly. Staff then provide extra guidance and support to help them catch up. Teaching is highly effective and extremely well- matched to the needs of pupils. As a result, pupils from different starting points currently make strong progress, particularly in Reception and key stage 1. The school’s extensive curriculum is vibrant and dynamic. It is enriched by visits and
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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils
visitors. Pupils find learning interesting. The compelling range of stimulating activities ensures that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding develops well. It prepares them for life in modern Britain. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in and out of lessons. A strong sense of harmony pervades the school. Pupils, proud to be members of the friendly and welcoming school community, are unfailingly polite and courteous. Children in the early years thrive due to the wide range of stimulating and challenging activities. They are happy, very well looked after and love their learning. As a result, children make rapid progress and leave Reception very well prepared for Year 1. Parents and carers are extremely happy with the school. They highly value and appreciate the quality of care and support their children receive. This is a very inclusive school, where pupils’ individual needs are recognised and met. The
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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils
school provides excellent nurture and support. As a result, pupils say that they feel safe and well cared for. By the time they leave key stage 2, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected and higher standards in reading and writing are increasingly above the national average. Leaders, however, recognise that in mathematics the proportions attaining the expected and higher standards need to rapidly increase. Action is being taken to address this.
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What does the school need to do to improve further?
Increase the proportion of pupils, particularly the middle-attaining group, reaching the highest levels of attainment in mathematics by the end of key stage 2.
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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding
The exceptional headteacher, together with the highly effective leadership team, has created a strong sense of purpose across the school. Staff and pupils share a vision of high levels of success. Leaders and governors have successfully created an ethos of high expectations. The ambition to be as inclusive as possible permeates every aspect of school life. Governors and leaders have a very clear view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. There is no complacency. This indicates their uncompromising approach to sustain strengths and to further improvement. There is high-quality leadership beyond the senior leadership team. Middle leaders are passionate about developing their subject areas, ensuring that pupils receive stimulating and exciting learning opportunities. The leader for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is knowledgeable and highly organised.
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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding
She ensures that provision for pupils is in place and regularly monitors its impact. Leaders, staff and governors analyse information about pupils’ progress regularly and in great detail. They are quick to identify when pupils require additional support, including from external agencies. Consequently, pupils of all abilities make substantial progress. A rich, varied and well-thought-out curriculum is one of the school’s key strengths. It has tremendous breadth, offers challenging learning and captures the interest of all pupils. Pupils are proud to show visitors around the school. The learning environment has been enhanced with high-quality artwork and displays. For example, art-work has been created as a result of the school’s ongoing visits and work in Chengdu, China. Another display demonstrates pupils’ responses and understanding of Remembrance Day. Pupils say that they enjoy learning across a wide range of subjects and talk
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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding
enthusiastically about school trips to places such as Robin Wood and the Sculpture Park. Work in pupils’ books confirms the breadth and depth of their learning across the curriculum. The school very effectively promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils learn to be reflective and are encouraged to think about sensitive issues. They have a strong sense of what is right and wrong and recognise what is fair and what is not. Visits to different places of worship, such as a mosque, gurdwara and church, provide pupils with a greater understanding of the multicultural nature of Britain. This is shown in their ability to mix with, be accepting of, and excited by differences. Pupils are extremely well-prepared for life in modern Britain. They are also given many opportunities to explore and develop their own creative talents in areas such as art and music. The curriculum is further enhanced by a wide range of after-school clubs and activities,
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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding
ranging from team sports and multi-sports to cookery and opportunities to play the ocarina. The school makes excellent use of the additional funding it receives. Pupils who are disadvantaged receive effective additional support to ensure that they make strong progress and have the same opportunities to learn as others. Specific funding finances effective provision and support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Additional funding to support the promotion of sport and increase physical activity provides expert coaching, develops staff expertise and increases pupils’ participation in sport. Pupils are able to take part in a variety of sporting activities, including competitive team events with other local schools. Staff receive a wide range of training, linked to the school’s priorities, which is regularly monitored and evaluated to ensure that it is having a positive impact on pupils’
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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding
learning. Leaders within school are committed to the development of new leaders at all levels and enabling staff to take on new responsibilities. Middle leaders spoken to say they are trusted to act, and are enabled by the headteacher and senior leaders to develop their own subject areas. All staff who responded to the online questionnaire indicated, overwhelmingly, that they are proud to work in Dane Royd Junior and Infant School. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school, and all who spoke to inspectors, or took part in the online questionnaire, Parent View, would unhesitatingly recommend the school to others. One typical response was, ‘The school went over and beyond in settling my child and ensuring all of his needs had been met. His progress is fantastic. The school deserves special recognition.’ Leaders and governors have a very accurate view of the school’s strengths. Their ongoing monitoring and evaluation are thorough and rigorous. While judging the
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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding
school’s effectiveness to be ‘outstanding’ overall, leaders do not shy away from addressing any concerns that might arise. Leaders are quite clear that in outcomes for pupils in Year 6 in 2018 the progress, particularly of middle attainers in mathematics, dipped below national average. The local authority recognises the school’s many strengths and sees the school as being as much a giver as a receiver of support. The school works well within its local cluster of schools. School leaders have been able to use their skills and knowledge to provide support and advice to other schools, through hosting visits and sharing their excellent practice.
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Governance of the school
Governors are passionately committed to the success of the school. They are well-informed and highly skilled. Their secure grasp of the school’s performance, together with regular visits, enables them to ask insightful questions and make excellent contributions to the school’s development. Governors regularly work together, with teachers, to review pupils’ progress across the school. They check that teachers are continuously planning challenging learning opportunities in all subject areas. This is followed up with a planned programme of visits to make sure that pupils’ experiences in the classroom are of the highest quality. The governing body has been highly effective in ensuring that finances are well-used and managed and, as a result, the school has been able to develop a well-resourced, high-quality learning environment. Governors are proactive, using a range of ways to communicate and gather the views
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Governance of the school
of all stakeholders in the school and the community. For example, a regular newsletter keeps parents informed about their role. Pupils from the school council have opportunities to share their thoughts and opinions about how to further develop their school. The governing body is very clear that children and their families are always at the centre of everything they do.
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Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is an exceptionally strong safeguarding culture throughout the school. All staff spoken to describe safeguarding as being everyone’s responsibility. All are aware of the key signs to look out for that could indicate a welfare concern. They have a clear understanding of the procedures to follow if they are worried about a child’s well- being. The designated leader and deputy leaders for safeguarding maintain highly detailed records of any concerns and check that they are rigorously followed up. There is a detailed induction programme for all staff new to the school and regular updates are provided. Regular training is in place to make sure that their knowledge of best practice in safeguarding and child protection is up to date. Thorough checks are made on staff, governors and volunteers to ensure that they are suitable people to work with pupils. The school maintains appropriately detailed records
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Safeguarding
of these checks. The school’s recruitment procedures are robust and comprehensive. The school provides very high levels of pastoral care for pupils and their families. The school’s safeguarding and child protection team knows families extremely well and parents know they can rely on the school for support. This excellent provision is enhanced by the strong partnerships that have been established with external agencies. The designated lead and team are tenacious in following up all concerns and ensuring that where action is meant to happen, it does.
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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding
The quality of teaching is consistently very strong across the school. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and work with great enthusiasm and skill. They bring learning alive for pupils. Through probing questioning and activities designed to challenge them, teachers ensure that pupils think deeply about their learning. One pupil spoken to stated, ‘Lessons are fun, always different, and learning is interesting.’ Across the school, teachers make learning enjoyable. This is also a reflection of their own passion and enjoyment in what they do. Teachers work hard to ensure that they respond to the needs and interests of all of their pupils, ensuring that everyone is challenged. In Year 5, for example, pupils were able to practise using different methods of calculation through circuit training, increasing speed and accuracy. Teachers are successful in motivating all pupils. They provide a range of tasks that
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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding
encourage pupils to want to succeed. Pupils are keen to live up to the expectations of the adults around them, and their positive attitudes to learning contribute much to their strong, and sometimes outstanding, progress. Pupils have frequent opportunities to read. They talk enthusiastically about favourite authors and types of books they like to read. For example, a pupil in Year 6 was able to reflect on the benefit of re-reading books as, ‘You can find new meanings and extra things when you read a good book again.’ Teachers know their pupils very well and recognise exactly what they can do. This enables them to plan work that moves pupils on in their understanding at a brisk pace in all subjects. Every subject leader has an excellent understanding of pupils’ attainment and progress. They use this to check that pupils are building the skills they need over time. Pupils produce high-quality work across the curriculum. They successfully apply their
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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding
literacy and numeracy skills across all subjects. For example, in Year 3, pupils studying the Stone Age were able to use their understanding of coordinates to carefully plot the layout of their house to ensure that they would keep warm and safe. Teachers and teaching assistants work highly effectively in partnership. Teaching assistants are skilled, have good subject knowledge and have a very good understanding of the age range of pupils they are working with. They work very well with teachers to provide targeted support and teaching that addresses identified gaps in pupils’ learning. The teaching of phonics, spelling and punctuation is well structured. Teachers look closely at the progress pupils make and put extra support in place quickly if pupils fall behind. Consequently, pupils have the skills to support their reading development and make substantial progress. The teaching of writing is highly effective. Teachers ensure that pupils develop a clear
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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding
understanding of key writing skills and then provide them with a wide range of opportunities to practise and refine these skills by writing for different purposes. As a result, by the time they are in Year 6, pupils are able to write extremely well in a range of styles, including persuasive letters and powerful descriptions, using increasingly sophisticated sentence structures and vocabulary. Pupils with SEND make very strong progress. This is because the school identifies their learning needs promptly and then plans high-quality experiences for them. They particularly benefit from well-matched, individualised support from teachers and additional adults. The teaching of mathematics is very strong. It is a reflection of the subject lead’s passion and desire to ensure that all pupils get the best possible experiences to enhance their learning. However, due to a dip in the attainment of Year 6 in 2018,
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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding
leaders have carried out a detailed analysis of pupils’ results. Teachers have identified key areas for further work and are now focused on ensuring that pupils check calculations carefully and identify quickly where there are errors. Parents are well informed about pupils’ progress. They receive regular information through meetings and written reports. Workshops offer parents support with their children’s learning at home.
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Personal development and welfare
The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils are a delight. They are friendly and extremely enthusiastic about learning. Pupils in class are motivated to achieve. They show great pride in themselves and their school. There is a culture of mutual support and respect throughout the school. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and positive, and pupils are highly supportive of each other. More than once, inspectors observed pupils praising and encouraging each other. For example, pupils in a Year 6 English group praised each other’s extended writing when they were describing Christmas in the trenches. They commented carefully on the chosen words that made them feel ‘warm inside’. Pupils say they feel very safe in school and they are safe. Pupils spoken to feel that they trust all adults in school to care for them. They are confident that staff will resolve
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Personal development and welfare
any problems that they may have. Equally, pupils see that they are also able themselves to ‘sort out any problems’. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions. Pupils have a very good understanding of different types of bullying, but say that, in their school, bullying is very rare. Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities to take on positions of responsibility and share their ideas for the school. Pupils on the school council regularly meet with their link on the governing body to discuss any concerns or new ideas to further improve their school.
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Behaviour
The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils, parents and staff are very positive about behaviour at school. Pupils from different backgrounds and with different abilities and needs play and work happily together. Through the ongoing work of leaders and teachers, pupils can see that there are no barriers to friendship. In the classroom, and around school as a whole, there is a very positive and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils arrive promptly to their lessons and are eager to learn, with very little prompting from adults. Pupils are very capable of managing their own behaviours. Pupils enjoy coming to school and appreciate all that their school can offer them. As a result, attendance is currently above the national average. Leaders offer effective support to parents and pupils to ensure that all pupils continue to attend well.
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Outcomes for pupils Good
Children enter the school with skills that are slightly below those that are typical for their age. They make very strong progress in Reception and are very well prepared for Year 1. By the time they leave key stage 2, the proportion of pupils who are consistently reaching standards of attainment at expected and higher levels, is above the national average in reading and writing, and increasingly so in mathematics. However, leaders have recognised that in 2018 the proportion of pupils reaching both the expected and higher standards in mathematics did not meet national figures. This was identified as being due to a number of pupils who missed these standards, sometimes by only one mark. The school is aware that the proportion of pupils in mathematics reaching the expected and higher standards, particularly for middle-attaining groups, needs to increase quickly. The school’s own performance information shows that all current year groups make at
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Outcomes for pupils Good
least good progress, and often better, particularly in Reception and key stage 1. Pupils’ work illustrates the strong progress that pupils make over time. Their work is neatly presented, and of high quality, in all subjects. Skills are taught effectively across the curriculum. Pupils with SEND make good and sometimes outstanding progress from different starting points. This is because the school identifies their learning needs promptly and provides high levels of targeted support. They particularly benefit from well-matched, individualised support from teachers and additional adults. Pupils enjoy reading, and by the end of Year 1 they have learned how to use phonics well to help them tackle unfamiliar words. In 2018, the proportion of pupils overall who reached the expected standard in the phonics screening check was above the published national average. The proportion of pupils in the school who are disadvantaged is small. The school has
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Outcomes for pupils Good
strong systems in place to ensure that these pupils make substantial progress.
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Early years provision Outstanding
The leader of the early years team demonstrates the determination, expertise and skills to sustain the highly effective provision. Staff, including those new to the age group, are very well supported. All staff within early years clearly show they have great enthusiasm and passion for the work they do. Children’s starting points in early years vary from year to year, but, broadly, they are below those typical for their age. However, as the result of highly skilled teaching staff, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development as they leave Reception has been above the national average for the last three years. This means that children make very strong progress and are extremely well-prepared for Year 1. Staff make regular, high-quality observations of children’s learning to check their progress and to ensure that they plan effectively to meet the next steps. Tracking of children’s progress is detailed, thorough and regularly checked by leaders within school
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Early years provision Outstanding
and, externally, by local authority advisers. Teaching in early years is very strong. High expectations and very well-established routines lead children to develop excellent attitudes to learning. Children’s learning needs are very well met by the high-quality teaching and provision, both in the classroom and outdoors. Adults promote children’s communication skills at every opportunity. As a result, children are able to confidently hold conversations with adults and other children. For example, in Reception, children were able to explain what it would be like to live in the coldest regions in the world and the variety of animals that could live there. They were able to reason that certain animals, for example Arctic foxes, were really suited to living there as they had white fur and would be able to hide from anything that wanted to eat them. Children feel safe and secure and their behaviour is excellent. They work and play with
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Early years provision Outstanding
each other in harmony. A stimulating environment and curriculum support the rapid rate of progress that children make in early years. Partnerships with parents are quickly established. Parents are made to feel very welcome and see themselves as a key part of their children’s education. Across the year, parents have a range of opportunities to visit the provision and stay and work alongside their children. Children are well motivated and develop the characteristics of effective learners. They are curious, resilient, creative and develop a good level of independence and self- control. Parents are very positive about the work of the early years. They said that their children were taught very well and made excellent progress from Nursery onwards. Parents, rightly, have every confidence that their children are kept safe and cared for very well.
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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
Email address headteacher@daneroyd.wakefield.sch.uk
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School details
Date of previous inspection 14 February 2018
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Information about this school
The school is an above-average-sized school. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below average. The school offers wraparound care. The majority of pupils are White British, and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.
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Information about this inspection
Inspectors visited all classrooms. A number of visits were conducted jointly with members of the senior leadership team. Inspectors also looked at pupils’ work in books, records of children’s learning in the early years and other information about pupils’ attainment and progress. Inspectors met with members of the governing body, including the chair and vice chair. Inspectors met with a member of the local authority. Meetings were held with the senior leadership team, middle leaders and leaders responsible for the curriculum, provision for pupils with SEND, for children in the early years and with the designated leads for safeguarding. Inspectors listened to pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 read, and held discussions with a group of pupils. Inspectors also talked to pupils informally around the school. Inspectors took account of 190 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, 77 free-text responses, 29 responses to the staff survey and 26
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Information about this inspection
responses to the pupil survey. In addition, inspectors spoke with a number of parents before the start of the school day. Inspectors examined a range of documents. These included information about pupils’ attainment and progress, the school’s reviews of its own performance, and checks on the quality of teaching and development plans. Inspectors also examined safeguarding documentation and various records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour.
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Inspection team
Anne Vernon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector
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Inspection team
Catherine Precious Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team
In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .
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Inspection team
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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Inspection team
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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .
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Inspection team
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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.
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Inspection team
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Inspection team
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Inspection team
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Inspection team
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