Crockerne Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Crockerne Church of England Primary School Westward Drive, Pill, Crockerne Primary School, Bristol BS20 0JP

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Outcome

Crockerne Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school. However, the inspector has some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Crockerne School is a caring and supportive place. Pupils say that they enjoy school. They told me that they like learning and expect to work hard in lessons. In particular, they enjoy writing, physical education (PE) and mathematics. However, a few pupils said that the work is too difficult in some lessons. This is because their work does not build on what they already know and can do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that everyone in the school expects them to behave well. They told me that the school teaches them to ‘be ready, be respectful and safe.’ This helps them to listen well in lessons and think about safety at breaktimes and in between lessons. Pupils behave well towards each other. In a few lesson visits, I observed pupils becoming distracted. This was because they did not understand their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They know that they can talk to any adult if they are worried about something. Pupils told me how adults help them to play together happily by encouraging older pupils to be ‘buddies’ to younger ones.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that bullying is very rare and that teachers sort it out straight away.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are working to make sure all subjects are planned well. In the mathematics curriculum, plans help teachers know exactly what pupils need to know at the end of a series of lessons. The plans also show teachers how what pupils are learning links to what they have learned before. Teachers then plan lessons that help pupils to remember what they have been taught already and to build up their knowledge.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Other subjects are not taught as well as mathematics. In history, teachers’ plans do not 17–18 September 2019

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help pupils to understand historical events and the order in which they occurred. Over time, pupils have missed out on important learning. Some pupils find it tricky to link historical events and periods of time. For example, they do not know the order in which the Romans and Anglo-Saxons settled in Britain or how each settlement was different. The plans for the history curriculum do not show exactly what pupils should know over time. This means that important knowledge is missed.

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Most younger pupils learn to read quickly. Children learn to understand sounds in Nursery class and begin their phonics lessons quickly in Reception classes. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn the different ways in which sounds are written. This helps them to read fluently. Pupils who need to catch up are not learning their letter sounds well enough. This is because the extra help that they get does not help them to practise the sounds and letters that they find difficult before moving on. Some adults who work with these pupils have not had enough guidance to help them check that pupils are learning the right things.

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Leaders have made reading a priority. Pupils enjoy the sessions where teachers read to them. In key stage 2, some pupils struggle to understand the texts they read in class. Teachers’ plans do not show how they intend to help these pupils catch up. As a result, pupils who have fallen behind cannot catch up quickly.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) take part in the full range of lessons. However, teachers do not adapt their plans well enough for these pupils. As a result, some pupils with SEND struggle to understand what they are expected to know and do in lessons. They sometimes become distracted when tasks are too difficult.

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The school helps pupils to be caring citizens who are ambitious to achieve their best. They behave well in lessons and expect to try their hardest. Lessons help pupils to build their confidence in working with others, including visitors from their community. There is a wide range of out-of-school activities for pupils to enjoy. Disadvantaged pupils also take part in activities such as drama and science clubs.

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Children in early years make a good start. Staff make sure that children feel safe and confident to try new things. In Nursery class, daily routines such as snack time help children to speak well and to listen to adults. In Reception classes, children show interest in what they are learning and keep going with things they find difficult. Adults also teach children to read and write letters and words as soon as they enter Reception class. Children also learn to count and to recognise numbers. This prepares them well for Year 1.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to spot potential risks to pupils’ welfare. All staff know how to respond if they have a concern.

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Safeguarding

Leaders act immediately to support pupils who need additional help. They work with other 17–18 September 2019

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professionals to decide how to support families. Leaders act determinedly if they think that pupils are not getting the help they need.

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Pupils learn about dangers they may face outside school, such as on the internet. Leaders have made sure that pupils have access to a mentor to talk to about any worries they have.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ plans for some subjects do not identify well enough the required knowledge that pupils should gain, and by when, throughout the school. As a result, teachers cannot plan effectively to build on prior learning or to prepare pupils for the next stage. Leaders need to ensure that plans for all areas of the curriculum are sequenced well so that pupils secure the knowledge they need to be successful.  The curriculum and teaching do not meet the needs of some pupils with SEND, especially in reading. Learning is not adapted well to help these pupils to secure basic fluency and understanding of reading or mathematics. As a result, some pupils with SEND struggle to keep up with more complex tasks. Leaders need to make sure that teaching of pupils with SEND is better matched to their current understanding and that all pupils learn to read fluently and understand what they read.  Younger pupils who have fallen behind in their reading are not catching up quickly

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

enough. This is because the support that they receive is not planned well enough for them to secure vital knowledge before attempting to learn, apply and remember more content. Leaders need to make sure that pupils have enough time to secure their knowledge well. Leaders need to make sure that those who support pupils who fall behind are well trained to provide effective support.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Crockerne Church of England Primary School, to be good in July 2013.

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find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 17–18 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111583 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteachers Geeta Verrell and Lara Furmidge

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-controlled Church of England school in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. It was graded as outstanding in its most recent Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools in November 2014.  The school joined the Kaleidoscope Multi-Academy Trust in February 2019. Previously, the school was a member of the Inspirational Futures Trust.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection took place over two days. The inspector met with parents at the start of the school day. The inspector also met with the co-headteachers, the designated safeguarding lead and school leaders. The inspector met with school governors, including the chair of governors and the governor responsible for safeguarding, as well as the chief executive officer of the Kaleidoscope Multi-Academy Trust.  The inspector considered reading, mathematics and history during this inspection. The inspector conducted meetings with the leaders of these subjects as well as reviewing leaders’ plans, conducting lesson visits, speaking with pupils about their learning, reviewing pupils’ books and speaking to teaching staff about each subject.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding records, including records of 17–18 September 2019

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recruitment checks made on newly appointed staff at the school. The inspector also reviewed the records of referrals to the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector spoke to staff, leaders and pupils about safeguarding and reviewed leaders’ records of bullying.  The inspector spoke with staff and pupils about standards of behaviour and the school’s response to bullying.  The inspector considered 13 responses to the pupil survey, 19 responses to the staff survey and 102 responses to the online survey, Parent View.  The inspector spoke with leaders and staff about the impact of staff workload.

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Inspection team

Claire Mirams, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 17–18 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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