Croft Infant School

Inspection of Croft Infant School Marshall Street, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7BW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The previous ‘outstanding’ judgement reflected the school’s overall effectiveness in January 2007 under the relevant inspection framework at that time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

The new judgement of ‘good’ reflects the current inspection framework as well as any changes at the school since the last inspection.

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Overall effectiveness Good

The school has not been inspected for 13 years, which is longer than the five-year maximum interval between inspections. Changes in school effectiveness may have happened at any point in that period. The long time between inspections is because the law changed in 2011; it made outstanding schools exempt from routine inspection. 28–29 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Croft Infants is a welcoming and caring school. The relationships between staff and pupils are warm and nurturing. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They say that the school rules, such as not running in the corridor, help to keep them safe. Typically, parents and carers agree that their children are happy and well cared for in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well. In recent months, leaders have prioritised improving the teaching of reading and mathematics. Pupils now benefit from more- structured teaching in these subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are polite. Most pupils are confident enough to talk to visitors. They do not think that bullying really happens at their school because, ‘We are taught to be friends.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to play a part in their local community. Pupils visit the public library, take part in an annual remembrance service and enjoy visits from local businesses that help to bring their learning to life.

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better?

Leaders noticed that phonics was not being as well taught as it used to be. They have provided training for staff and have ensured that the teaching of phonics is a top priority. Leaders noted that there were not enough books in school to make sure that pupils are always given a book that is just right for them. Lots of new books have been ordered. There is still a little work to do. For example, introducing all the new books to pupils and ensuring that the last few inconsistencies in practice are eradicated. Nevertheless, phonics is well taught. The detailed plan for teaching reading and writing emphasises the importance of teaching phonics. Teachers in all classes make sure that pupils use the phonics they have learned when they read and write. Pupils achieve well in reading.

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better?

The writing subject plan sets out what must be taught and in what order. Pupils’ books show that their writing is of a high quality. They use the grammar and punctuation they have learned to write interesting sentences.

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better?

Mathematics is well taught. The clear subject plan, drawn up by leaders, helps teachers to plan lessons that build step-by-step on what pupils know and can do. Teachers give pupils lots of opportunities to practise what they have learned.

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better?

Other subjects are not yet as well planned. The subject plans show that the national curriculum is covered. Some subjects set out some of the knowledge that pupils will learn. However, the key knowledge that pupils must remember is not as clear. While teachers check what pupils have learned in the different subjects, they are not 28–29 January 2020

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certain that pupils remember it in the longer term. There are resources in school to teach computing. Pupils in key stage 1 visit the nearby secondary school for lessons in computing. However, these lessons do not happen often enough. This limits pupils’ learning in this subject.

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Lessons run smoothly because pupils behave well in class. They are keen to put up their hands and answer questions. Teachers explain ideas to pupils clearly. They step in quickly to offer extra help if pupils need it.

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There are a wide range of opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn about how to eat healthily and that it is important to brush their teeth. They can take responsibility around school for important jobs, such as sharpening the class pencils or being ‘playtime pals’. A nurture group helps pupils to develop their confidence. Pupils learn about religions and cultures that may be different from their own. The range of clubs, trips and visitors provides experiences for pupils that they may not otherwise have.

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Pupils with SEND, and those who are disadvantaged, are supported well to be able to do the best they can. The special needs coordinator (SENCo) keeps a close eye on the provision for these pupils. Like all staff, she is ambitious for them to achieve well.

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Staff encourage children in the Reception classes to use the sounds they have learned to make good attempts at writing. Staff explain ideas to children clearly. They show them how to complete tasks properly so that they can get the best out of the activities available. Staff provide the right amount of support so that children can be successful.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff and governors have up-to-date training in safeguarding. They make the necessary checks to ensure that new staff are suitable to work with children. All staff know how to raise a concern about a pupil’s welfare, should one arise. Leaders provide useful support for pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. They learn about fire safety, for example, and how to stay safe when they use the internet. They learn about bullying and they know the difference between bullying and silly or thoughtless behaviour.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already 28–29 January 2020

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taken to plan the curriculum that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders must ensure that all subjects set out precisely what pupils must learn and when they must learn it. They must make clear the key knowledge that they want pupils to retain. This should be completed as soon as possible.  Teachers assess what pupils know at the end of topics or units of work. However, there is no clear method for checking what pupils remember in the long term. This is partly because leaders have not set out what this key knowledge is in each subject. Leaders should introduce clear strategies to check that pupils remember the most important content and vocabulary over time.  There have been significant improvements in the teaching of phonics. It is now well taught. The very few inconsistencies that remain must now be eradicated. Leaders must ensure that the books that have been ordered are quickly in place

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so that all pupils can read books that match the sounds they are learning.  Pupils have limited opportunities for lessons in computing. Leaders must ensure that all pupils receive the appropriate frequency and quality of lessons so that pupils build up their knowledge of this subject as well as they should.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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How can I feed back my views?

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

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 28–29 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121300 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30–31 January 2007 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has been in post for six years.  There have been several changes to the leadership of subjects. Some have been on a temporary basis and some have been permanent. The current leaders of English and mathematics have been in post for two years. The leader of phonics has been in post since September 2019.  There have been several changes to the membership of the governing body since the last inspection, including the appointment of a new chair.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

The previous ‘outstanding’ judgement reflected the school’s overall effectiveness in January 2007 under the relevant inspection framework at that time.

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Information about this inspection

The new judgement of ‘good’ reflects the current inspection framework as well as any changes at the school since the last inspection. 28–29 January 2020

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The school has not been inspected for 13 years, which is longer than the five-year maximum interval between inspections. Changes in school effectiveness may have happened at any point in that period. The long time between inspections is because the law changed in 2011; it made outstanding schools exempt from routine inspection.

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 Inspectors conducted deep dives into early reading, mathematics, science and geography. This included talking to leaders, visiting lessons, talking to pupils and teachers, scrutinising pupils’ books and listening to pupils reading.  Inspectors examined plans for a wide range of curriculum subjects. They visited lessons and examined pupils’ books with leaders.  Inspectors held meetings with the SENCo, the early years leader and the headteacher to discuss a wide range of aspects of the work of the school.  Inspectors met with three governors, including the chair of governors. An inspector spoke with an adviser and a senior adviser from the local authority.  Inspectors examined the single central record of safeguarding checks. They examined school documentation relating to safeguarding and spoke with staff, governors and pupils to determine their understanding of keeping pupils safe.  Inspectors met with a group of staff. They spoke with pupils around school and

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with groups of pupils more formally. They spoke with parents as they brought their children to school and collected them at the end of the day.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including documents relating to the school’s own evaluation of its work, the development plan, minutes of governors’ meetings and records of the work that the local authority has undertaken to support leaders.

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Inspection team

Di Mullan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Dorothy Stenson Ofsted Inspector 28–29 January 2020

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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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