Cranford CofE Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Cranford C E Primary School Church Lane, Cranford, Kettering NN14 4AE

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Outcome

There has been no change to Cranford Church of England Primary School’s overall effectiveness judgement of outstanding as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to come to this school and love learning here. They enjoy exciting trips, clubs and sporting events and make many happy memories. Year 2 pupils recently enjoyed visiting Peterborough Cathedral for a ‘Moon Mindfulness Day’. They learned about the moon landings and how they might ‘aspire to greatness’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a nurturing school. Parents say staff go ‘above and beyond’ to support pupils. Parents value the support and remote lessons staff provided during the COVID-19 periods of lockdown.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of behaviour. Pupils demonstrate their understanding of the ‘Cranford Way’. They are thoughtful and act with respect for others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents are confident that bullying rarely happens. Pupils say that adults quickly help them to resolve any disagreements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils become competent readers and fluent mathematicians. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. However, in a few subjects, pupils do not learn as well.

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

Leaders have put reading at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils experience a wide range of texts to stimulate their interest. They learn the different skills needed to understand what they have read. Through author visits, pupils enjoy learning about how authors compose texts. Leaders continually promote pupils’ love of reading. Teachers read daily to pupils. From the youngest to the oldest, pupils listen intently. 6 October 2021

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Leaders have introduced a carefully structured approach to teaching phonics. They have trained all staff well to deliver the programme effectively. Staff teach sounds correctly in the right order. Pupils regularly practise reading with books carefully selected to match the sounds they know. Leaders guide parents well to support their children’s progress with reading. Pupils receive effective support when they find it hard to keep up or have fallen behind. They become confident and fluent readers.

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Leaders have increased ambitions for the curriculum. They improved English, mathematics and science to begin with. More recently, they developed the geography and history curriculums. In these areas, leaders have set out the most important things that pupils should learn and remember from the early years through to Year 6. Leaders ensure that pupils learn this content in a logical order. This allows pupils to continually build on what they know. Leaders have provided support and training for staff to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers clearly explain new knowledge and concepts in small, manageable steps. They make skilful adaptations to suit the mixed-age groups in their classes. When pupils have to learn remotely, leaders make sure that this closely mirrors the learning in school. Pupils learn and remember more in the subjects that have been reviewed. However, the curriculum is not yet as well organised in all subjects.

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Teachers carefully adapt plans to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can access the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND receive extra support to help them to understand new concepts. For example, the daily ‘maths meetings’ help them to remember crucial mathematical knowledge. Leaders ensure that these pupils achieve targets set out in their individual learning plans.

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Leaders place high importance on the ways in which the school supports pupils’ personal development. They provide pupils with a broad range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Leaders make sure that pupils learn how to have a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. Pupils appreciate that this can help them to cope with changes in their lives. Pupils are proud of the school’s Christian ethos but are interested to learn about other religions and cultures too.

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Staff appreciate that leaders help them to achieve a work-life balance. The trust provides the school leaders with challenge and support. This has helped to improve the curriculum. However, this work is not complete yet.

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In discussion with the headteacher, inspectors agreed that curriculum planning and its implementation will serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a high priority and at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Leaders make sure that everyone receives training to understand and spot the risks pupils might face. Staff know pupils very well and report their concerns appropriately. Leaders keep a vigilant eye on potential concerns and make referrals to external agencies when necessary. Pupils and families receive the support they need. 6 October 2021

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Pupils learn how to stay safe through the curriculum. They learn how to look after their mental health and how to stay safe online. They know who to talk to if they are worried.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Although leaders have revised the curriculum effectively in the core subjects and some of the foundation subjects, they have not completed this work for the other foundation subjects. In some of these subjects, the key knowledge that pupils need to learn is not clearly identified and sequenced. Teachers have not received the support they need to deliver these subjects effectively and check that pupils have acquired the knowledge they need to learn and remember more. Leaders should make sure that the curriculum review is completed for all subjects, and teachers carefully check that pupils acquire the knowledge they need to progress well with their learning.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Cranford Church of England Primary School, to be outstanding in April 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 6 October 2021

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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. 6 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10201098 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Cranford CofE Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2017. When its predecessor school, Cranford Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  When it converted to an academy, the school joined the Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (PDET), which is a multi-academy trust.  The new headteacher joined the school in the autumn of 2018, initially as head of school. He took up the substantive post in September 2019.  The school is part of the Diocese of Peterborough. The religious character of the school was inspected in May 2016 and judged to be outstanding. A further Section 48 inspection is due, but these inspections have been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 6 October 2021

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and groups of staff and pupils. They spoke with a representative of the governing body and representatives of the PDET.  The inspectors took account of the 31 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and 22 written comments from parents. They also spoke with seven parents.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. To aid this, they spoke with leaders, pupils and staff, visited lessons, listened to pupils read, and looked at samples of work. This included talking to staff working remotely and looking at the remote provision for pupils who were isolating at the time.  The inspectors looked at the school’s record of employment checks and at a sample of the school’s safeguarding records, and spoke with safeguarding leaders.

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Inspection team

Claire Stylianides, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Talbot Ofsted Inspector 6 October 2021

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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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