Croftlands Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Croftlands Infant School Oakwood Drive, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 9JU

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good 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 enjoy coming to school. Children in early years like to ride their balance bikes in the outdoor area. Older pupils love to chat and play with their friends at playtimes. They especially appreciate their visits to the school’s woodland area. Pupils get on well with each other and with staff. They said that their school is a friendly place for everyone.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers expect the best of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils pay attention to what their teachers say in lessons. If they do not understand something, they know that they can ask an adult for help. This helps pupils to progress with their learning. However, in some subjects, younger children learn less well. This is because leaders have not organised the curriculum clearly in these areas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high standards for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils behave well. For example, they walk quietly and sensibly back to their classrooms after assembly. Pupils are respectful to staff, to visitors and to each other. This makes the school a calm and orderly place. Pupils know that bullying is not tolerated. If it ever happens, they know that staff will put a stop to it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and secure in school. They trust staff to look after them well. Pupils know whom to speak to if ever they have any worries. They try hard to ensure that their conduct reflects the school’s rules: ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’.

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

Leaders are ambitious for pupils to succeed. The curriculum that they have provided for pupils is broad and interesting. Leaders have clearly defined what they want pupils to have achieved by the time they move on to junior school. In some subjects, especially reading and mathematics, the curriculum is clearly organised from early years to Year 2. 8 and 9 March 2022

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This helps teachers to make sure that pupils build securely on what they have already learned. Pupils achieve well in these subjects.

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In other subjects, the curriculum is less well organised, especially in early years. Staff do not have the information that they need to make sure that children learn everything that they need to know. This makes it more difficult for staff to build up children’s learning securely in these subjects.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. Children in early years start learning about phonics straightaway. They build up their knowledge of letters and sounds quickly. The words in reading books contain only the letters and sounds that children have learned. This enables children, including those with SEND, to read books successfully. Leaders make sure that pupils read a wide range of exciting books. Pupils and children enjoy listening when their teachers read to them each day. Older pupils love to select their own books from the school library. These experiences help pupils of all ages to develop a real love of reading.

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Teachers check regularly to make sure that pupils have understood new learning. They provide extra support for pupils who need it, so that they do not fall behind. Teachers make sure that pupils have opportunities to revisit what they have learned in previous lessons. For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 1 practise their written calculations regularly. These opportunities help pupils to remember their learning.

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Leaders of some subjects are relatively new to their roles. They do not have a clear understanding of the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning in their subjects. This is because they have had limited time to check that the curriculum is helping pupils to know more and remember more over time.

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Leaders and staff work together to identify pupils who may have SEND. They take care to adapt pupils’ access to learning where necessary. This helps pupils with SEND to learn the same curriculum as other pupils. Leaders work effectively with parents and carers, and a range of other professionals. This helps them to secure expert support for these pupils when it is needed. Pupils with SEND learn as well as their classmates.

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Two-year-olds in the Badgers class develop strong relationships with the adults who care for them. This helps them to feel safe and secure, and to seek comfort if they need it. Children know where to find their favourite toys and resources. They learn to share and to play alongside other children. These experiences help to build up children’s confidence in the school setting.

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Leaders provide meaningful opportunities for pupils’ development beyond the curriculum. For example, pupils participate in sports events and performances with pupils from other schools. They learn about different faiths and cultures. Trips to places of worship, such as a Buddhist temple, help to bring this learning to life. Pupils learn about values such as democracy when they vote for members of the school council. They develop an understanding of fairness, tolerance and trust through their special assemblies. 8 and 9 March 2022

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Governors challenge leaders appropriately to check that the school is running well. Leaders are considerate of staff’s workload when they make decisions about the school. Staff appreciate the support that they receive from leaders for their well-being.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that computing, history, geography and religious education may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular training in a range of safeguarding matters. They know how to recognise potential signs of abuse. Staff are confident in the actions to take if they are worried about a pupil’s welfare.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work with a wide range of other professionals to make sure that pupils and their families get the timely help that they need. For example, leaders work effectively with neighbouring schools, local authority children’s services and the police to make sure that they have the information that they need to safeguard children.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when they use the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, subject leaders do not have a clear understanding of the impact of the curriculum in their subjects on pupils’ learning. This is because they are new to role and have had limited opportunities to make sure that pupils know more and remember more over time. Leaders must ensure that all subject leaders have the time that they need to check the impact of the curriculum. This is so that they can assure themselves that the curriculum is having the intended impact on pupils’ long-term memory.  In some areas of learning, the curriculum for children in early years is not clearly organised. Staff do not have enough information about the most important knowledge children need to know or the order in which this should be taught. This makes it difficult for leaders and staff to be sure that children are learning everything that they need to know. Leaders, including subject leaders, must ensure that staff in early years

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

have the information that they need in each area of learning. This is so that children are well prepared for the demands of key stage 1.

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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 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 8 and 9 March 2022

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inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 a section 5 inspection immediately.

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This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2012.

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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.

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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. 8 and 9 March 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Stephen McDonald

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School details

Website www.croftlandsinf.cumbria.sch.uk

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Date of previous inspection

31 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and a new chair of governors have been appointed.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the headteacher, governors and with other senior leaders. The inspector also spoke on the telephone with a representative of the local authority.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed these curriculums with leaders, visited a sample of classroom activities, spoke with staff and with pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also discussed the curriculum with leaders in some other subjects. 8 and 9 March 2022

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 The views expressed by parents in their responses to Ofsted Parent View were taken into account. This included the free-text comments. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding and spoke with staff to understand how they keep children safe.  The inspector spoke with staff to discuss leaders’ support for them.

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Inspection team

Mavis Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 March 2022

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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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