Craneswater Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Craneswater Junior School St Ronan’s Road, Southsea, Hampshire PO4 0PX

p.1

Outcome

Craneswater Junior School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They value how hard adults work to ensure that they ‘learn to think – think to learn’. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. As one pupil said, ‘Teachers push us to our limits.’ Pupils appreciate the strong relationships that staff have with them. They know that if they have a worry there is an adult that will listen to them. Pupils feel happy and safe in school, saying they learn to share laughter and happiness here.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils listen well to both adults and their peers. Now there are no more COVID-19 bubbles, they enjoy playing with their friends in other year groups at playtimes. Pupils say bullying sometimes happens, but they do not worry because they know an adult will always sort it out for them.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders give pupils a wide range of different opportunities to learn about themselves. Pupils across the school enthusiastically talk about their residential trips. As Year 6 said, sleeping in the tents was freezing but they loved all the different activities they could try. Those Year 6 pupils who did not go are just as eager to talk about their week as apprentices working in teams to be ‘hired’ not ‘fired’!

p.1

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

Senior leaders have worked hard to design an ambitious curriculum that includes all pupils, regardless of any barriers to learning. The special educational need coordinator has strong procedures in place to identify pupils who have additional needs when they are learning. Subject leaders aim for all pupils to learn the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for their next stage of learning.

p.1

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

Leaders make sure that teachers understand what pupils already know before they move learning on. Pupils behave well in class. Their learning is not interrupted. They are eager to answer questions or contribute to a discussion. Teachers build on what all pupils know. They check at the start of each lesson to see what pupils remember to make sure there 15 and 16 June 2022

p.1

2

are no gaps in their knowledge. Teachers work hard to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive appropriate support. They adapt tasks carefully if there is a need.

p.2

2

Leaders clearly believe that reading is absolutely fundamental for pupils to access future learning across the curriculum. They understand it is also crucial for pupils to develop an understanding of the world in which they live through the rich texts they study. Pupils are read to every day to develop a love for reading. Pupils enjoy going to the school library.

p.2

2

A new approach to the teaching of reading has been introduced across the whole school this year. The aim is to ensure that pupils learn the key skills they need to become experts in reading. Leaders know that some pupils in the lower years are struggling to become fluent readers. While there is support for these pupils, they are not catching up as quickly as they could. Leaders have bought a phonics programme that will enable this group to follow a systematic programme and read books that match the phonic sounds they know.

p.2

2

Pupils’ personal development is at the core of the school. The school values of respect, responsibility, honesty, resilience and self-worth are interwoven across all areas of the curriculum. Leaders make sure that pupils see what each of those values looks like, in order for them to learn and then live them. It is through these values that pupils learn how to be a valued citizen in modern Britain. They show respect for the differences between each other. For example, they value the different cultures and languages of their friends and their families. Pupils understand the importance of democracy. They vote for who to award an ‘Oscar’ to for best attitude to learning, best behaved and best contribution to school. They also vote for school councillors and the ‘change for life’ champions.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Senior leaders have ensured that all staff are well equipped to recognise and report concerns. Staff are well trained. Leaders waste no time in contacting external agencies and are persistent and tenacious in making sure support is in place for vulnerable pupils and their families. Leaders have designed a safeguarding curriculum that provides opportunities for pupils to gain the knowledge and understanding to keep themselves safe in and out of school. For example, pupils spoken to, across all year groups, know that they must not share passwords or give out information over the internet.

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils are not yet fluent readers. The support for these pupils is not as systematic as it could be. Leaders need to ensure that all staff are fully trained to deliver the new phonics programme and that struggling readers read books that match their phonic knowledge so as to become fluent readers. 15 and 16 June 2022

p.2

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 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 as a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2014.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

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 .

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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. 15 and 16 June 2022

p.3

School details

Inspection number 10227209 Type of school Junior

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Website www.craneswater.portsmouth.sch.uk

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 8 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school has increased its published admissions number to become a four-form entry school since the last inspection.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, design technology and mathematics. To do this the inspector met with subject leaders, visited lessons, had discussions with pupils and staff and looked at pupils’ work.  Some pupils were observed reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector met with senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff and pupils. 15 and 16 June 2022

p.4

5

 To evaluate the school’s safeguarding arrangements, the inspector carried out a range of activities. These included reviewing procedures, record keeping and speaking to staff and pupils.  The inspector met with members of the governing body and spoke to a representative from the local authority.  The views of parents, staff and pupils were considered through Ofsted’s online surveys.

p.5

Inspection team

Becky Greenhalgh, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 June 2022

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6