St Andrew's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Andrew’s CofE Primary School Weald Drive, Furnace Green, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 6NU

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 September 2022

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Outcome

St Andrew’s CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents say that their children feel safe and valued in this happy and nurturing school. The values of wisdom, grace and hope are instilled in children from the very start of Reception. These principles underpin every aspect of school life. Throughout the day there are many occasions where pupils are rewarded by staff, and other pupils, for demonstrating these ideals.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school environment is calm and purposeful. Pupils get on well together. They are considerate of each other’s needs, both in lessons and at play. Bullying is rare. The school deals with any incidents effectively. Leaders have high expectations regarding the academic work pupils produce. Pupils are keen to live up to these expectations, and strive to do what their teachers ask of them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school gives pupils a good understanding of the wider world, such as via an online singing event with pupils at a school in Uganda. Leaders are keen to make sure that pupils’ views are heard. Pupils enjoy making decisions on the school and eco councils. Parents say that these opportunities equip their children with the confidence to express their opinions when they move on to the next school.

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

Leaders have worked hard to create an ambitious and well-planned curriculum. It aims to ‘grow learners’ and provide opportunities for pupils to develop a real thirst for knowledge. In the early years, children experience interesting activities that develop their understanding. As they progress through the Reception Year, learning is carefully linked to the curriculum in key stage 1. Throughout the school, staff carefully adapt the curriculum to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities can make effective strides in their knowledge and understanding.

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

Teachers set challenging work for pupils. Staff make sure that pupils have many opportunities to reflect on previous learning. Teachers check that new learning is based 28 and 29 September 2022

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on pupils’ existing knowledge. This ensures that learning is built in a systematic way. Leaders make sure that staff know which new concepts and vocabulary to introduce. Regular assessment enables staff to know how well pupils are learning across a range of subjects.

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The school uses a clear system for developing early reading skills. Children in the early years delighted in developing their listening skills to answer the teacher’s questions. Many were able to identify the sound of the first letter of a word. In both early years and key stage 1, staff are well trained in phonics, and this enables pupils to make strong gains in developing their reading skills. Reading corners in classrooms and the school’s library are comfortable places for pupils to read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. There are a few pupils in key stage 2 who are not yet fluent readers. Leaders have not made sure that there is a clearly structured approach that builds these pupils’ phonics knowledge in a step-by-step way.

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The school gives pupils a good understanding of wider issues. For example, pupils develop a good awareness of the fact that there are others in the world who are much less fortunate than themselves. Leaders ensure that pupils understand that giving to charity can help others to succeed.

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Leaders are alert to pupils’ physical needs. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the range of sports clubs that the school offers. Leaders are also aware that some pupils have mental health needs. Staff, including therapists, enable pupils to explore their feelings in a non- judgemental space. The therapy dog is a much loved member of the school. Breakfast club encourages regular and timely attendance.

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Staff feel proud to work at the school, and consider that it is going from ‘strength to strength’. Staff do not consider workload to be an issue. They appreciate that leaders are committed to growing their skills, such as through completing further qualifications. Those who are responsible for governance have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and next steps.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know pupils well. Staff keep a watchful eye on pupils’ safety. Records of concerns are diligently kept. Leaders work closely with a range of external agencies to ensure that pupils know where to get help if needed.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. They learn how to keep themselves safe through lessons and visitors, such as from the fire service and police. Pupils learn about road safety. Mindful that the nights are drawing in, leaders have ensured that pupils learn how important it is to be seen in the dark by wearing a high-visibility jacket. 28 and 29 September 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Weaker readers in key stage 2 are not learning to read as quickly as they could. This is because, unlike in key stage 1, the school is not consistently following a programme that develops reading skills in a sequential way. Leaders need to make sure that staff know precisely where there are gaps in pupils’ phonic knowledge to ensure reading skills are effectively developed.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2017.

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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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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 and 29 September 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website st-andrews-crawley.w-sussex.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast and an after-school club for pupils.  This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Chichester. The religious aspects of the school’s provision were last inspected in October 2015, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005.  The school currently uses one registered alternative provider.

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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.  The inspector held meetings with senior leaders, staff and pupils. They also spoke with representatives of the governing body. There was also a meeting with representatives of the Diocese of Chichester and the local authority.  There were deep dives conducted in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited 28 and 29 September 2022

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a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector considered 19 responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including 13 free-text comments. The inspector also spoke to parents at the end of the day and had a meeting with a parent. The 21 responses to the staff questionnaire and 29 responses to the pupil questionnaire were also considered.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and considered safeguarding documents and records. This included the school’s records and plans for supporting pupils who have been referred to outside agencies.  The inspector reviewed and scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation, including leaders’ plans for improving the school, minutes of governing body meetings and records of behaviour incidents.

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Inspection team

Liz Bowes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 September 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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