Cuddington Croft Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Cuddington Croft Primary School West Drive, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey SM2 7NA

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

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Outcome

Cuddington Croft Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show high levels of trust and respect for the adults who look after and care for them. Pupils flourish in a happy and safe learning environment which promotes independence from the youngest to the oldest pupils. They are proud of their school and work hard, reflecting school values such as commitment, care and courage.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well in lessons. They have very positive attitudes to their learning, enabling them to reach teachers’ high expectations. Pupils are encouraged to form their own opinions in an inclusive and tolerant school. Personal responsibility, even for the youngest children, is a core principle of their development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils treat one another with respect. Pupils understand what bullying is. On the rare occasions it occurs, adults act quickly to find a resolution. ‘If we have a fall-out we try to sort [it] out ourselves,’ commented one pupil. Pupils know that there is always an adult available if they have a concern or worry.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning. Teachers act as excellent role models. Pupils respond very well to the challenges they are set. They try their best and are always willing to help their friends ‘if they get stuck’, as described by one pupil.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that is regularly reviewed and refined. Established subject leaders have careful oversight of their areas of learning. Some newer subject leaders are still embedding learning to make sure that pupils’ knowledge is as secure as possible. Leaders recognise the need for further training in this area. Leaders make sure that a love of reading is the top priority for pupils. Nursery and Reception children are introduced to reading from day one. They learn the initial sounds of letters as their first steps into reading. A regular structured approach to phonics develops children’s confidence. This builds as pupils move through the school. Regular 11 and 12 October 2022

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checks on what sounds pupils know and remember ensure that pupils read accurately. If pupils are falling behind, teachers act to make sure they catch up. Older pupils read fluently. They enjoy discussing their reading both with their teachers and friends. They love listening to their teachers read. They ‘mimic’ their teachers when reading aloud by giving different voices to different characters. Structured routines for the youngest children ensure that they settle quickly and are ready to learn. They have a rich introduction to number. Young children experience many practical opportunities to learn to count. They move on to counting one more or one less. Number is particularly strong throughout the school. Pupils’ knowledge of arithmetic is developed well. Pupils explain their calculations using the correct mathematical language. They can apply their knowledge to more-challenging problem-solving activities.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations of all pupils. They plan interesting lessons that stimulate discussion, encouraging pupils to form an opinion. Regular checks on pupils’ knowledge and understanding help teachers see which pupils need extra help. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities have appropriate changes made, making sure they can access learning or catch up. This is often providing emotional support to build pupils’ confidence. One parent described the school as ‘going above and beyond’ in this respect. Pupils have enrichment experiences to help them deepen their knowledge. Topics such as ‘astrology’ in Year 2 are enriched by lessons in the ‘space dome’ to bring the universe to life. Year 6 pupils learn to use spreadsheets in computing by planning a party. Residential trips in Years 4, 5 and 6 promote personal development alongside adventure and

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learning. Pupils are proud of their school and community. They are delighted to support local charities. Pupils are grateful for the contribution they can make to school. There are many roles and responsibilities offered. Pupils take these very seriously, especially if they have to be a role model for younger pupils, such as a sports leader. They like the ‘fairness’ of the school and appreciate the fact that good behaviour is rewarded.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The trust, governors and school leaders make pupils’ safety a key priority, resulting in a very strong culture of safeguarding in the school.

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Safeguarding

All staff understand their personal responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. High-quality, ongoing training ensures that staff have the confidence to take action if they have a concern for pupils’ safety.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are tenacious in establishing support for pupils and families when working with outside agencies. All incidents are meticulously recorded and swiftly actioned. 11 and 12 October 2022

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Pupils are taught to be aware of the opportunities and risks associated with social media platforms. Regular training about the ‘underpants rule’ empowers pupils to keep themselves safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Learning in some foundation subjects is still being fully embedded. As a result, some pupils’ learning is not as deep or secure as it could be. Leaders need to provide training for newer subject leaders so they can further refine their areas of responsibility and make learning as effective as it can be.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school to be good in February 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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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. 11 and 12 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10242044 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteacher Scott Maclean (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 September 2017, section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Cuddington Croft Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2014. Cuddington is one of 42 schools in the GLF Schools trust. The school standards board fulfils the function of a local governing body. The trust delegates some strategic responsibilities to the school standards board. This is set out in the trust’s scheme of delegation.  The executive headteacher is currently leading the school.  The school standards board manages before- and after-school childcare provision.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the executive headteacher and other school staff. 11 and 12 October 2022

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 The inspector also met with members of the school standards board, including the chair, and spoke to representatives of the trust.  The inspector met with the education director for the trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the lead inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum planning, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector spoke with staff, pupils, and governors from the school standards board, including the safeguarding lead. The inspector met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead to review safeguarding and review records and actions. The inspector also looked at safeguarding records and reviewed information about the safer recruitment of staff.

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 The lead inspector spoke to staff and groups of pupils from different year groups. He observed behaviour in classrooms and at lunchtime.  The views of staff and pupils, including responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys, were considered.

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Inspection team

Bill James, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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