Springcroft Primary School

Inspection of Springcroft Primary School Grindley Lane, Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST11 9JS

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 November 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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What is it like to attend this school?

Positive relationships lie at the heart of Springcroft Primary. Leaders, staff and supportive parents work together to get the best for pupils. This partnership working helps pupils to thrive. Parents are proud of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for the school community. They have created a kind, caring culture, and have a firm belief that all pupils can achieve their best. These values and aims are at the heart of every decision they make.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the early years onwards, pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. They behave well, both in classrooms and outside. Pupils are considerate towards one another. Bullying is rare. If any incidents occur, staff act quickly to resolve the issues. Pupils feel safe at school and attend regularly. They describe their school as ‘brilliant, kind and understanding’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils, staff and parents can access well-being support through the school’s bespoke ‘Helping our pupils’ emotion’ (HOPE) project. All pupils have opportunities to develop their interests and talents through activities such as school clubs and musical instrumental lessons. Leaders develop pupils’ wider skills, for example by giving them responsible roles such as well-being leaders for younger pupils. 23 and 24 November 2022

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better?

Leaders and governors have high aspirations for staff and pupils. They work well as a team, offering support and challenge to each other. They have developed a broad and rich curriculum, which is ambitious for all pupils.

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better?

Subject leaders have a clear understanding of what is working well in their subjects. They have thought carefully about what pupils will learn and when. From the early years through to Year 6, leaders have planned opportunities to revisit key concepts. For example, in art and design, when pupils explore collage, they apply their knowledge of techniques used by artists such as Picasso. This prompts them to use and embed what they have learned before, and to make connections with new learning. It also ensures that pupils’ knowledge and skills build over time.

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better?

Leaders provide staff with regular training, so they know how to teach different subjects effectively. As a result, staff are confident in delivering the curriculum across a range of subjects.

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better?

Children in the Reception Year begin to learn phonics as soon as they start school. Leaders make sure that any children who struggle with letter sounds get extra help to catch up. Staff are well trained in teaching phonics and follow a consistent approach. This supports everyone in the early years and key stage 1 to achieve well with reading.

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better?

Most older pupils read confidently. They enjoy reading a wide range of books and use the school library regularly. Teachers help them to select and read engaging texts. This allows pupils to broaden their knowledge across the wider curriculum and provides them with the right amount of challenge. Teachers use assessment well. They keep a close watch on progress and give extra support to any pupils who need to build greater fluency.

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better?

Teachers’ assessment in mathematics also provides helpful feedback and identifies any gaps in pupils’ learning. This helps teachers to plan future lessons that enable pupils to make progress. In some subjects, however, assessment procedures are not as well developed. This makes it difficult for teachers to check what pupils know and have remembered. Although most pupils achieve well overall, this affects how well some progress through the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have high ambitions for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). When necessary, teachers adapt lessons so these pupils can access the same curriculum as their peers, at the same time. Well-trained teaching assistants provide effective support in class when needed. However, adults also successfully encourage pupils to work on their own or with others. This helps them to build independence.

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better?

Pupils have a growing understanding of fundamental British values, but this is not 23 and 24 November 2022

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secure. Staff teach and promote these values but have not been wholly successful in ensuring that pupils understand how these apply in life. For example, pupils do not yet recognise the link between voting for the school council and democracy. However, pupils speak confidently about respecting others and recognise everyone as equal. Right from the start in early years, staff support children to have positive attitudes to school. This means that lessons are calm and purposeful.

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Staff say that leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being. They feel well supported and are proud to work at the school. Staff morale is high. All agree that the school is well led and managed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Staff are trained to identify signs of abuse and other risks of harm. They report any concerns they have about a pupil’s welfare. In turn, leaders are quick to ensure these are followed up properly. Leaders work well with outside professionals, including the police and social services. The school’s pastoral team goes over and above to provide additional support for pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. This includes staying safe online and understanding what safe and healthy relationships look like.

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Safeguarding

Leaders complete the correct checks on adults in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not check well enough how successfully pupils have learned and retained knowledge. This means that some pupils do not make as much progress as they could. Leaders should ensure that they strengthen assessment in some foundation subjects, so that it assists teachers in identifying next steps for pupils.  Pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values is not secure. This means that pupils are unable to recognise how these values apply to life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is further refined to deepen pupils’ understanding of fundamental British Values. 23 and 24 November 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 23 and 24 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240203 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 and 4 November 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new deputy headteacher has been appointed and took up their post in April 2022.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  Leaders provide breakfast- and after-school childcare.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors focused on the following subjects: reading, mathematics, art and design, and history. In these subjects, they visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, discussed curriculum guidance and talked with pupils and staff about how these subjects are taught. 23 and 24 November 2022

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 The inspectors spoke to pupils about their understanding of keeping safe in the world around them, and what opportunities they experience at school.  The inspectors asked pupils, staff, leaders and governors about safeguarding arrangements. They examined the record of employment checks on school staff and other school records. They also found out about safety procedures and routines.  The inspectors observed informal times of the day as part of their checks on safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors had formal meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, other leaders, teachers, governors and pupils.  The inspectors also talked informally with parents, pupils and staff to gather general information about school life.  One inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Joanne Knowles, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Malam Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 November 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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