Crockerne Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Crockerne Church of England Primary School Westward Drive, Pill, Bristol BS20 0JP

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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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 24 and 25 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of the ‘Crockerne community’. They speak positively about their school. Their regular attendance reflects this. Pupils say that everyone gets on. They feel that staff care for them. Parents agree.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have put the school’s Christian ethos at the heart of its work. Pupils demonstrate the school’s values of independence, perseverance, reflection, empathy and collaboration. In the early years, children play positively together. They concentrate on tasks over a sustained period.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in classrooms and around the school. They listen attentively to adults’ instructions. Staff meet pupils’ needs effectively, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils feel safe in school. They say that bullying is rare. Pupils say that if bullying occurs, staff sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking part in a range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum. Leaders organise residential trips which develop pupils’ resilience. Leaders encourage participation in sport. Many pupils represent the school in a wide variety of competitions, which boosts their self-esteem. Older pupils develop leadership skills through being ‘buddies’, helping younger pupils at lunchtimes.

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better?

The trust has ensured that recent changes in leadership have been smooth and have led to the school improving rapidly. The headteacher has quickly identified and acted on the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Staff and parents speak positively about the changes to the school. Staff feel appropriately consulted, and appreciate the consistent messages the headteacher has given them.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised the most urgent issues. For example, they have clarified exactly what pupils should learn in each subject. As a result, pupils can do more than they could previously. For example, in art and design, older pupils use their knowledge of sketching to produce work of a high quality. Younger pupils talk knowledgeably about the Great Fire of London. In the early years, leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that builds sequentially from Nursery to Reception.

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better?

Leaders, alongside the trust, have supported staff to help them lead subjects effectively. They have also helped to improve teachers’ subject knowledge. Staff use research to improve their own practice further.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised reading. They have introduced a new system for the teaching of early reading. Staff have implemented the system well. Pupils quickly learn to read.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that all staff are well trained in the teaching of phonics. Staff revisit what pupils have learned previously, so that pupils can practise the sounds 24 and 25 January 2023

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again. They quickly spot any gaps in pupils’ knowledge, and help those who have fallen behind. Staff adapt this support where necessary to ensure that pupils catch up quickly, including those with SEND.

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Staff encourage pupils to develop a love of reading and of books. For example, parents and carers read with younger children in the weekly family story time sessions. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about their love for reading. They read widely.

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In some subjects, teachers do not check well enough what pupils can already do. They do not question pupils to extend their knowledge further. For example, in mathematics, teaching does not always help pupils to understand and explain how they have reached an answer. Pupils’ work is sometimes too easy, and does not match their needs closely enough. This means it does not deepen their knowledge as well as it should.

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Knowledgeable leaders and staff in early years have created an environment where children flourish. Leaders have prioritised children’s communication and language. They plan activities which develop children’s spoken language. Children display confidence and pride when talking to staff and visitors about their work. They are well prepared for Year 1.

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Leaders have established a personal development curriculum which takes advantage of opportunities in the local community. For example, pupils enjoy singing at local events. Leaders encourage pupils to take on responsibilities, such as planning and leading assemblies. Pupils understand how to keep safe, including when online. They can recall what they have learned about Christianity. However, pupils’ recall of faiths and cultures other than Christianity is too limited.

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Governors and the trust know the school well. They challenge and support leaders appropriately.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have very good knowledge of safeguarding. They maintain well-developed systems to keep pupils safe. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained. Consequently, staff know how to identify pupils at risk of harm. Staff’s recording of concerns is detailed and timely. Leaders keep thorough records of the support families receive, and check its impact. They challenge other agencies if they feel decisions are not made in the best interests of the child.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including governors, make frequent checks on all aspects of the school’s safeguarding work. This includes checking that those they recruit are suitable to work with children. 24 and 25 January 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teaching does not check effectively what pupils can already do. When this occurs, teaching does not help pupils to extend their thinking. Pupils do not always complete tasks that build on what they already know. Leaders should ensure that teaching considers what pupils already know, to extend pupils’ knowledge.  Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum deepens pupils’ knowledge of faiths and cultures other than Christianity. Consequently, pupils’ knowledge is not broad enough. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to learn about different faiths and cultures in order to prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 September 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in September 2022.  The school runs its own breakfast and after-school provision.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.  The school is designated as having a religious character. Its last inspection under the Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools was in 2019, when it was judged good overall.

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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 first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 24 and 25 January 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils, a trust executive leader, a trustee and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  Inspectors met with subject leads for science and for personal, social, health and economic education.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  Inspectors considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding measures. The lead inspector also scrutinised the school’s single central record.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day. They also considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Jason Edge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Thomson Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 January 2023

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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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