Crossways Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Crossways Junior School Knapp Road, Thornbury, Bristol, South Gloucestershire BS35 2HQ

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that the school values of ‘contribute, aspire, respect and equality (CARE)’, are at the heart of everything they do. They are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard, enjoy learning and take great pride in their achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils across the school are friendly and welcoming. They are confident in sharing their thoughts and points of view, but also listen carefully to others. Pupils work alongside each other supportively and constructively. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and classrooms are calm and purposeful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As they grow in this safe and nurturing environment, pupils develop confidence and self- esteem. They trust staff to sort out any disagreements and if bullying occurs, staff deal with it effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the many leadership roles which provide additional responsibilities in school and across the federation. Leaders are aware they need to enrich pupils learning further through clubs, visitors and trips.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Not all pupils are achieving as well as they could, and leaders have yet to complete work on the wider curriculum. Leaders have prioritised reading, but those at the earliest stages are not always getting the help they need to catch up quickly.

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

Senior leaders are passionate about providing the very best learning opportunities for pupils. However, they have not yet identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn in each subject in order to prepare them well for their next stage of 2 and 3 February 2023

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education. In mathematics, for example, the small steps that build over time are carefully sequenced and considered. But, in subjects such as history, these are not fully identified. This means that in the wider curriculum, teachers do not always focus sharply enough on the important knowledge pupils need to remember.

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The teaching of reading has a high priority, and leaders are ambitious for every pupil to read with understanding and fluency. Teachers regularly read carefully chosen books to pupils, and pupils can talk about their reading preferences. Leaders know that more pupils are entering the school without the phonic knowledge they need to read words confidently. In response, leaders have introduced a new phonics programme. However, this is not yet embedded because some staff do not have the knowledge and skills to deliver the programme accurately. As a result, some pupils at the earliest stages of learning to read are not catching up quickly enough.

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Robust leadership of the provision for pupils with SEND ensures that pupils with the greatest level of need learn well in school. A well-considered professional development programme is helping teachers to structure learning more effectively. Leaders are working alongside local authority advisers to embed a consistent approach to teaching and learning. However, there are some pupils who are not yet receiving the support they need to fill gaps in core curriculum areas created by the pandemic and previous weaker provision.

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Pupils behave very well, and they are always polite and courteous. They learn how to show resilience, dealing with life’s ups and downs in a mature way. Leaders ensure that pupils who may need some extra support with their mental health receive this. Pupils know how to eat healthily and maintain an active lifestyle. They have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. Teachers encourage pupils to consider bigger issues, such as sustainability and discrimination. Pupils are proud of their extra responsibilities such as house captains, school council representatives and jobs like playtime door monitors. They take these very seriously and know that they make a positive difference to the wider school community and beyond.

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Leaders place a strong emphasis on the well-being of their staff team. Staff feel valued and are proud to work here. School governors and the recently appointed federation headteacher offer thoughtful support to staff at the school. They have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This energetic, passionate and determined team are working extremely well together to bring about improvements quickly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a caring community where pupils’ well-being, welfare and safety are the top priority. Staff understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Regular training ensures they are alert to signs that a pupil might be at risk. Staff pass on concerns quickly. Leaders work with other agencies to ensure extra support is in place for pupils who need it. They diligently complete safer recruitment checks on adults appointed to work with pupils. 2 and 3 February 2023

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Pupils feel safe in school. They know how to stay safe, including when online. Pupils are confident that there is always a trusted adult they can talk to.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The wider curriculum is not coherently planned and sequenced towards clearly identified end points. As a result, leaders cannot be certain that pupils learn the important knowledge they need to prepare for the next stage of their learning. Leaders must complete the curriculum work they have already started in conjunction with the local authority and ensure consistent implementation across all classes.  Not all pupils who are struggling to learn to read are achieving as well as they could. Leaders have correctly identified the next steps for improvement. These pupils need to learn the sounds they do not know and practise using these to decode words and read fluently. Staff need further training and monitoring by leaders to ensure they are expertly applying the early reading programme.  Some pupils, currently working below age-related expectations, are not achieving as well as they could. They are not always supported sufficiently to catch up in core areas

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

of their learning such as mathematics. Leaders should continue to embed the agreed teaching approach and where necessary support teachers to implement proven interventions to help these pupils catch up quickly.

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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 school to be good in February 2014.

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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The federation headteacher was appointed in September 2022.  The school currently uses one registered alternative provision.  The school runs its own morning breakfast club and after-school club for pupils.

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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 the federation headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of governors. He also had a meeting with two representatives from South Gloucestershire local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and teaching assistants, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. The 2 and 3 February 2023

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inspector also heard pupils read.  The inspector considered the curriculum, met with the federation curriculum leader and looked at samples of pupils’ work in history.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector reviewed a wide range of safeguarding documentation, including the school’s record of recruitment checks. The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector also spoke with pupils and staff.  The inspector took account of parents’ responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ written comments.  The inspector gathered pupils’ views throughout each day, including during lesson visits. He also took into account responses to the pupil survey.  The inspector met with a range of staff to gather their views about the school and took account of staff’s responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff survey.

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Inspection team

Alan Derry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 February 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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