Cranborne Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Cranborne Primary School Laurel Fields, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 2BA

p.1

Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 2023

p.1

Outcome

Cranborne Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They are interested in, and excited by, what they learn. Pupils are proud of their school. They are confident learners. Pupils respond well to leaders’ high expectations of their learning and behaviour. As a result, pupils work hard, listen to their teachers and achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. They know adults are there to help them. Bullying is rare, but pupils know it can and does happen. When it does occur, adults in school help them and ensure that it does not happen again. Pupils trust adults. They know they support their well- being as well as their learning. Relationships in school are very positive and caring.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about a wide range of people, families and religions. They are aware that people are different and are respectful and accepting of this. Pupils are keen to be part of improving the school. They take on responsibilities such as developing the pond area and ensuring school is tidy. This helps pupils to be responsible citizens with a focus on the environment and others’ needs as well as their own.

p.1

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

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils. Their curriculum planning reflects this ambition for pupils to achieve well. In most curriculum areas, from the early years onwards, leaders are clear about the most important knowledge pupils should learn each year and in what order to teach it. In a few subjects, leaders’ curriculum thinking is less clear. In these subjects, leaders are not precise enough about what pupils need to learn. Teachers are not clear about the important knowledge pupils need to learn and when or how to teach it. Sometimes, key information is left out, including the most important vocabulary, or, conversely, lessons can contain too much information for pupils to remember. This means pupils do not learn as leaders intend.

p.1

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

Teachers appreciate the regular training they receive in the subjects they teach. They value the support from expert, experienced teachers in some subjects. As a result, 21 and 22 February 2023 teachers are confident in the subjects that they teach. They use familiar resources and routines to introduce new learning. In most subjects, they revise previous learning so that pupils are ready for new learning.

p.1

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

Teachers use assessment well to check that pupils remember what they are taught. Where leaders’ curriculum thinking is less precise, it is not clear to teachers what the most important elements of learning are, or what pupils need to remember. As a result of this, pupils do not make the progress through the curriculum that leaders intend.

p.2

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

Staff teach early reading consistently well. They use the same resources and phrases to engage pupils. Pupils learn to read from books that precisely match the sounds that they know. This supports their confidence and fluency in reading. Pupils who need extra support to keep up with reading receive more time and practice to improve. Adults read to pupils regularly. Pupils enjoy listening to and reading poems, stories and non-fiction books. Older pupils have a good understanding of the techniques that authors use to make their writing interesting and exciting. They discuss these with confidence. Many pupils are interested, knowledgeable readers.

p.2

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

Leaders have prioritised and improved support and teaching for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have listened to parents’ views and developed the provision for pupils with SEND further. Leaders identify pupils’ needs quickly and provide effective support. Pupils with SEND join in with all lessons with their classmates. They receive appropriate support for their individual needs. They make good progress in their learning and independence. Pupils with SEND are positive about how adults help them learn.

p.2

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

Children in the early years learn routines and know what is expected of them. They develop positive attitudes and behaviours that help them learn well and play alongside others. Pupils behave well. Pupils rarely have their learning disturbed by the behaviour of others.

p.2

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

Leaders promote pupils’ personal development well. They want pupils to be good citizens. Pupils learn about different world faiths. They help to raise funds for charities. Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, visits and visitors that enhance the curriculum further.

p.2

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

Senior leaders, governors and the local authority work effectively together. They are focused on the continued improvement of the school. Governors receive a range of information, including from external sources, which helps them identify the right priorities for improvement. Leaders take staff workload into account when taking decisions about school improvement.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Leaders undertake appropriate checks on staff before they are employed by the school. Staff are trained well to identify concerns about the pupils that they work with. Leaders provide a range of support for pupils and their families when they need it. They work 21 and 22 February 2023 effectively with other agencies to keep pupils safe. Leaders are persistent in ensuring that pupils receive the support that they need.

p.2

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They know how to stay safe online and what healthy and safe relationships look like.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not provided enough clarity for teachers about the key knowledge pupils need to learn in some subjects. On occasions, this results in teachers teaching too much content or not enough important knowledge such as vocabulary. This does not help pupils build on what they already know. It does not help teachers assess accurately what pupils know and can do. Leaders must ensure that they provide more precise information about what teachers teach and assess in all areas of the curriculum.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2013.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 21 and 22 February 2023 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. 21 and 22 February 2023

p.3

School details

Inspection number 10255216 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 12 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school uses a registered alternative provision for pupils when required.  A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection in 2017.

p.5

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 this into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, other senior leaders and members of staff, including the special educational needs and/or disabilities leader and leader responsible for the pupil premium grant.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each of these subjects the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to pupils and teachers and looked at pupils’ books.  The inspector observed adults reading with pupils. 21 and 22 February 2023  The inspector looked at plans and work from other curriculum areas.  The inspector met with safeguarding leaders to examine the single central record and

p.5

Information about this inspection

leaders’ records of safeguarding. She also spoke with teachers and pupils about safeguarding.  The inspector spoke with leaders and pupils about behaviour. The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at playtimes and lunchtime.  The inspector met with governors.  The inspector spoke with some parents on the telephone and in person after school.  The inspector also considered 175 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including 86 free-text responses. The inspector also considered written comments submitted by letter or email during the inspection.  The inspector also took account of 30 responses to the pupil survey and 54 responses to the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Debbie Rogan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 February 2023 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.

p.6

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7