Cranford Park Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Cranford Park Primary Cranford Park Drive, Yateley, Hampshire GU46 6LB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 7 and 8 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a friendly and welcoming environment where pupils feel safe. They play enthusiastically at social times when there is always plenty to interest them. Pupils learn to express their opinion, and they understand the importance of valuing the views of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders aspire for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve highly. However, some aspects of the curriculum are not fully developed and some pupils struggling to learn to read are not given the help they need to catch up quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils were keen to tell inspectors that ‘ready, respectful and safe’ are the three school rules. However, in some classes, pupils experience frequent disruptions to learning. Pupils trust adults in school to help them if needed. Incidents of bullying are low, and leaders have begun to respond to these well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a growing range of wider learning opportunities, including instrumental tuition and participation in local events. Pupils are proud of the leadership positions they hold and make a positive contribution to the life of the school and beyond.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers recognise the strengths of the school. Many of them commented on the positive changes made by the new headteacher.

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better?

In mathematics and geography, leaders have introduced a well-ordered curriculum that builds from the early years. Teachers deliver these subjects confidently. They check pupils’ understanding before moving on to new learning. Teachers understand the importance of revisiting knowledge so that pupils remember more over time. However, in some other subjects, leaders’ work to design the curriculum is less well developed. They have not set out the essential knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. Leaders are aware of this, and plans are in place to make the necessary changes quickly.

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better?

In the early years, children receive the help and support they need to achieve well. Leaders have considered each area of learning and how children progress from entry into Reception and then beyond to Year 1. The learning environment is purposeful and inviting. It is a place where children thrive with focused activity and positive relationships. Right from the start, children learn important skills, such as curiosity and resilience. Staff teach children to regulate their emotions, take turns with equipment and settle into school routines. Leaders help staff to identify children with SEND and provide them with the support they need. Partnership with parents and carers is strong and built on effective communication. 7 and 8 March 2023

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Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading. Well-stocked book areas and the school library contain a range of books which celebrate diversity. Leaders’ chosen approach to teaching phonics is not yet embedded. Where staff are well trained and follow the programme carefully, pupils are learning letter sounds and word reading skills quickly. The support provided for pupils who struggle to learn to read is not implemented consistently. These pupils have limited opportunities to read books that match the sounds that they know with the support of expert staff.

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Leaders’ ambition is for pupils to thrive in their personal as well as academic development. Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when online. They know the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise. Pupils enjoy a variety of curricular and extra-curricular activities, such as visiting local museums and the church or planting trees in the local community. They understand the importance of positive relationships and how these develop.

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The number of pupils who regularly miss school is high. The recent changes leaders have made to improve attendance is starting to have a positive impact. On the whole, pupils have good attitudes to learning and developing resilience. However, in class, not all staff support pupils’ behaviour effectively, as a result learning is sometimes disrupted. Staff do not always apply the school behaviour management system consistently and fairly. This leaves some pupils feeling frustrated. Leaders have already planned a review of the school behaviour policy.

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Governors are fully committed to supporting school leaders to realise a shared vision for a successful school. However, they have not taken sufficient action to ensure that they fulfil all statutory duties. Governors are aware of the need for further training and are recruiting new governors to fill gaps in their knowledge and skills.

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Staff are proud to be part of this happy school. They benefit from regular opportunities to discuss what works well in the classroom and from learning from others. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and well-being, and staff appreciate the recent changes made to reduce burdensome curriculum planning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The new headteacher has ensured that safeguarding is a priority. Staff receive regular training and updates. They have a secure understanding of what to look for and how to respond to any safeguarding worry. Staff report concerns promptly, and leaders take these concerns seriously.

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Safeguarding

At the time of the inspection, there were some gaps in some safeguarding records. Leaders acted quickly to rectify most of these issues and put steps in place to ensure that all records are kept according to guidance. There were some omissions in the single central record, and these were rectified during the inspection. 7 and 8 March 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Those responsible for governance do not fulfil some of their statutory duties in a timely fashion. This means that school leaders are not always supported and challenged to further improve the school. Governors need a deeper understanding of their roles and responsibilities and to be systematic in their oversight so that they can assure themselves that all aspects of the provision, particularly for safeguarding, are high quality.  The school’s approach to teaching the weakest readers is not well embedded. This means that some pupils are not able to practise and apply their phonics knowledge with the necessary frequency to become fluent and confident readers. Leaders must ensure that all staff know how to support pupils as they learn to read and follow the school’s agreed process, including matching reading books to the sounds that pupils know.  Leaders have not ensured that all staff promote high standards of behaviour across

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the school. Pupils’ behaviour towards each other in lessons does not meet leaders’ ambition and can disrupt learning. Leaders should continue to raise staff expectations in this area and ensure a consistent approach towards improving pupils behaviour.  Not all foundation subject curriculum planning sets out the knowledge that pupils need to learn in a clear and logical sequence towards agreed end points. Leaders should ensure that staff know and understand the knowledge that leaders have identified as most useful. Leaders should finish the work they have started so that all pupils, including those with SEND, learn the intended knowledge and skills.  Safeguarding record-keeping is not always accurate enough. Occasionally, the chronologies of concerns about pupils are not complete and do not reflect the appropriate actions taken by the school in response to concerns. This risks important information being overlooked should there be further concerns about any

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils. Leaders should ensure that the chronology of any concerns about pupils are sufficiently detailed and clear.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 7 and 8 March 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. 7 and 8 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10227176 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 22 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher started at the school in January 2023.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of governors. He also held a meeting with representatives from Hampshire local authority and had a telephone conversation with a representative of the Winchester Diocesan Board of Education.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the 7 and 8 March 2023

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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 lead inspector also heard pupils read.  Inspectors also looked at a sample of pupils’ work in history and computing.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed a wide range of safeguarding documentation, including the school’s record of recruitment checks. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. Inspectors also spoke with pupils and staff.  Inspectors took account of parents’ responses to Ofsted’s survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ written comments. An inspector also spoke to groups of parents on the morning of the first day of inspection.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the day, including during lesson visits and at breaktimes. They also took into account responses to the pupils’

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survey.  Inspectors 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 questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Alan Derry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

James Stuart His Majesty’s Inspector 7 and 8 March 2023

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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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