Crosscrake CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Crosscrake CofE Primary School Stainton, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 0LB

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Outcome

Crosscrake CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this small school arrive each day happy and eager to learn. Pupils talk enthusiastically about all the things that they can do. They enjoy the many opportunities that leaders provide. For example, they like learning about other faiths, visits to places of scientific interest and exhibiting their creative talents at the local county show. Parents and carers highly recommend the school, which is at the heart of this rural community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The youngest children thrive in the caring environment that leaders have created. Older pupils act as positive role models, especially during playtimes. Pupils know the importance of treating others with understanding and respect. Pupils behave well. Although they sometimes fall out with their friends, bullying is rare. Pupils said that it is dealt with quickly by leaders should it occur. Pupils feel safe in school. This is because they know that staff care about them. Pupils are confident that there is someone who will listen to any worries or concerns that they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils try their best to live up to the headteacher’s high ambition for them to be successful both academically and personally. Pupils work hard in lessons. This helps most pupils to achieve well in most subjects. Pupils are proud of their environmental projects, such as the trees that they have recently planted with the help of The Woodland Trust.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum which is suitable to be taught to pupils in mixed-age classes. The curriculum effectively meets the needs of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have identified what they want pupils to know, from the early years to the end of Year 6. The content of the curriculum has been carefully sequenced following a two-year cycle. Pupils have the opportunity to practise what they know and can do. This helps pupils’ knowledge and understanding deepen over time. 1 March 2023

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In most subjects, pupils successfully apply what they know when they are learning something new. This helps them to achieve well in these subjects. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the key vocabulary that they want pupils to have. When key vocabulary is not taught, some pupils struggle to access new learning in these subjects.

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Leaders frequently check how effectively the agreed curriculum is being delivered. Teachers have the knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum well. They work together, including with colleagues in other schools, to share ideas and expertise. A range of assessment strategies are used to help teachers to understand what pupils know and can do. Teachers use this information effectively to identify what pupils need to learn next.

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Staff are skilled in identifying and supporting pupils with SEND. The resources that leaders provide enable pupils with SEND to learn alongside their classmates. Pupils with SEND access all that the school has to offer. They have the help that they need to succeed.

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The importance of being able to read is given a high priority. Engagement with parents, for example through weekly story sessions, helps to foster a love of reading further. Children in the Nursery class enjoy singing traditional songs and rhymes. From the well- stocked library, older pupils recommend their favourite books and authors to each other. Pupils read widely and often across a wide range of subjects and genres.

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The reading curriculum is delivered consistently well by staff. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. The books that they read match the sounds that they are learning. This helps pupils to become confident, fluent readers. Pupils who find reading challenging benefit from help from skilled staff. This includes pupils at the early stages of reading in key stage 2.

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Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils are polite and courteous to each other as they play and learn together. There is little disruption during lessons. This helps pupils to focus on their learning. Pupils achieve well in the positive culture that leaders have created.

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Pupils’ personal development is promoted well. Pupils build their confidence and resilience through the broad range of experiences that leaders provide. Residential trips to major cities help pupils in this rural community to understand different faiths and cultures. Fieldwork and visits to places of interest also help to enhance pupils’ work in a range of subjects.

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Governors use their extensive knowledge to support and challenge leaders on the quality of education provided by the school. Governors are also mindful of the challenges faced by staff in a small school. Staff appreciate the importance leaders place on supporting their well-being and their workload. Staff feel valued for all that they do. 1 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Up-to-date training ensures that all staff know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Staff know the families well. They quickly identify any changes in pupils’ demeanour. Leaders ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families are supported well by other agencies when necessary.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including how to use social media safely. Pupils know how to report to a trusted adult any situations that make them feel uncomfortable.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the key vocabulary that leaders want pupils to know is not clearly identified and not always taught. This hinders some pupils from accessing new learning in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that pupils have the key vocabulary that they need so that they can achieve equally well in all subjects.

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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 November 2012.

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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. 1 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. 1 March 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 October 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school had its most recent section 48 inspection undertaken by the Diocese of Carlisle in February 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body. The inspectors also spoke with the headteacher and staff. The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation relating to the curriculum and safeguarding.  The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local diocese and met with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art and design. The inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons and spoke to staff. 1 March 2023

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They also spoke to pupils about their learning and their experiences of the school. The inspectors looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and the free-text comments. They also spoke with parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors reviewed the responses to the survey for staff.  There were no responses to the survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Amanda Stringer, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Price Ofsted Inspector 1 March 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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