Cambridge Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Cambridge Primary School Cambridge Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA13 9RP

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Outcome

Cambridge Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Cambridge School is a happy place to be. Pupils love learning and thrive in the calm and nurturing environment that leaders have created. Children in the early years enjoy exploring in the exciting outdoor area. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about all the different subjects that they study. Pupils work hard and achieve well. They try their best to live up to the high ambitions leaders have for them to be successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that staff care about them. This helps them to feel safe in school. Leaders have high expectations of behaviour. Pupils say that behaviour is good most of the time. Any falling out between friends is always resolved quickly. Leaders act swiftly and effectively to deal with rare cases of bullying. There is always a trusted adult that pupils can talk with if they have any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the many clubs that they can join. They are excited about the various opportunities that they have to represent their school in competitions and musical events. Older pupils take their responsibilities seriously as role models and prefects. Residential trips help to build pupils’ confidence and resilience. Pupils are proud of the work that they do to raise money for local food banks and charities. This helps to foster a sense of community and self-esteem.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the key knowledge that they want pupils to acquire from the early years to Year 6. They have also set out the order in which the content of each subject should be taught. The importance of developing pupils’ vocabulary, both spoken and written, is a priority which is skilfully woven through every subject. The curriculum meets the needs of all pupils well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Leaders have ensured that staff have the appropriate knowledge that they need to teach the curriculum consistently well. Teachers check that recent prior learning is understood 21 and 22 March 2023

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before new learning is introduced. This helps pupils to apply what they know when they are learning something new, including when learning something new in other subjects. In most subjects, teachers use assessment information effectively to identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This helps them to understand what pupils need to learn next. However, in some subjects, leaders have not had the opportunity to find out how well pupils have learned over time in order to shape future teaching.

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Leaders are highly skilled in identifying pupils who may have SEND. Leaders work closely with other professionals to provide high-quality personalised support for each pupil. Accurate identification enables leaders to provide appropriate resources and equipment. This enables pupils with SEND, including pupils with complex medical needs, to enjoy all aspects of school life. Pupils with SEND learn alongside their classmates and are successful in a broad range of subjects.

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Pupils behave well in school. They are polite and well mannered when talking to adults and their friends. There is little disruption in lessons. This helps pupils to focus on their learning.

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A love of language and story permeates the school from the early years to Year 6. Pupils are enthusiastic about the books that they can choose from the well-resourced library. Pupils read widely and often across a range of subjects. They especially enjoy listening to the stories that teachers read to them each day.

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Children in the early years enjoy retelling traditional tales. In Year 1, pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. The books that they read match the sounds that they know. Most pupils are confident, fluent readers by the time they join Year 3. Pupils who struggle with learning to read benefit from the support that they receive from skilled staff. This helps them to catch up quickly with their classmates.

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Pupils benefit positively from the many opportunities that leaders provide to enhance their personal development. These include visits to museums and field trips beyond the local area. Visits to major cities help to build pupils’ independence further. They understand the importance of treating everyone with respect. Pupils comment that everyone is welcome no matter what their talents or difficulties may be.

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Governors are well informed about the work the school does to support pupils with SEND, as well as vulnerable pupils and their families. They also use their knowledge and experience effectively to hold leaders to account for the quality of education that they provide. Staff talk positively about the help that they receive from leaders to manage their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff know the pupils and their families well. They are extremely vigilant and quickly identify any changes in a pupil’s manner or behaviour. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders work with other 21 and 22 March 2023

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agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families receive the help and support that they need.

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Leaders work with charities and a range of public services to enhance pupils’ understanding of how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. For example, pupils know how to report any situations that make them feel uncomfortable, including when they are using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not had the opportunity to check pupils’ learning over time. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the opportunity to gather and use assessment information effectively in order to plan future teaching which will enable pupils to reach their full potential 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2017.

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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.

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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. 21 and 22 March 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16 and 17 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.

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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 scrutinised a range of safeguarding documentation, including the single central record. She spoke with staff and governors to check how well they understood their safeguarding responsibilities.  During the inspection, the inspector spoke with representatives of the governing body. She also spoke with the headteacher, members of the leadership team and staff. She also met with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation relating to the curriculum. She carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. She also reviewed aspects of the geography curriculum. She met with subject leaders, visited

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Information about this inspection

lessons and spoke to staff. She also spoke to pupils about their learning and their 21 and 22 March 2023

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experiences of the school. She looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  The inspector spoke with parents to gather their views about the school. She considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  The inspector spoke with staff to gather their views about their workload and well- being. She considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. She also gathered the views of pupils during the inspection and considered the responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Amanda Stringer, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 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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