Cross Lane Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Cross Lane Primary and Nursery School Cross Lane, Elland, West Yorkshire HX5 0LP

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 25 and 26 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone in this school is ‘growing together’. There is a strong sense of community in the school. This is reflected in the strength of relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils feel safe emotionally and physically. Pupils trust that if they have any concerns, these will be dealt with by adults in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that pupils have a strong understanding of what bullying is and what it is not. On the rare occasions that bullying happens, staff take swift action. As one pupil said, ‘If bullying did happen, adults would deal with it seriously, quickly and with care.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have introduced a clear approach to how expectations of behaviour are taught to pupils. Leaders have focused on developing common and shared expectations. Older pupils in particular model these expectations. They regularly display the behaviours leaders want to see across all parts of the school. Leaders have introduced new systems to quickly identify and support pupils who are frequently absent. These measures are having a positive impact on improving attendance and reducing the number of pupils who are persistently absent.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. These expectations are being reflected in the experiences of pupils in classrooms. Leaders have a strong sense of the actions they need to take next to continue to move the school forward.

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better?

Leaders have created a curriculum that is ambitious and engaging for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are quickly identified and supported to access the same curriculum as their peers where appropriate. Leaders have thought carefully about what is taught to pupils and when in different subjects. Pupils enjoy and are enthusiastic about their learning across the curriculum. Leaders have recently undertaken work on the development of high-quality vocabulary across the curriculum. This is well developed in some subjects and becoming more developed in others. Subject leaders have regular opportunities to check how well their subjects are being taught. These checks do not always identify the precise areas within particular subjects that need further development.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of early reading. Phonics begins as soon as children enter their Reception Year. Staff receive regular training to teach the phonics curriculum with consistency. Leaders frequently check how well pupils are being taught to read. Pupils are given books to read that closely match the sounds they know and are being taught. Leaders quickly identify pupils who need support with reading. These pupils receive focused and effective support. This helps pupils catch up with their peers. Leaders have developed a reading spine to ensure that pupils have the opportunity to read, and have read to them, a range of books across different genres during their time at school. Some 25 and 26 April 2023

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books are deliberately chosen to promote an understanding of issues such as diversity. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their reading opportunities.

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Leaders place significant focus on supporting pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from a range of activities and experiences that weave together to develop their character and understanding of the wider world. Pupils understand protected characteristics and how to recognise and challenge prejudice and discrimination. Pupils understand how to stay safe online and how to recognise the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. There are multiple opportunities for pupil leadership. Some of these leadership opportunities allow pupils to make a difference to the lives of other pupils.

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Children in the early years get a good start to their education. Staff promote positive routines and create opportunities for children to develop their independence and resilience. Children have regular opportunities to hear stories and rhymes that develop their understanding of language. Staff quickly build relationships with children and families. In some areas of the early years curriculum, leaders have not made it clear enough what they intend for children to learn. This means that in some areas of the curriculum, children could be even better prepared for their learning in Year 1 or beyond.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders. Staff repeatedly talk about their sense of connection to the vision of the school, its recent journey, and its leaders. Leaders consider the workload and well-being of staff. Governors have clear systems in place for checking that what leaders are telling them is accurate. Governors are aware of their legal duties. They offer challenge and support to leaders that help the school to continue to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in school. Leaders have ensured that there are clear and well-understood systems to identify pupils who are at risk. Staff at all levels are clear on how they contribute to keeping pupils as safe as they can. Staff understand the local safeguarding risks. They receive regular training on safeguarding to keep them aware of safeguarding issues. Leaders work with external agencies to get support for pupils and families. There are robust systems in place for recruiting staff and checking their suitability. Leaders have ensured that staff are clear on how to share any safeguarding concerns about other staff.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ monitoring of the curriculum does not consistently identify areas for development within individual subjects. As a result, there is some variation in the extent to which all subjects benefit from leaders’ monitoring. Leaders should 25 and 26 April 2023

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ensure that their monitoring of the curriculum precisely identifies aspects of teaching in different subjects that need further refinement and development.  In some parts of the early years curriculum, leaders have not made it clear enough about what they intend for children. As a result, some opportunities are missed for children to be even better prepared for their learning in Year 1 and beyond. Leaders should ensure that the content of the early years curriculum across all seven areas of learning is clearly defined, understood and enacted by staff through their interactions with children and activity choices.

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How can I feed back my views?

or 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.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10242166 Type of school Primary

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school collaborates with other schools in the Elland Cluster.  The headteacher and leadership team is new to the school since the previous inspection.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspection team spoke to senior leaders and representatives from the governing body and the local authority.  During this inspection, inspectors met with senior leaders from across the school. 25 and 26 April 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with the subject leaders and reviewed curriculum plans, looked at pupils’ work, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and spoke to pupils about their learning.  Inspectors reviewed curriculum documentation from other areas of the curriculum.  Inspectors listened to pupils reading to a familiar adult and met with pupils formally in both same-sex and mixed groups.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers through informal discussions at the beginning and end of the day and through Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Liam Colclough, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gill Holland Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 April 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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