Crossways Infant School

Inspection of Crossways Infant School Knapp Road, Thornbury, Bristol, South Gloucestershire BS35 2HQ

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Crossways Infants School is emerging from a turbulent time. Significant changes to leadership mean that expectations over time have not been consistently high. The school has made some positive improvements to the way that pupils behave and to their personal development. However, an ambitious curriculum is not yet securely embedded across the school. As a result, the quality of education that pupils receive is not yet good.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a culture based on nurture and inclusion. Pupils are compassionate towards others. They attend well and are safe. If they have any worries, they have trusted adults who help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are inquisitive and engaging. They know the school rules to be ’Ready, respectful and safe’ and understand why it is important to treat everyone fairly. Pupils behave well. They value the rewards they receive for their conduct, their learning and for reading regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the responsibilities they hold. These include being school councillors and class helpers. Pupils develop confidence and independence through these leadership positions. The school provides regular opportunities for pupils to participate in local community events. This supports them to become active citizens in their community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a range of enrichment activities. These are carefully planned to develop their talents and interests. Pupils are enthusiastic about participating in clubs and enrichment activities where they learn new skills, such as tie-dye and golf.

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better?

The school has begun work to make improvements to how well pupils learn, but there is still significant work to do to ensure that pupils benefit from this. The revised curriculum has begun to set out the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn in all subjects. However, in many subjects, this is in its infancy or is not always taught in a way that supports pupils to build their knowledge securely. Furthermore, regular checks are not made on how well pupils understand the curriculum. Therefore, some pupils move on to new learning with ongoing gaps in their knowledge.

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better?

Staff in the Reception classes know children well and support them to develop new skills. Recent improvements mean that there are well-resourced and effective activities for children to engage with. However, children do not learn well in all areas that are important to their development. They are, therefore, not well prepared for Year 1. 10 and 11 October 2023

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Staff encourage pupils to read for enjoyment. The school has thought carefully about the texts that teachers read to pupils. They are selected to complement the curriculum and to extend pupils’ usual reading diet. Children learn to read as soon as they start at school. Books match the sounds they know and help pupils to develop their vocabulary. However, not all staff have had training to provide effective support for some pupils. Furthermore, some pupils do not move on to more complex learning in reading when they are ready to do so and others do not receive the support that they need.

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The school works with external agencies to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This has been particularly successful in meeting pupils’ emotional and social needs. For example, some pupils use the ‘Haven’ for reflection when needed.

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Pupils’ broader development is supported through a carefully planned curriculum. This begins in the early years and continues at an age-appropriate level as pupils get older. Pupils learn about and respect other cultures and faiths. For example, they participate in cultural feasts. They use periods of reflection to consider their own feelings and beliefs. Pupils make links between British values and the school’s values. They develop an understanding of the protected characteristics and know why these are important.

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Pupils learn how to look after their physical and mental health. They know how to stay safe when online and in the wider environment. For example, pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep themselves safe when crossing the road.

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The senior leadership team and the governing body have the necessary expertise to remedy the areas that require further development. Their actions have begun to have some positive impact on pupils’ experiences at the school. However, there is more work to do to ensure that pupils benefit from a good quality of education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The teaching of the reading curriculum does not consider pupils’ starting points. Therefore, pupils do not move on when they are ready to do so or receive the support they need. The school should ensure that the way in which the curriculum is taught supports all pupils to read well.  In some subjects, the curriculum is either not fully developed or implemented as intended. Consequently, pupils are not supported to build their subject knowledge over time. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is well designed and taught effectively. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 Teachers’ use of assessment does not identify whether pupils have learned the curriculum as intended. Therefore, gaps in pupils’ understanding are not identified and rectified. The school needs to ensure that teachers’ use of assessment informs subsequent curriculum planning so that all pupils learn successfully.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 10 and 11 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 June 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative providers.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2022.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and took that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, subject leaders, those responsible for governance, those responsible for safeguarding and other leaders. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. They held discussions with teachers, pupils and subject leaders. They visited a sample of lessons and reviewed pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors listened to pupils in Year 1 and 2 read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. The lead inspector considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View and free-text responses. She also reviewed the responses to the online pupil and staff surveys issued at the time of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Liz Geller, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Greenwood Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 2023

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