Cambridge Road Community Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Cambridge Road Community Primary and Nursery School Cambridge Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 4AQ

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy attending school. They feel well cared for and safe. Pupils know that the school has their best interests at heart. Pupils and their families benefit from high- quality support. Pupils are highly respectful of one another. This begins with the kind, positive relationships that children learn in the early years.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their learning. By the end of key stage 2, pupils meet the high expectations that the school has for their academic success. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well and are ready for the next stage in their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. For instance, they are attentive in lessons and work hard. Their behaviour is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips, visitors and clubs. For example, they can choose from yoga, football, book club and gymnastics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a valuable contribution to the life of the school through the many leadership roles on offer. These include being a librarian, member of the school council or behaviour champion. Through these roles, pupils develop key life skills such as confidence and the ability to keep on trying when circumstances seem tough. Pupils learn to consider the needs of others. They willingly take part in the school’s well-chosen fundraising activities.

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better?

Much of the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. In most subjects, the school has identified the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. In these subjects, teachers from the early years to Year 6 know the key information that should be taught and when this should happen during each academic year. However, in a small number of subjects, the school’s work on the curriculum is not as well developed as in other subjects. As a result, a few aspects of the national curriculum are not included or covered in sufficient depth.

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better?

Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. From the early years onwards, they design activities skilfully to match the intended curriculum. However, in some subjects, teachers do not routinely help pupils to retain key knowledge. This is because key learning is not revisited enough to make sure that it sticks in pupils’ memories.

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better?

The school gives the teaching of reading a high priority. Well-trained staff skilfully teach pupils to read. Pupils who struggle to keep up with the phonics programme receive effective and timely support to catch up. Pupils, including those with SEND, read books that are closely matched to the words and sounds they know. The school works closely with parents and carers so that they know how to support their children’s reading at home. Pupils benefit from the school’s investment in high- 10 and 11 October 2023

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quality fiction and non-fiction books in the new library. Older pupils enjoy choosing new books from a wide range of authors. They know that reading is an especially important skill for life.

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In most subjects, staff check that pupils know and remember their learning. Staff act promptly to provide pupils with the extra teaching and support that they need if they have misconceptions. This is especially effective in phonics.

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The school ensures that the needs of pupils with SEND, including those in the early years, are identified quickly and accurately. Staff make suitable adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND learn effectively alongside their classmates.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development well. Pupils benefit from a carefully considered programme for relationships and sex education and health education. Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe, including online. Staff teach them to be caring and thoughtful. Pupils understand and celebrate the differences between people. They develop a secure knowledge of the beliefs and festivals of different religions. They demonstrate acceptance of others. For example, they show understanding in the way that they help pupils who might find it difficult to express their ideas in words.

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The school builds aspiration successfully among pupils through, for example, the school’s careers day and visits to a local college and high school.

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The school is a calm, nurturing place, where pupils are encouraged to try their best. Pupils remain focused during lessons. Learning is rarely disrupted. This is because pupils do not want to waste learning time for themselves or others. Pupils manage their own behaviour extremely well. This stands them in good stead for the next stage of their education.

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The school considers how to support staff when changes are introduced. For example, it has invested in resources to reduce teachers’ workload. Staff feel valued, and they support one another.

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Members of the governing body contribute effectively to the priorities for further improvement. They are committed to their roles and are generous with their time, offering both support and challenge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In some subjects, the school’s curriculum thinking is less well developed. This means that pupils do not learn all the key information that they should, including some aspects of the national curriculum. The school should review subject curriculums so that pupils are taught the knowledge that they need for future success.  In some subjects, the school does not ensure that pupils are given sufficient opportunities to revisit and practise the key knowledge that they have been taught previously. This means that they sometimes start to learn new concepts when their previous understanding is not secure. Leaders should ensure that teachers are well equipped with suitable strategies to help pupils to remember what they have been taught.

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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

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.cambridgeroad.school.cheshire.org. uk Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 June 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  There is a breakfast club and after-school provision at the school.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders. They also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke to representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour as they arrived at school and during lessons and breaktimes. They also spoke with pupils about their views of school life.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors considered the views of parents. They looked at the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also spoke to a number of parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors considered the views of staff. This included responses to Ofsted’s online survey.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum,

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visited a sample of lessons, looked at a sample of pupils’ work, spoke with teachers and talked with pupils about their learning.  An inspector also observed pupils reading to familiar adults.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other areas. This includes talking with pupils and looking at samples of pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Frith Murphy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Morris Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 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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