Cliffedale Primary School

Inspection of Cliffedale Primary School Northcliffe Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 8DP

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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 6 and 7 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this inclusive, friendly school. They describe Cliffedale as being a ‘kind’ and ‘civilised’ environment where everyone is treated fairly. Pupils have a good understanding of equality and respect. Pupils told inspectors, ‘Cliffedale is a really positive place that makes us want to do our best.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at Cliffedale. They feel listened to and well supported. Pupils say, ‘You can always tell someone here about your worries and they will make everything better.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Most pupils concentrate well in lessons. Pupils play nicely on the playground and enjoy socialising together. Older pupils enjoy the responsibility of running clubs for the younger ones. Pupils do not report any problems with bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Eight core values underpin the school’s ambitious ethos. They are threaded through the curriculum. Pupils are rewarded for good speaking and listening, for staying positive and aiming high, for solving problems and being creative, as well as for showing leadership qualities and teamwork skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the education and support their children experience at Cliffedale. They praise the strong leadership at the school. They recognise the improvements that have taken place since the last inspection.

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better?

The school has re-developed its curriculum since the last inspection. In all subjects, pupils learn in a precise, logical order. Lessons begin by showing pupils how current learning builds on what came before and how it links to what will come next.

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better?

At Cliffedale, pupils are immersed in a world of books. Children in the early years re- tell the stories they have heard with great enthusiasm. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are just as absorbed when their teachers read to them. They follow along on tenterhooks with their own copies of the class text. Staff teach phonics well. Children in Reception know that the terms ‘digraph’ and ‘trigraph’ refer to sounds made by more than one letter. Pupils look for these before trying to read unfamiliar words. There is a common approach to developing fluency when staff listen to pupils read. Staff make sure that the books pupils take home to read are matched to the letter sounds they recognise. Older pupils like answering quiz questions about their books. They say the quizzes make them want to read even more.

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better?

Children get off to a flying start in the early years. They benefit from a warm, nurturing environment that allows them to be independent. Reception staff help children get the most out of ‘free flow’ activities and imaginative play by asking them questions to extend their understanding and to develop their language skills. 6 and 7 February 2024

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Staff have good subject knowledge. They model learning well. In English lessons, for example, pupils benefit from seeing their teachers write. This helps pupils make improvements to their own written work. However, staff do not always check closely enough on pupils’ progress in lessons. As a result, pupils are sometimes moved on to new learning before they are ready. In addition, staff do not always select activities that are best suited to learning the curriculum. When this happens, pupils do not gain a secure understanding of the important knowledge they need to remember.

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The school is quick to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff ensure that lessons are adapted well for pupils with SEND. Staff who support pupils with complex needs do so sensitively and skilfully. Parents of pupils with SEND acknowledge the good level of care provided for their children.

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There are high expectations at Cliffedale regarding behaviour and attendance. The school monitors these things closely and systematically, responding to any issues quickly and effectively.

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The school’s ‘skills builder’ programme is central to its personal development offer. Staff reference its eight values in lessons and pupils talk about them confidently. Pupils try hard to demonstrate them and earn tokens for their house. Pupils have inclusive and welcoming attitudes towards difference and diversity. They understand the importance of the protected characteristics. However, they are less knowledgeable about world faiths. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. They have lessons on mental health and well-being. There are lots of clubs for pupils to join, as well as leadership roles. Every pupil is part of the school council.

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Cliffedale benefits from ambitious, efficient leadership at all levels, with clear direction and support. Staff enjoy working at the school. They appreciate being given the training and time they need to carry out all their duties.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, staff do not check closely enough on how well pupils are progressing. As a result, pupils are sometimes moved on to new learning before they are ready. The school must ensure that all staff use formative assessment well, so that misconceptions are addressed, and pupils acquire the knowledge and skills they need.  Sometimes, staff do not select activities that are well matched to what pupils need to learn. This means that pupils do not always gain a secure grasp of the most important curriculum content. The school must ensure that all staff provide 6 and 7 February 2024

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pupils with work and resources that enable them to gain a secure understanding of the key knowledge they need to remember.

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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). 6 and 7 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science, geography, and physical education (PE). For the deep dives, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 6 and 7 February 2024

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 Inspectors also discussed the curriculum for writing. They visited writing lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ written work.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteachers, subject leaders and a sample of teaching and support staff. Inspectors met with the leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, behaviour, attendance, and personal development.  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 examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, the school development plan, and documentation relating to behaviour, attendance, and governance.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a

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familiar adult. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from across the school.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and the results of the Ofsted staff survey.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Ruth Hurcombe Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 February 2024

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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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