Crowle CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Crowle CofE First School School Lane, Crowle, Worcester, Worcestershire WR7 4AT

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Outcome

Crowle CofE First School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Martina Abbott. The school is part of The Diocese of Worcester Multi Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Vicki Shelley, and is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alan Soper.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is committed to making sure that pupils receive a broad education within a caring environment. This is built on the school’s values of being ‘caring, confident and committed learners’. Pupils and staff are right to be proud of their school. The school is highly valued by parents and carers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour rules are linked to the school values, these are known by staff and pupils. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils behave very well. They are incredibly polite and act responsibly. Pupils are happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in visits to different places of worship. They understand fundamental British values such as being tolerant of different faiths and beliefs. They take on a range of roles such as fruit monitor and religious education ambassador, which they value. Pupils especially enjoy visits to school from external experts, for example when a historian helped them enrich their learning about The Great Fire of London. Pupils take part in a wide range of competitive sports, such as tag rugby and bell boating on a nearby river.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school makes sure that pupils experience a smooth transfer to middle school. Pupils are ready for the next stage in their learning. 26 November 2024

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

The school has a curriculum that is ambitious for pupils. The key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn have been set out. Staff have the right expertise to implement the whole curriculum. They teach most subjects effectively. In these subjects, misconceptions are noticed and addressed swiftly. Learning is regularly revisited and appropriate checks on learning take place. However, a few subjects are inconsistently implemented. This means that pupils do not remember key concepts and knowledge across the whole curriculum. As a result, pupils do not achieve high standards in a few subjects.

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

Reading is a high priority. Staff teach phonics well. Pupils learn phonics as soon as they start school. Children in the early years learn to recognise letter sounds and quickly start to read. Pupils receive regular reading practice; this leads to pupils becoming confident readers. Staff identify quickly those pupils who need to catch up with their reading. Those pupils are supported appropriately. Pupils progress through the phonics curriculum successfully. They have many opportunities to read for pleasure and develop a love of reading. Pupils achieve high standards in reading.

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

In the early years, staff are encouraging and caring. The early years curriculum has been carefully considered. Staff possess appropriate subject knowledge to teach the early years curriculum. Children develop their fine motor skills by drawing, and practising writing letters. They draw with increasing control. Children readily take turns and play cooperatively while weighing parcels in the class post office. Staff model vocabulary effectively. As a result, children’s vocabulary is swiftly developing. Children achieve well in the early years.

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

Staff work effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access specialist support. Not all staff appropriately adapt the curriculum and use a range of resources to support the learning of pupils with SEND. As a result, the quality of support for some pupils with SEND is inconsistent. This affects the achievement of some pupils with SEND.

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

Pupils attend school regularly. The school has set high expectations for pupils’ attendance. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that education is valued.

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

Pupils learn how to be active citizens by raising funds for local charities such as a cystic fibrosis charity. Pupils take part in a wide range of inclusive extra-curricular activities such as chess, outdoor learning, multi sports, choir and yoga. They learn to play the recorder and perform in music concerts. In Year 3 and Year 4 pupils take part in an annual outdoor activity residential visit. Pupils take part in a range of visits, including to Worcester Cathedral and a nearby butterfly farm. They learn about road safety and how to stay safe online.

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

The local academy board (LAB) members and trustees understand their roles and responsibilities. They have the knowledge and expertise they need to complete their duties. Members of the LAB visit school regularly and know the school well. They support 26 November 2024

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and challenge the work of the school effectively. This has helped to maintain the school’s performance. Governors and trustees make decisions in the best interests of children. Staff report that their workload is well managed, and their well-being is supported appropriately.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, important concepts, knowledge and vocabulary for each subject are inconsistently implemented. In a few subjects, concepts, knowledge and vocabulary should be taught as intended, so that pupils remember important knowledge across the whole curriculum.  The curriculum for some pupils with SEND is inconsistently adapted and delivered. This affects the achievement of some pupils with SEND. The curriculum should be consistently adapted and implemented to ensure that all pupils with SEND achieve ambitious outcomes.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged Crowle CofE First School to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2014. 26 November 2024

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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’ 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). 26 November 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Diocese of Worcester Multi-Academy Trust, which comprises fifteen academies.  The school runs a before- and after-school club.  The school does not make use of any alterative provision.  The school is part of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester.  The school’s last section 48 inspection was in October 2022. The school’s next inspection will be within eight years of the previous section 48 inspection.

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Information about this inspection

n Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 26 November 2024

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n 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. n Inspectors met with the headteacher, the head of school and other leaders. Inspectors held a meeting with members of the trust board and local academy board. Inspectors met with the CEO from the trust. Meetings were held with curriculum leaders, teachers and support staff. n Inspectors focused inspection activity on the following groups of subjects: early English and mathematics, history, geography and computing. For each group of subjects, the inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. n Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour and interactions during lessons, at breaktimes and lunchtimes, and spoke to many pupils during the inspection.

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n 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. n Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. This included free-text comments. Inspectors spoke to parents. Inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey and responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Emma Titchener, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Travis Latham Ofsted Inspector 26 November 2024

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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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