The Craylands School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Craylands School Craylands Lane, Swanscombe, Kent DA10 0LP

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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Outcome

The Craylands School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school community and excited to share their learning. The school’s values thread through every aspect of school life. As ‘Cray Learners’, pupils develop the behaviours to be ‘learners for life’. For instance, in Year 5, pupils work together to research their history topic. Across the school, pupils challenge themselves by answering more demanding questions and demonstrating their understanding through knowledgeable responses. The school has high expectations of pupils, and pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour throughout the school is calm and positive. Pupils are happy and know that if problems occur, adults will help to solve them. Leaders create a culture which embraces difference. Pupils are respectful. They understand individual needs and help each other. Leaders encourage pupils to have a voice, and the school is proactive in implementing new ideas. For instance, pupils requested more support with their emotional and physical health. Pupils learn strategies to regulate their emotions and enjoy using the newly installed running track to help keep themselves fit.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Key stage 2 pupils take their leadership roles seriously. They want to make a positive impact on the school. Pupil play leaders make playtimes fun, creating and supervising games for younger pupils. The meadow provides exciting outdoor learning opportunities. For instance, pupils enjoy building obstacle courses and berry tie-dying. They value working collaboratively and learning from each other.

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

The school has identified the key knowledge and vocabulary it wants all pupils to know in each subject. Teachers check pupils’ knowledge is secure in each lesson, then adapt their teaching and revisit learning if needed. Teachers ensure pupils are challenged to extend 14 and 15 January 2025

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their thinking and to respond to important questions with detail. Pupils are encouraged to make links between their learning. For example, Year 6 pupils learn about the historical period in which Holbein painted to develop a deeper understanding of the portraits he painted. In some subjects, teachers identify the pupils who need the most support and provide focused learning opportunities. In most cases, this enables pupils to keep up with the learning.

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The school is swift to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In each subject, the school has considered the most effective strategies to support pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils access learning well using appropriate resources and effective adult support. Children in the Reception class make a strong start to their learning, with communication and vocabulary being a key focus. Children concentrate on tasks for sustained periods. For instance, children used a variety of materials to construct detailed collage pictures of houses for the three little pigs.

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Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They explain concepts and model learning effectively. Resources are used progressively throughout the school to support understanding. For instance, in mathematics, pupils gain a secure understanding of number and multiplication using a number grid. Year 1 pupils use this to practise one more and one less, and Years 3 and 4 pupils to understand the four and eight multiplication times tables. Teachers are quick to address pupils’ misconceptions and provide the correct response.

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Children begin learning to read as soon as they start school. Phonics is delivered consistently well, and pupils read books that match their development. While most pupils progress well with their reading, a few need more support. This has not always been provided quickly enough, which means they do not yet have the reading skills they need to access the curriculum. The school is aware of this and recognises the need for further targeted support. Handwriting practice begins in Reception, where children practise letter formation. This progresses to pupils developing a cursive script in Year 2. However, handwriting teaching is not currently consistent. Teachers do not always address pupils’ letter formation, meaning pupils do not gain fluency in their writing.

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The school’s ‘ROARS’ values underpin pupils’ positive relationships. Staff help pupils to develop a mature understanding of relationships and feelings. Pupils act responsibly to support each other with their learning. Recognition points are awarded to pupils who demonstrate the school’s values. Leaders are proactive in ensuring the positive attendance of pupils. They know their families well and provide support where needed. A small group of pupils enjoy the ‘HERO’ morning club to help them to be on time and prepared for the school day.

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The school provides a wide range of opportunities to develop pupils’ personal development. Pupils enjoy the learning gained from school trips and residential visits. The wide range of extra-curricular clubs enables pupils to try new activities, which some take forward to represent the school. Choir members are proud to have the opportunity to sing at public events. Leaders share the school’s values and expectations regularly, including in school assemblies. 14 and 15 January 2025

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Leaders and governors accurately identify the priorities for the school. They have a clear vision of how they want the school to improve to ensure the best education for all pupils. Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the collaborative and supportive working environment.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils’ gaps in their phonics knowledge and handwriting are not addressed swiftly enough. This means they have delayed fluency in reading and writing which hinders their learning. The school should ensure that pupils are provided with timely support to ensure they can read and write fluently and accurately.

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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 the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2016.

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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. 14 and 15 January 2025

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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). 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 September 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the school is now two-form entry up to Year 6.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders and a range of staff. The inspector also met with members of the governing body and a local authority representative.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 14 and 15 January 2025

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 The inspector checked the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.  The inspector considered the responses of parents, pupils and staff to Ofsted’s online surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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.  The inspector held meetings with staff and spoke with pupils during social times. The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including as they arrived and left school.

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Inspection team

Sacha Husnu-Beresford, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

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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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