Canterbury Cross Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Canterbury Cross Primary School Canterbury Road, Birchfield, Birmingham, West Midlands B20 3AA

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Khalid Din. This school is part of Canterbury Cross Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Khalid Din, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Imran Mogra.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish during their time at this school. By the time they reach the end of Year 6, they are confident, knowledgeable and resilient. They are very well prepared for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high aspirations for its pupils. Pupils rise to the school’s expectations. In 2024, a high proportion of pupils reached the nationally expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The school provides for a high number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some pupils have very complex needs. The school makes sure that each pupil’s needs are fully understood and that these pupils progress well through the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent, both in and out of lessons, including in the early years. Clear routines are established right from the start. Pupils are courteous, inquisitive and considerate. They enjoy school and look after each other. They have a high degree of trust in adults to resolve any issues that may occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of meaningful opportunities and experiences that enable pupils to develop socially and emotionally. Pupils take on positions of responsibility and enjoy trips out of school. Visits from organisations such as the Royal Ballet enrich the curriculum. 20 and 21 May 2025

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

Leadership is highly respected by the whole school community. Leaders at all levels have taken action, including in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to sustain and improve the school’s performance.

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

The school thinks carefully about the cohort it serves when designing its curriculum. It ensures that pupils learn to read with accuracy and fluency alongside developing a love of reading. Pupils read regularly to adults and explore a range of interesting texts. For example, in Nursery, children enjoy listening to a story read by an adult, while at the same time holding a copy of the book and turning the pages as the story progresses. Any pupils who fall behind with their reading are quickly identified and provided with appropriate support, ensuring that they catch up with their peers.

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

The school has established and embedded its curriculum across all subjects. It ensures that pupils acquire a depth of knowledge in each subject. The curriculum in each subject revisits and extends knowledge as pupils move through the school. Pupils understand and use sophisticated subject-specific vocabulary. For example, Year 2 pupils describe the language structures in poetry using words such as ‘alliteration’ and ‘imagery’.

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

Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. If a teacher is less confident about a topic, they can quickly gain advice and support, ensuring that their delivery of the curriculum is of high quality. Pupils benefit from a consistent teaching approach. Any misconceptions are identified and tackled quickly. The school has well-established methods for checking on pupils’ progress through the different subjects. Work is suitably adapted for pupils with SEND, who move through the curriculum alongside their peers.

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

There are a small number of pupils with very complex SEND. Some are nonverbal and require a different approach to learning. The school has set up appropriate programmes for these pupils. The school works closely with external professionals, such as educational psychologists, to ensure that these pupils’ needs are identified and met consistently well. Over time, these pupils are provided with increasing opportunities to work and play alongside their peers.

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

Pupils consistently demonstrate very high standards of conduct. They are motivated to learn, shown through their positive attitudes to their studies. Any rare instances of poor behaviour are managed well.

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

The school does all it can to encourage full attendance at school. Leaders work closely with families as soon as a pupil’s attendance starts to dip. They identify and remove any barriers that may have arisen. Consequently, the school has secured a significant reduction in the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent.

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

Pupils are very well prepared for life beyond primary school. The curriculum contains many opportunities to develop pupils’ resilience, self-esteem and confidence. For example, 20 and 21 May 2025

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pupils learn about friendship while studying the story of David and Jonathan from the Old Testament.

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The school provides a wealth of opportunities to support pupils’ personal development. It gives pupils responsibilities as prefects, head boy/girl and playground buddies. Pupils learn about a range of faiths and cultures and are respectful of those who are different from themselves.

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Trustees have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities. They have a secure knowledge of what is working well and what the school’s priorities are. They are suitably trained. Leaders and trustees do all they can to support staff well-being and reduce unnecessary workload. They listen to staff views, including, for example, through a group of staff well-being representatives, and take action to support staff wherever possible.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 predecessor school, Canterbury Cross Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2014.

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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. 20 and 21 May 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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is the only school in the Canterbury Cross Education Trust.  The school does not 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteachers and other leaders in the school. She met with groups of staff. She also met with some trustees, including the chair of trustees. 20 and 21 May 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. She spoke to groups of pupils about their learning and their wider experiences at school.  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 took account of the responses to staff and pupil surveys. She also considered the views of parents through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and through speaking to parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Gaynor Roberts, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 May 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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