Cranham Primary School

Worcester, Cranham Primary School Inspection report

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116750 Unique Reference Number Worcestershire Local Authority 312389 Inspection number 14 °15 November 2007 Inspection dates Martin Cole Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 399 School The governing body Appropriate authority Neil McDonald Chair V Holland Headteacher 1 December 2003 Date of previous school inspection Tetbury Drive School address Warndon Worcester WR4 9LS 01905 452437 Telephone number 01905 759526 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 14 °15 November 2007 Inspection dates 312389 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

A significant number of pupils are from disadvantaged backgrounds and/or have troubled lives outside of school. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average and the number with higher levels of need is greater than in most schools. Pupils enter the school with attainment that is well below what is expected nationally at their age. Almost all pupils are White British.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which is well liked by parents. Its character was well summed up by a parent who wrote to inspectors that this was 'a happy, warm, welcoming and effective school'. Both at the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 to 6, pupils achieve well. They make good progress in their work and in developing positive personal qualities and skills. Right from their early days in the Nursery, children enjoy their time at school, mainly thanks to the very caring relationships school staff make with them. Pupils get on very well with each other, too, and they behave well. They join keenly in lessons and in the very good range of optional activities after lessons, which are a strong feature of the good curriculum. They take part enthusiastically in good opportunities for physical exercise, knowing how important this is for their health. Pupils feel happy and safe at school. Nevertheless, a few pupils have a poor

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Grade: 2

attendance record and others miss school because of holidays taken in term time. Pupils' positive attitudes provide a good basis for their learning. They listen well to their teachers and concentrate hard on their tasks. Teachers manage pupils skilfully. They challenge pupils to give of their best and provide lots of encouragement and support, helped often by effective teaching assistants. The many pupils who experience significant difficulty in learning or behaviour benefit greatly from the very thorough support and guidance the school gives them. In some lessons a more-able minority of pupils make less progress than they should because they are set tasks that do not fully challenge them. The school's wide range of good features reflects the good leadership and management of the school. The headteacher leads the school with total commitment to meeting pupils' needs. Strong staff teamwork unites around a sharing of this aim. Cranham has established very good

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Grade: 2

partnerships with parents and external organisations which give much support to the school's work. Senior staff keep a good check on the school's performance; they know its strengths and how it can be even better. Staff work together effectively to improve the school and the capacity for further improvement is good.

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Grade: 2

Children get off to a flying start in the Nursery because of the outstanding provision for their personal, social and emotional development. They settle very quickly into school life. Children's confidence continues to grow in leaps and bounds through their Reception Year and they really enjoy working and playing. Children begin with skill levels below national expectations, but good teaching helps them make steady progress. The majority are approaching the level of attainment expected for their age by the end of Reception. The progress in children's development of keen attitudes, enjoyment, cooperation and independence is excellent. Good leadership and management of provision for the children ensure a well-balanced curriculum that combines very good encouragement for pupils to learn through purposeful play with effectively short, intensive adult input, for example, on basic literacy and numeracy skills. The

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Grade: 2

good number of well-qualified teachers and support staff are well deployed to give full support to the children. The stimulus for learning provided by the accommodation and resources is good, though better in Reception than in the Nursery. The school is already planning extensive improvement to accommodation for the youngest pupils. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure tasks provided for pupils always fully challenge them, especially in the case of the most able pupils. ■ Extend measures to encourage full attendance.

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Grade: 2

In both the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 to 6, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Their attainment on leaving the school compares favourably with the well below average level at which they started out. In recent years, pupils' results in Year 2 and Year 6 national tests have varied between average and below average. Fluctuations reflect differences from year to year in the proportion of pupils with learning or other difficulties. The progress of present Year 6 pupils shows that they are on track to achieve broadly average standards by the end of the school year. Following a very successful recent drive to raise writing standards, younger pupils are making especially good progress in their writing. Almost all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, progress well, regardless of differences in ability. A small number of the most able pupils make at least satisfactory progress but in some lessons

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Grade: 2

they make less progress than they might because they are not sufficiently challenged by the work provided.

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Grade: 2

Following their excellent start in Nursery and Reception, pupils continue to grow in self-esteem as they move through the school. By Year 6 they are responsible and thoughtful young people. Many pupils have social and emotional difficulties, but the school's outstanding provision for these pupils helps them fit in and achieve as well as their peers. Good behaviour in classrooms and at playtimes shows pupils know right from wrong and how to get on with one another. They are respectful of others, including those different from themselves. Incidents of bullying are rare and pupils say they are dealt with effectively. Pupils are well aware of how to stay safe and healthy and they act accordingly. Pupils themselves are involved very effectively in helping to promote a friendly and supportive school. The peer mediators, for example, make a tremendous contribution to the school community. Their patient and kindly support at playtimes helps fellow pupils resolve

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Grade: 2

disagreements and upsets. Pupils' good collaborative skills, together with their good academic achievement, are preparing them well for the world of work. Despite pupils' evident enjoyment of school and the school's incentives, attendance is below average. This is because of sickness, some families taking term-time holidays and the persistent absences of a very small number of pupils.

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Grade: 2

Very good relationships between adults and pupils underpin pupils' successful learning. Pupils are confident in approaching staff for help and support because they know that they are valued. Staff manage pupils very well so that classrooms are calm and there is a purposeful approach 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007 to learning. Lessons take place at a lively pace. Classrooms are well organised, with equipment and resources readily to hand. Teachers explain new ideas carefully and provide a good range of practical and visual experiences to help pupils understand. They use interactive whiteboards effectively for this and to hold pupils' interest. Teachers plan work that is enjoyable and interesting and sometimes fun. Occasionally, they talk for a little too long at the expense of time for pupils to work on their own. Careful assessments of pupils' progress are generally used

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Grade: 2

well to match the teaching and support to pupils' needs. Teaching assistants provide good extra support for individuals and groups, especially pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. In some lessons, mainly in Years 3 to 5, the work planned is sometimes less challenging than it could be, especially for the most able pupils.

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Grade: 2

The well-balanced curriculum develops pupils' literacy, numeracy and computer skills effectively and meets all other requirements. Pupils are grouped appropriately for work that meets their needs and there are special, well-designed schemes of intensive support for those having difficulties. Pupils are well motivated by their interesting topics in science, history, geography and religious education. The walls and foyer are decorated with impressive examples of creative work in pottery, painting and sculpture, showing how pupils' many talents are developed. There is a strong programme of physical education. The curriculum is very successful in helping pupils develop their personal and emotional qualities, although planning to help pupils learn about cultures other than their own is unsystematic. The school extends the basic required curriculum with many valuable additional opportunities for pupils to learn and develop personally. Young

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Grade: 2

musicians enjoy learning to play brass, woodwind and string instruments. The Eco-school project is helping pupils to understand ways of caring for their environment such as composting lunchtime food waste. The large number of trips and well attended after school clubs widen pupils' experiences and add to enjoyment.

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Grade: 2

All pupils are well cared for in school and there are thorough procedures to ensure their welfare. The school checks carefully to see how well all pupils are doing, both academically and personally. Those causing concern are soon identified and given the necessary help. The pastoral care of the substantial number of pupils with multiple and complex personal and social problems is outstanding. The school makes excellent use of its own and many external resources to provide help that allows these pupils to gain in confidence, self-esteem and academic achievement. Although the school has a range of strategies to promote good attendance, these have had only limited success. Teachers give pupils good guidance on their learning through their prompt marking of work, pointers to improvement and setting of targets.

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Grade: 2

The school is successful on almost all fronts because of the strength of the leadership and management. At the heart of this is the clear dedication and determination of the headteacher to meeting all pupils' needs as completely as possible. This earns the full respect of pupils, staff and parents alike and inspires a unity of purpose and strong teamwork among all associated 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007 with the school. The headteacher sets high expectations for her colleagues and her pupils, but is also fully supportive of them. Staff, for example, benefit from good encouragement and opportunity to continually develop their professional skills. The school is enterprising in securing full support for its work through close partnerships with other educational and welfare organizations. Senior staff, supported by governors, keep a good check on the school's

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Grade: 2

performance. However, checks on lesson planning are not regular enough to ensure consistency in challenging the most able pupils. The school plans effectively for improvement, as the success of the recent drive to raise achievement in writing has shown. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 November 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Cranham Primary School, Worcester WR4 9LS The inspectors who visited your school recently would like to thank all of you for your very friendly welcome. We enjoyed meeting you and talking to you. It was good to find that you enjoy going to school. You clearly feel safe and happy there. Also, you get on very well with each other and with the adults. You have a sensible attitude to school. You work hard and you behave well. All of this is helping you to make good progress and achieve the standard of work that you should. We saw that the teachers and the other adults look after you really well. They give you lots of help and encouragement. This is just what some of you told us. The teachers give you good lessons and provide good work that helps you learn a lot. They also organise lots of interesting visits and put on good after-school activities which you enjoy. We were glad to see that you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

join in lots of physical exercise to keep you healthy. We have said that yours is a good school. The adults in charge of the school are doing a good job. They are working hard to improve the school. However, there are two things we think the school should do to make it still better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We think some of you could do harder work in some of your lessons. We have asked the teachers to make sure they give you work that really makes you think hard. This should help everyone make as much progress as they possibly can. ■ Some of you are away from school too much and miss too many lessons. We would like the school to try and cut down on this. You can help here by trying to attend as well as you can. We wish you the very best for the future Yours sincerely M H Cole Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Worcester, Cranham Primary School, 14 °15 November 2007

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