Cradley CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school prioritises pupils' well-being. Its nurturing environment provides pupils with the confidence and resilience to manage their emotions.

This work begins right from the start of school. Children in the early years quickly settle into expected routines and show positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in all aspects of school life and have equal opportunities to succeed.

Pupils know the school's behaviour expectations. They work hard to meet these and behave well. Staff and pupils have positive relationships.

Pupils feel comfortable talking to adults about any concerns. A...s a result, pupils feel happy and safe at school.

The school is ambitious for pupils and wants them to achieve well.

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. However, the implementation of this curriculum is still in its early stages and many aspects are new. Teachers are still developing the expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively.

As a result, pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge they should. The school has not yet fully established a consistent approach to the teaching of reading. In some cases, the books chosen for pupils to read are not precisely matched to the sounds they know.

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

The school has recently made changes to the curriculum content in several subjects. This has led to a more ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum, which is helping pupils to learn and remember more. However, teachers' understanding of the curriculum content and precise subject knowledge is not yet secure.

This means that on some occasions, teachers do not check carefully enough what pupils have learned. This leads to pupils developing gaps in their knowledge.

Leaders have successfully fostered a love for reading across the school.

This starts in the early years with an engaging reading area that captures the interests of the children. Older pupils enjoy reading and hearing their teacher read their class novel. However, the school's phonics programme has not been fully implemented.

Staff have not received sufficient training to enable them to deliver the programme consistently well. For some pupils who have fallen behind, their reading books are not well matched to their needs. As a result, these pupils do not become confident fluent readers quickly enough.

In the early years, children engage in well-planned learning experiences. These provide a solid foundation for future learning. The focus on vocabulary helps children to develop their language and communication skills.

There are positive relationships between staff and children. Adults ensure that each child's needs are understood and met. The curriculum includes language and basic mathematical skill development.

This happens through daily routines and play-based activities. Children can meaningfully explore different concepts. This sets the stage for future success.

Pupils enjoy and value the wide range of clubs on offer. They also enjoy being involved in the wider responsibilities the school offers, such as digital leaders and community champions. They have devoted time to tending the gardens of nearby residents.

Such responsibilities help to develop pupils' social and leadership skills.

The school ensures that staff are suitably trained and equipped to identify pupils with SEND. This means that pupils receive the right support at the right time.

This helps pupils with SEND successfully access the same learning as their peers.

Pupils attend school regularly and arrive on time and ready to learn. Pupils behave well in class and around the school.

They are courteous and respectful towards each other and adults. They know that it is important to respect other people even if they have different opinions or values.

Pastoral support is a strength of the school.

The pastoral team works with pupils to overcome any difficulties they may have. This helps pupils understand and manage their feelings. Pupils appreciate the care staff take to help them explore their worries and emotions.

The school effectively teaches pupils about staying safe, especially when they are online.

While the school has made some positive changes to the curriculum, it is not adequately monitoring the impact of the changes. This means that teachers do not receive sufficient guidance to help them to deliver some aspects of the curriculum well.

Governors understand their roles and responsibilities. They have correctly identified the things that need to improve. The school is working closely with the local authority and the diocese to bring about these improvements.

Most staff feel valued and supported by the school. Staff reported that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff do not have the necessary expertise to deliver the phonics programme well enough. As a result, some pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to practise and become fluent readers. The school should ensure that all staff are suitably trained to be able to deliver the reading curriculum well so that pupils learn to read accurately and fluently.

• Teachers' subject knowledge is not yet secure across all areas of the curriculum. This means that in some lessons, opportunities for assessing what pupils know and can do are missed and gaps in pupils' knowledge persist. The school should provide staff with training to develop secure subject knowledge and establish systems to check and address pupils' understanding and misconceptions.

• The school has not checked how well the curriculum is being implemented. As a result, teachers are not yet receiving the correct guidance they need to deliver the curriculum well enough. The school should strengthen systems to monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum and provide teachers with the necessary guidance and support the effective delivery of the curriculum.