Crakehall Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Since federating, new leaders and governors have rapidly boosted improvements, so the school is now good and improving quickly.

The executive headteacher and head of school have been uncompromising in tackling the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. Senior leaders have created a united team. They have supported staff to develop their teaching and leadership exceptionally well.

Very skilled middle leaders working across the federation have transformed the curriculum. Teaching is now good. Pupils benefit from accurate teaching in reading, writing and mathematics because of teachers' good subject knowledge.

Pupils make goo...d progress as a result of well-planned teaching. Leaders' thorough monitoring prevents pupils from falling behind. Pupils behave well.

They are courteous and polite. The school is a harmonious community. Pupils who are new to the school receive a warm welcome and settle in quickly.

Forest school activities support pupils' personal development extremely well. Pupils learn skills which equip them well for life. The curriculum contributes effectively to pupils' strong social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.

A good range of sporting opportunities keeps pupils active. In the early years, children cooperate well with each other and concentrate on tasks, showing good levels of independence. However, few children exceed the standard expected of them.

The most able children are not challenged enough. Occasionally, the most able pupils are not stretched to think for themselves. In some year groups, work is not demanding enough in writing, science and history.

Tailored support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) results in their good progress in most areas but in reading this is less marked. Books selected for them do not match their phonics knowledge closely enough. Teachers' planning in some subjects does not consistently build on what has already been taught.

There are gaps in pupils' knowledge in history and science. Governors are highly committed and extremely effective. They have been integral to the school's improvement.

Their overview of the school is wide-ranging but does not include formal checking of their equalities duty.

Information about this school

The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage.

The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well below average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average. The school provides a breakfast and after-school clubs.

Since September 2018, the school has been in a federation, Synergy Schools, with Brompton on Swale CE Primary School. Most middle and senior leaders, including the executive headteacher, provide leadership across both schools. With the exception of the deputy headteacher, no current governor or senior leader was at the school at the time of the last inspection.

During the inspection, all of Year 6 and the deputy headteacher were on a residential visit. The school is a voluntary controlled Church of England primary school in the Diocese of Leeds. At its last section 48 inspection in November 2016, it was judged good.