Cranborne Church of England First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe. They enjoy warm relationships with each other and with staff.

Pupils are polite and know the school's distinctive values 'love, learn, fly' well. They enjoy earning 'star' awards when they demonstrate these values. Parents and carers speak highly of the care and support that their children receive.

The youngest children get off to a flying start. Staff know their needs exceptionally well and are highly ambitious for their learning. Children gain a strong foundation in reading, writing and cooperating with each other.

Consequently, they are very well prepared for Year 1.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour ...and achievement. Most pupils conduct themselves well and have positive attitudes to learning.

However, on some occasions, a small minority of older pupils do not live up to the school's expectations. This hinders their learning and sometimes that of others.

Pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular opportunities.

For example, they enjoy visits to local museums, singing in the choir and sports activities, such as skipping. Some pupils have responsibilities on the school's different 'councils', while others lend a hand in collective worship and in their classrooms.

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

Pupils learn a broad and ambitious curriculum.

The curriculum is well sequenced, starting in the Reception Year and leading to what pupils need to know in Year 4. In the early years, the curriculum sets out precisely the wide vocabulary that children learn. Here, teaching has a sharp focus on the development of children's communication and language.

As a result, the youngest children are prepared very well for their future learning.

Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well. In the early years, teachers check children's understanding and adapt their planning if children have not grasped new ideas.

However, at times, older pupils do not develop detailed subject knowledge and skills because assessment does not check closely what they know and remember. Therefore, subsequent teaching is not always directed towards rectifying where gaps in pupils' understanding exist.

Children in the early years get to know songs, rhymes and stories well.

They start learning phonics as soon as they join the Reception Year. At all ages, pupils read books that are selected carefully to match their reading ability. This helps pupils to build their reading fluency and confidence securely.

Once pupils can read accurately, they read books that challenge and develop their interests. Teachers read to pupils regularly and celebrate different types of literature, such as poetry and biography.

The school identifies accurately the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders provide useful information to teachers which they use to meet pupils' needs. Parents work with the school to review the impact of the support their children receive. As a result, the curriculum is typically adapted to help pupils learn successfully.

Most pupils conduct themselves well and follow routines conscientiously. Highly effective teaching in the early years means that the youngest children quickly develop their independence and resilience. They sustain high levels of concentration and have very positive attitudes to learning.

However, a small minority of older pupils do not show the same level of commitment to their learning.

The school is ambitious for pupils' wider development. An effective personal, social and health education curriculum helps pupils know, for example, how to form healthy relationships.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, both off and online. The school has considered the gaps in pupils' learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has made appropriate adaptations to the programme as a result.

Children in the early years are well supported to be active and develop physically.

Pupils learn to celebrate differences in the world and its people. To support this understanding, teachers read stories to pupils from thoughtfully chosen books.

Pupils discuss these stories well, showing respect and understanding. Pupils learn the importance of being active citizens and helping others in need. For example, they make donations to charities and take part in community events.

Pupils learn to reflect on their actions by hanging words on 'reflection trees'.

Trustees provide strategic direction to the school and ensure that resources are well managed. Local governors understand their role well.

The trust and the school have worked successfully to ensure pupils receive a good quality of education. Staff value their professional learning which supports them to develop their teaching.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, assessment is not used effectively. Pupils sometimes do not have the secure prior knowledge they need to help them to move confidently on to new concepts and ideas. The school and trust should ensure that assessment is used to inform teaching so that gaps in pupils' learning are identified and remedied.

• A small minority of older pupils do not follow routines well. This hinders their own learning and sometimes disrupts the learning of others. The school and trust should ensure that high expectations are insisted on by all staff so that all pupils behave well and are committed to their learning.