Crane Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Crane Park Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Crane Park Primary has high expectations for all pupils and staff.

The school's motto of 'Aspire, Believe, Achieve' is at the heart of everyone's work. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), rise to the high expectations that the school has for them. From the early years provision onwards, children are encouraged to be active learners, developing confidence and concentration.

Pupils achieve well academically. They focus in lessons and apply themselves to their work.

...There are equally high expectations of behaviour.

Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and caring. This helps to ensure that pupils are happy and feel safe. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning during lessons.

Pupils are polite and respectful towards one another, staff and visitors. They work and play together very well.

The approach to promoting the personal development of pupils is a key strength of the school.

By the time pupils reach Year 6, they have become mature, responsible individuals who are ready for the next stage of their learning. There are a range of extra-curricular activities to help pupils to explore new interests. These include various sports such as rugby, yoga and cross country.

The school ensures that pupils have equal access to what it offers.

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

The school has designed a broad and rich curriculum, including for pupils with SEND. It uses a range of specialist teaching and additional support to meet pupils' needs, including any pupils who may need extra help with their social and emotional needs.

This starts in the early years, where skilled staff support children in well-resourced and nurturing classes. Children's needs are identified early and accurately. These strengths continue throughout the school.

As a result, pupils with SEND learn the curriculum successfully alongside their classmates. Pupils acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be prepared for the next stage of their education.

Leaders have set out the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn in each year group carefully, including for those who learn in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision).

The school ensures that new knowledge builds effectively on what pupils have learned before. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. However, on occasion, the school's approaches to checking pupils' understanding are not used effectively.

At times, teaching does not routinely identify gaps in learning. This means that, sometimes, pupils' misconceptions are not picked up or addressed.

The school prioritises reading.

Pupils at the early stages of learning to read receive daily phonics teaching from expert staff. The school identifies pupils who need additional support with reading quickly, including in early years. It then provides them with appropriate help, so they learn to read fluently and confidently.

Pupils' attendance is a high priority. The school's attendance and well-being team works closely with families to address difficulties that may be causing a pupil's absence. This approach is being embedded effectively into school practice and is driving improvements in rates of attendance.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils are focused on their learning in class and are respectful towards each other. The school is effective in supporting pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour.

Pupils learn strategies that help them to concentrate and pay attention to their learning. The school develops pupils' character skilfully. Pupils have a keen understanding of what the school's values are, including integrity and respect.

They can explain how they demonstrate these values in how they behave.

The provision to support pupils' wider development is strong and high quality. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

Opportunities for leadership include pupils becoming members of the school council, digital leaders and sports leaders. Pupils learn their voice really matters, and they enjoy knowing that the school will change things they suggest. For example, the school council is proud to have been responsible for implementing the school's approach to promoting respect for and understanding of children's rights.

Pupils have a well-developed understanding of how to stay healthy and keep safe. This includes, for example, a secure awareness of how to stay safe when using social media platforms.

Leaders and governors have ensured that their decisions improve the quality of education.

Staff receive valuable training to develop professionally. They are proud to work at the school and appreciate the school's consideration of their workload and well-being. Parents are also positive about their children's experiences at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's use of formative assessment is not embedded consistently. In these cases, teaching does not identify and address pupils' misconceptions and gaps in learning as effectively as it could.

The school should ensure that assessment is used routinely and effectively so pupils' misconceptions or gaps in learning are addressed consistently.

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.

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.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2016.

How can I feedback my views?

You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, or to 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.

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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).

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