Cranford CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Cranford CofE Primary School is a welcoming and friendly school that is at the heart of its community.

The school's caring community helps pupils settle quickly when they join the school.The school has high expectations for all pupils. Teachers know the pupils well.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the extra support they need in an inclusive and sensitive way.

Pupils know the school's rules and expectations. Typically, they behave responsibly.

Pupils demonstrate their understanding of the 'Cranford Way', which reflects the school's values of respect, happiness, courage, honesty, thoughtfulness and forgiveness. ...Pupils have a good sense of fairness and believe that people should be treated equally. If bullying happens, pupils trust staff will address it.

Pupils know that staff will help them if they have any concerns, and they value the 'worry monsters' they have in classrooms to share any worries that they have.

Leaders have forged strong partnerships with parents and carers and families, who are overwhelmingly positive about this school. The principal and staff are highly respected by parents, carers and pupils.

One comment, typically of many from parents, was: 'This is a wonderful little school that brings so much to the children, their families and the wider community.'

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

The school has a well-organised, carefully sequenced curriculum that develops pupils' knowledge and expertise across a broad range of subjects. The school has carefully mapped out the key knowledge that pupils will learn.

In a few of the foundation subjects, changes to the curriculum are recent and need time to embed. In these subjects, pupils do not yet develop the same depth of knowledge as they do in others. Teachers present the learning clearly.

They reinforce key vocabulary, so that pupils develop the language they need to succeed. The school's systems for checking how well the curriculum is being delivered are effective.

Children flourish in the early years.

The school has identified precisely what children will learn and in what order. Skilled staff support children to understand and remember their learning over time. Staff deliberately choose activities to develop children's knowledge and skills across all areas of learning.

The school has clear systems and processes in place for identifying pupils with SEND. Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND benefit from following the same curriculum as their peers. Staff work in strong collaboration with parents to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve well.

The school has a strong reading culture. Reading is woven through the school, with careful consideration given to how to build opportunities to read into all subjects.Pupils at this school love to read and read often.

Children learn the sounds that they need to read from the beginning of the Reception Year. Children in the Reception Year read books that are closely matched to their ability. This helps them to become fluent readers.

Children relish learning through story, song and rhyme in the early years.

The school fosters a strong sense of belonging among pupils. Pupils enjoy coming to school and learning with their friends.

The vast majority of pupils behave well, both socially and in lessons. They respect each other's right to learn. Staff provide effective support for pupils who need extra help to focus and regulate their behaviour.

Children in Reception show exemplary levels of concentration and independence. Interactions between staff and children are of a consistently high quality, which means children develop strong language and communication skills. This prepares children exceptionally well for their learning in Year 1.

The school offers a broad range of extra-curricular activities. These provide pupils with opportunities to explore and nurture their individual talents and interests. Pupils value and make good use of these.

They speak with pride about their recent choral performance at the Young Voices Concert at the Birmingham Arena.

Pupils have a clear understanding of fundamental British values and are well prepared for life in modern Britain. There is a wide variety of opportunities for pupils to take on positions of responsibility, for example 'book squad', collective worship ambassadors, school councillors and running clubs such as the '144 maths club'.

Pupils in Year 6 run the 'reflection cabin' safe space for other pupils during breaks.

The school prioritises pupils' well-being. Pupils learn how to be healthy in mind and body, as well as how to stay safe online.

Pupils speak positively about the support they can access from the school's emotional literacy support assistants.

Trustees and governors work extremely well together. There is a clear vision for the school, which all leaders understand and are eager to drive forward.

Trust leaders have been crucial in ensuring that the school maintained high standards of education during some changes in leadership. The trust is refining some systems to ensure that oversight on a local level is always purposeful and supports the school's improvement priorities.

Staff in this school, including those in the early stages of their career, feel very well supported.

Leaders are very considerate of their workload and support their well-being effectively. Staff are happy and proud to work in this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are some minor issues with some safeguarding records. A small number of records are not clear enough about the actions that leaders have taken to keep children safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few of the wider curriculum subjects, changes to the curriculum are recent and need time to embed.

In these subjects, pupils do not yet develop the same depth of knowledge as they do in others. The school needs to continue to develop the curriculum so that pupils have the same depth of knowledge across all subjects. ? There are some minor issues with some safeguarding records.

A small number of records are not clear enough about the actions that leaders have taken to keep children safe. This makes it harder for the school to check that the right course of action has been followed or identify patterns or trends with safeguarding issues. The school must ensure that all safeguarding records contain details that enable staff to have a clear overview of actions taken.