Cranford Community College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' achievement. Pupils are settled and attentive in class.

Teachers help pupils to learn and provide support with any aspects pupils find difficult.

Pupils gain qualifications in a wide range of subjects. This helps them to be well prepared for their next stage in education and employment.

However, there are a few curriculum subjects that are not taught over a long enough period before pupils make their GCSE choices to ensure that pupils have a firm grounding in the essential subject content. Leaders are broadening curriculum coverage in these subjects.

Leaders are committed to helping pupils gain experiences a...nd develop new interests beyond their academic work.

Through the school's 'mind, body and soul' programme, pupils are involved in a variety of activities each half term. These include learning needlecraft, debating contemporary issues, swimming and learning about different languages and cultures. The school's wider-curricular activities are in the process of being relaunched following the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programme includes theatre trips, overseas travel and an award scheme to develop essential skills for life and work.

Pupils are happy and safe in school and said that there are trusted adults they can speak to about any concerns. Staff are quick to respond if there are ever any serious incidents of poor behaviour, such as bullying, so that it stops.

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

Curriculum leaders have thought carefully about how pupils will develop knowledge and skills over time. Teachers are ambitious for their pupils. They use their strong subject knowledge to enrich pupils' use of technical words and deepen pupils' understanding of complex ideas.

Teachers routinely refer back to what pupils have learned previously and provide useful hints to help them remember key facts.

In a few subjects, the content pupils learn does not match the breadth of the national curriculum. For example, beyond Year 7, pupils do not study both history and geography, which means in these subject areas, they are not able to build on what they have learned previously.

Generally, teachers check pupils' learning regularly. They use assessment information to identify and address any areas of difficulty or where pupils need to strengthen their knowledge. Leaders' expectations for routine assessment of pupils' recall of knowledge and skills were not consistently clear across all subject areas, including in the sixth form.

This leads to variation in how well teachers check for and address any gaps in pupils' learning. In these subjects, pupils do not acquire and develop knowledge as securely as they should.

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported in the classroom and the school's specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision).

Teachers and teaching assistants communicate closely so that the most effective strategies for individual pupils are identified and used consistently. They help individual pupils to learn the same content and achieve as highly as everyone else. Pupils receive extra help with reading when needed so that they catch up quickly and develop reading fluency.

All pupils benefit from having access to high-quality texts in the classroom and well-stocked school libraries.

The school has a well-established programme of curriculum enrichment opportunities for pupils. Through links with external organisations, staff help pupils to see the application of their studies to wider interests and careers.

There is a comprehensive careers education and information programme providing advice and guidance on a range of future pathways, including apprenticeships and university courses. Sixth-form students enjoy taking on leadership responsibilities, including being part of the student leadership team and organising charity events.

The personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education programmes are planned carefully for each year group and are delivered by specialist teams.

These lessons help pupils to understand themes such as healthy relationships and to identify possible risks to their well-being, including harmful sexual behaviour.

Pupils generally interact positively and respectfully in class and around the school. This helps teaching to proceed uninterrupted.

Leaders ensure that staff, including heads of year and form tutors, support pupils who find it more difficult to settle into the school's routines. They help pupils to have a positive experience of school and to focus well in class. Pupils attend school regularly.

Staff who completed the online survey felt well supported by leaders. They appreciated that leaders consider staff's workload and well-being and provide opportunities for professional development.

Leaders, including the governing body representing the trust, build strong links with parents, carers and the local community.

They are committed to providing a safe environment in which pupils' education and experiences give them a broad range of options for their future. Members of the governing body organise appropriate training for themselves to help them fulfil their roles. They are developing their knowledge and expertise in key aspects of the school's work such as the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The safeguarding team ensures that staff have up-to-date safeguarding training and recognise the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff are familiar with the school's recently enhanced reporting systems and know the correct processes to follow.

The safeguarding team works closely with outside agencies so that appropriate actions are taken if any concerns are raised. The safeguarding and pastoral teams work together to identify and review the effectiveness of support for selected pupils. Leaders have increased the number of specially trained staff to support pupils' mental health and well-being.

Leaders are committed to supporting pupils throughout the year, with staff available through the school holidays if needed.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the school's curriculum content coverage is limited. For example, pupils in Years 7 to 9 do not study content in history and geography that is matched to the breadth of the national curriculum.

This means pupils miss out on essential knowledge and understanding in Years 8 and 9. Leaders should ensure that their revised thinking provides a broad and balanced curriculum throughout key stage 3 that is fully in place by September 2022. ? In a few subjects, leaders' expectations for assessment are not clear.

Teachers do not use assessment strategies regularly or productively. This means that gaps in pupils' learning are not identified swiftly. Leaders should ensure that teachers know and understand the assessments to be used in all subjects and use these consistently.

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year's curriculum and to train staff on how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

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