Crawford’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Crawford's are very happy. Pupils have positive relationships with adults in the school. During lessons, pupils know that they are expected to behave well and work hard.

Pupils do this well. Pupils enjoy their learning. This helps them to develop a good knowledge of what they have learned.

Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their class stories. They recite rhymes from classic A A Milne texts with confidence.

Pupils have access to an exceptionally wide variety of resources to encourage play and exploration.

Pupils build dens, role play shops, create 'potions', and climb crates and trees. They create huge, collaborative artworks and make minib...east habitats. Pupils work with others and develop their play over several days.

They are aware of risk and consider what they must do to minimise this. Pupils look out for each other and make sure that everyone is included.

Pupils across the school are benefiting from the improved reading and mathematics curriculum.

All pupils can access the planned learning because teachers make sure that those pupils who need it have additional support.

Bullying and unkind behaviour are rare. Pupils are clear that when this does happen, staff sort it out quickly.

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

Leaders have made sure that there is a good-quality curriculum in place. Most subjects have highly detailed plans that help teachers to know what specific vocabulary and key concepts should be covered. Leaders intend to further develop the very few subjects that do not have as much detail.

Leaders lengthened the school day to ensure that enough time is available for both the academic learning and extended play.

Staff are skilled at teaching early reading. They support pupils to learn and read the sounds in words.

Any pupils at risk of falling behind get the help that they need to catch up. The books that pupils take home are well matched to the sounds that they know. This helps pupils to read accurately and with understanding.

Older pupils like reading and can name a wide range of favourite authors.

In most classes, pupils ably plan out ideas and produce high-quality writing. Children in early years enjoy writing and include this in their play.

In a minority of year groups, pupils do not have enough opportunities for practising and using their writing knowledge across the curriculum. The way in which handwriting is taught varies. Some pupils do not produce as high-quality work in other subjects as in their English lessons.

During lessons, teachers check what pupils know and understand. Teachers adapt lessons well for pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers are trained to develop their practice further, for example in how to support pupils to use practical resources in mathematics.

Teachers adapt their teaching so that pupils with SEND learn successfully.

The school's core values, known as 'cogs', are woven throughout the curriculum. Leaders and staff refer to these regularly in lessons and assemblies.

Pupils know these values and demonstrate them through their good behaviour. Leaders ensure that pupils learn about diversity and life beyond the local area.

Leaders have chosen to introduce extended play and outdoor learning for all pupils.

This has been done to promote pupils' confidence, collaboration and discussion skills. Assemblies encourage pupils to think about new play ideas and understand how to safely approach risk. However, the overall planning for play and outdoor learning does not lay out clearly enough how skills and knowledge in these sessions will develop over time.

Staff are supported well by the leadership team. Teachers work closely with the trust to improve the curriculum. For example, teachers have recently received guidance to strengthen the reading and mathematics curriculum.

Subject leaders know their subjects well and support colleagues in the delivery of these. Leaders closely track reading, writing and mathematics, putting in extra sessions where needed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained and regularly updated so that they can confidently identify any risks to pupils. Leaders' record-keeping is detailed and routinely reviewed to spot any patterns of concern.

Staff have a positive working relationship with families, making sure that pupils get any help they need.

Pupils are taught to stay safe. They are clear about what they would do if they encountered problems when playing games online. They are highly aware of how to keep themselves physically safe while playing.

Leaders fulfil their statutory responsibilities well. They carry out required pre-employment checks thoroughly and record these accurately.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, and for outdoor learning, leaders' curriculum planning and thinking are not detailed.

Leaders have not clearly identified the important knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn and build on from year to year. This hinders pupils' progress. Leaders should ensure that their curriculum plans identify important knowledge and skills and order these in a way that enables pupils to make strong progress in all areas of the curriculum.

• There are inconsistencies in the way in which writing and handwriting are taught across the school. A minority of pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise and use their writing knowledge in subjects other than English. Some pupils develop poor pencil grip and letter formation.

This is not picked up by teachers. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils have enough opportunities to write and that the chosen ways of teaching writing and handwriting are taught effectively in all year groups. Leaders need to ensure that the quality of pupils' written work is of a high standard in all subjects.