Crawley Ridge Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school motto of 'Ready, Respectful, Safe' is valued by all and underpins daily life. New leaders have reinvigorated the school by raising standards across the curriculum, improving behaviour and opening the new nursery provision.

Pupils told inspectors that they love coming to school. They say it is easy to make friends here. Pupils proudly explain their learning and how staff and pupils here are kind and look out for each other.

Parents recognise the many improvements. As one parent joked, 'The only thing my daughter doesn't like about this school is not being able to come in at half term!'

Staff know each child as an individual, nurturing warm and trus...ting relationships so that they feel safe and secure. There is hardly any inappropriate behaviour or unkindness here.

Pupils know how to be good friends to others and show genuine empathy and respect. They trust staff to resolve any worries they may have.

Teachers promote reading skills well and foster a love of learning across a wide range of subjects.

Pupils learn to work cooperatively and develop a broad range of knowledge and skills. Similarly, they benefit from an interesting selection of extra-curricular opportunities and participation in local community events.

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

Highly effective working relationships between the trust, the new leadership team and staff are underpinning improvements across the school.

A combination of factors, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, illness and staffing changes, resulted in a significant dip in pupils' achievement. However, new leaders have wasted no time in turning things around; current standards are much higher.

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils.

Staff work collaboratively across the trust and with other schools to boost their subject knowledge. Much-improved planning identifies the key concepts and skills pupils need to know and how these build upon their prior learning. This work has already improved pupils' knowledge and skills.

Teachers have embraced new approaches to improve learning for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, some of these developments are in their infancy. Consequently, in some subjects, such as art and design technology, planning needs further improvement.

Elsewhere, in subjects such as mathematics and science, refinements are needed to teaching to ensure that all pupils learn as well as they could.

Children attending the school's brand-new nursery make a very strong start to their education. The early years curriculum is well planned and sequenced.

In Nursery and Reception classes, adults expertly ask probing questions to promote curiosity and engagement. In Nursery in particular, the children benefit from a learning environment that offers a rich range of activities. These activities promote children's physical, social and emotional development well.

Similarly, high-quality activities promote mathematics and communication and language skills very effectively.

Reading is given top priority across the school. Staff have been trained well to teach phonics and assess pupils' reading.

Leaders have invested in a wide range of books which staff carefully match to pupils' phonic knowledge. Pupils who need additional help to learn to read, receive bespoke support. Teachers and pupils clearly share a love of reading.

They delight in recalling their favourite stories and characters. Over time, pupils are supported well to become fluent readers and develop a rich vocabulary. This gives them the confidence to describe and explain their ideas well.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development very well. Staff care deeply about pupils' well-being. Pupils are supported to broaden their interests through a range of sporting and other extra-curricular clubs.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is thoughtfully planned and supplemented well through assemblies, charity fundraising and community events.

Pupils' behaviour is a strength of the school. Leaders are working hard with families to improve attendance.

Pupils socialise well and play happily at breaktimes. They move around the school sensibly and are polite. Pupils really value the school's rules, rewards and routines, and so any disruption is rare.

They show respect for each other and different members of their community. Pupils develop self-confidence as learners, which equips them well for future learning and success.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school motto actively promotes all aspects of safety. Pupils feel safe here and learn how to keep themselves safe online.

Leaders ensure staff are well informed through regular training and briefings about safeguarding.

There is a culture of vigilance at Crawley Ridge and adults are alert to any signs that a pupil may be at risk. Very well-organised systems are in place to record and share any concerns that staff may have about pupils. Safeguarding leaders work proactively with external agencies when necessary to ensure pupils and families have access to any help they may need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Many of the improvements to the curriculum are new. Staff do not always adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils effectively. Leaders need to ensure that all staff receive further training so they can support all pupils to achieve well.

• Teachers' planning in some subjects, such as art and design technology, is not yet as well sequenced as it could be. This means that learning in key stage 1 does not always build on the experiences and knowledge pupils have gained in early years. Leaders should continue with their plans to refine the curriculum in these subjects so that the essential knowledge and skills develop in a more coherent sequence over time.

Also at this postcode