Crawley Ridge Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Crawley Ridge is a welcoming and inclusive school.

Pupils feel safe and happy. Pupils arrive at school every morning full of excitement and enthusiasm for the day ahead. Leaders have high expectations of pupils, who hold doors open and look after their school.

For instance, pupils plant flowers and organise regular litter picks. They are particularly proud of the 'bug village' they have created in the playground.

Pupils say that bullying is rare, but if it does happen, staff deal with incidents quickly.

Pupils learn how to look after their mental health. One pupil said, 'We don't keep our worries in, or let them grow, because worries make us sad.' Pu...pils know how to eat healthily and understand the importance of exercise.

They grow salads and vegetables in the school grounds, which they use to create tasty meals.

Pupils look forward to the after-school clubs. These include judo, choir, netball, art and dancing clubs.

Pupils are proud of their responsibilities, such as being members of the sports crew and pupil parliament. Pupils are fond of their forest school. They told inspectors that it helps them become resilient and resourceful.

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

Leaders and governors are ambitious for all staff and pupils. Leaders have designed a curriculum that is broad and balanced. It is enriched with an interesting range of trips, visits and workshops that help pupils apply their learning in real-life contexts.

For instance, pupils visit museums and places of historical significance. A French theatre company visits the school. Overall, the curriculum is well crafted and coherent.

Leaders have identified the order in which the important ideas build over time. However, in a minority of subjects, such as history and music, leaders acknowledge that the curriculum is not as well sequenced for some topics. As a result, pupils' knowledge is not secure in some aspects of these subjects.

Leaders make sure that staff are well trained so that they have strong subject knowledge. Sometimes, teachers do not sufficiently check and adapt lessons to help pupils, including those with special education and/or disabilities (SEND), learn and remember the important ideas. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they should.

One pupil said, 'Sometimes, we get confused because there are too many things to do in one go.' Teachers make sure that pupils with SEND have the resources and support they need to help them meet their behaviour and pastoral needs.

Leaders prioritise reading.

There is a strong love of reading across the school. Staff take every opportunity to share and read books in lessons. Pupils talk about the stories they read and look forward to choosing books from the well-stocked library.

Staff have the knowledge and skills to help pupils who find reading difficult to keep up. They check and spend time with pupils to help them practise and improve their reading and comprehension. In English, pupils use a wide range of vocabulary accurately and confidently to express their ideas.

There is a calm atmosphere around the school. Pupils are enthusiastic and look forward to their lessons. They share and discuss their ideas in a considerate way.

They are quick to lend others a helping hand. Pupils are kind and want to make new friends. The whole school community has given new pupils from Ukraine a warm welcome.

The personal development programme is well structured so that pupils know why it is important to show respect to others. They are confident that they have a voice in the school. Pupils take additional responsibilities, such as being a member of the pupil parliament, seriously.

This helps build a strong sense of community. Equality is taught and modelled throughout the school. Pupils know that it is unacceptable to judge someone based on their appearance, faith or gender.

They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. As one pupil said, 'We are the generation that has the responsibility to stop discrimination and inequality.'

Governors and trustees support and challenge school leaders well.

They know the school's strengths and areas for development. Leaders plan opportunities to strengthen relationships with others in the local community, for example the local infant school. Senior leaders have invested in professional development for staff, with a particular focus on improving the curriculum.

Staff feel well supported by leaders and appreciate that their workload and well-being are considered.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that staff know and understand their responsibilities for safeguarding.

Staff know how to report concerns if they are worried about a child. They are confident that leaders will respond quickly and appropriately. Safeguarding records are well kept.

Leaders work well alongside other agencies to ensure that pupils have the extra support they might need.

Pupils trust that adults in the school will keep them safe. They learn how to stay safe, including online, through the school's personal development programme.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum, in a small number of subjects, is not as well sequenced. This means that in subjects such as history and music, pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education. Leaders should continue to refine the curriculum in these subjects to ensure that they set out clearly and precisely the order in which pupils should learn the essential knowledge.

• Sometimes, teachers do not use assessment well to check and make sure that pupils embed the key knowledge in all subjects. Therefore, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not learn as well as they could. Leaders need to make sure that all teachers check and help pupils to embed the important ideas that they need to know.

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