Cromwell Community College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Cromwell Community College enjoy coming to school.

They are happy and feel part of a warm and welcoming school community. Pupils who join the school say that they are helped to settle in quickly. There are positive relationships between pupils and adults.

This leads to a calm and harmonious environment, where pupils trust each other. In the rare cases where there are disagreements, pupils have faith in adults to help them resolve issues.

Pupils know that all adults in the school want them to achieve success at the highest possible levels.

Pupils, particularly those in the sixth form, value this ambition. The majority respond by working hard... in lessons. As a result, many pupils produce high-quality work.

The majority of pupils learn well.

Most pupils behave well. They are polite and respectful to each other and adults.

The majority of lessons proceed without interruption. When learning is disrupted, it is resolved quickly and consistently. Pupils understand the expectations of how they should behave.

They equally understand the consequences if they fail to meet these expectations. Where small groups of pupils struggle to behave well, the 'bridge' resource supports these pupils to learn ways of coping, and consequently successfully be able to access the curriculum.

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

The school has designed a curriculum rooted in ambition for all pupils, including for those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Starting from the early years the curriculum identifies what pupils need to know by the end of each key stage. Learning is planned to ensure it builds on what pupils have learned before.

In the main, teachers use the curriculum planning to deliver quality learning experiences.

Secure subject knowledge along with well-considered examples to explain concepts and knowledge support pupils to achieve well. This is particularly the case in sixth form, where students benefit from this when discussing complex concepts. The result is that pupils engage with learning activities confidently and learn well.

Provision for children in the early years is strong. Their formal learning is supported by carefully crafted play activities. As a result, children learn well and are well prepared for Year 1.

However, not all learning across the school, particularly in the primary phase, is consistent. Information is, at times, presented in a way that confuses pupils. Questions do not provide assurances of how well pupils understand what has been taught.

In these cases, pupils struggle with their learning. At times they disengage and occasionally this leads to pupils disrupting others.

Reading is a high priority across all key stages.

The teaching of phonics begins immediately when children start in the early years. Teachers deliver phonics well and have a secure understanding of how pupils learn to read. Pupils in the primary phase have a deep love of reading and books.

They enjoy speaking about what they are reading. Books are matched to what pupils know. Pupils in all phases who struggle with reading receive support through bespoke interventions.

This successfully helps pupils become confident and fluent readers, which in turn supports pupils to access the rest of the curriculum.

The school has put in place a curriculum to ensure that pupils learn about a range of topics and local issues in an age-appropriate way. This includes learning about different cultures, religions and lifestyles.

Pupils learn how to be respectful and tolerant. Pupils use this learning to celebrate difference. They do not see difference as a reason to treat someone else unkindly.

Sixth-form students benefit from high-quality teaching. They are challenged to think deeply, and expectations are high. They respond to and often meet this challenge.

Students are proud to take an active part in school life. They are positive role models for younger pupils in all phases.

The careers programme is well planned.

Pupils are well prepared for their next steps. They are able to make informed choices with input from academic and technical institutions alongside local and national employers.

The school has provided a broad range of extra-curricular activities.

These cover sports, performance and other general interests. While students in the sixth form take advantage of these opportunities, the uptake by all other pupils is low, particularly for pupils with SEND. This means that pupils do not benefit from the wider experiences that may support their future success.

They miss out on the opportunity to develop existing and foster new interests and talents.

Staff feel supported. They are proud to work in the school.

Leaders work with governors to provide a high-quality education for all pupils. Governors support leaders, and equally challenge them, to ensure they hold leaders to account for the improvements being made in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are inconsistencies in how the curriculum is delivered across the phases in the school. At times, particularly in the primary phase, vital information or modelled examples are not communicated as clearly as elsewhere in the school.Questions are not focused enough to pinpoint gaps or misconceptions.

This means that pupils are not able to access learning activities as planned. This can lead to disengagement and, on occasion, low-level disruption. The school should ensure that all teachers in all phases are able to deliver the intended curriculum content with the precision and consistency expected.

• While the school has provided a broad range of wider opportunities to pupils, it has not ensured that it is responsive to pupils' interests and broader development. This means that pupils miss out on developing new talents and interests that could benefit them in the future. The school should ensure that the extra-curricular provision is engaging, attractive and inspires a wide range of pupils, including those with SEND, to take up the opportunities.

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