Cronton Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thoroughly enjoy their time at this school. They are happy, enthusiastic and highly eager to learn.

The school's motto, 'Believe, Enjoy, Succeed, Together', permeates through all aspects of school life. Relationships between staff and pupils are exceptionally strong.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make excellent progress through the school's highly engaging and ambitious curriculum.

They approach their work with high levels of interest and curiosity. Pupils relish the learning challenges that teachers provide during lessons and show strong commitment and perseverance when undertaking tasks. Pupils are... exceptionally proud of their achievements.

The school has developed an extensive range of experiences that extend well beyond the academic curriculum. Such experiences help pupils to develop their confidence to an extremely high level. These range from attending the martial arts club to singing in the school choir.

Pupils also enjoy participating in an array of sporting activities, including cross-country events and multi-sports clubs. Visits and residential trips are also enjoyed by pupils, who greatly value these opportunities. For example, older pupils spoke excitedly about their forthcoming residential trip.

Pupils are extremely well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

The school has an exceptionally well-thought-out and carefully constructed curriculum. It precisely identifies the most important knowledge and when it should be taught.

With the support of the trust, the school has ensured that staff receive high-quality training that allows them to develop their expertise in a wide range of curriculum areas.

Teachers deliver lessons that inspire and motivate pupils. Activities are purposefully designed to meet the needs of learners extremely well.

Assessment information is used effectively to ensure that pupils have a secure understanding of what has been taught. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, develop a rich bank of knowledge that allows them to make connections between different subjects. They achieve extremely well.

The school has highly effective processes in place to rapidly and accurately identify any additional needs that pupils may have. Through carefully considered adaptations, the school makes sure that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND achieve very well.

Reading sits at the heart of the school's curriculum. Books are purposely chosen to bring learning to life and to improve pupils' language. From the minute children enter the early years, they are exposed to a wide range of books and authors.

This supports children to quickly begin to develop a love of reading and books. Older pupils enthusiastically told inspectors that reading helps them to widen their vocabulary and allows them to 'enter a different world'. Books in classroom book corners and library areas reflect people from different cultures and backgrounds extremely well, and they encourage pupils to read widely and often.

Phonics is delivered effectively by all staff because of the high-quality training both the school and the trust provide. Lessons are delivered confidently and consistently. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they know.

Highly effective support is quickly put in place for pupils who may need it. This helps pupils to read with fluency and strong understanding.

Children in the early years benefit from a highly nurturing environment and quickly settle into routines.

Adults effectively model the behaviours that they expect. As a result, pupils' behaviour throughout school is exemplary. Pupils are polite, courteous and extremely well behaved.

Securing high attendance is a high priority for the school. As a result of the robust systems to track attendance, the school easily identifies pupils who may need further support. The school works with families extremely successfully to break down any barriers to rapidly improve attendance rates for these pupils.

Provision for pupils' personal development is exceptional. Pupils have a deep understanding of the values of tolerance, kindness and respect. The school's international programme helps pupils understand the similarities and differences in the lives led by children in different locations around the world.

Pupils understand that the world is a diverse place and that people should be valued for who they are.

There is an array of leadership opportunities available to pupils. The 'gardeners and seedlings' programme allows older pupils to act as 'buddies' to the Reception children.

They talk to them about their learning and the books that they are reading, and they help to answer any questions or worries that they have. School and eco-councillors play a highly important part in aspects of decision-making in school. For example, they have introduced paper recycling in each class.

Pupils are proud of the roles that they have. They understand that they are developing a sense of responsibility that will support them in their future lives.

Trust leaders and governors have a clear, shared vision.

They understand their roles and responsibilities extremely well. Together, they hold the school to account for the quality of education that pupils receive and the outcomes that they achieve. The school and trust are mindful of the impact on workload of any changes that they introduce, for example the new feedback and marking policy.

This helps school staff to feel valued. Staff are very proud to work in this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.