Crook Log Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Crook Log Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly, inclusive school. Staff nurture caring relationships with and between pupils right from the start of Nursery. Pupils are confident that if they have a worry, they can tell an adult who will help them.

This helps pupils to feel safe at school. Pupils behave well and are motivated to learn. Pupils achieve well across a range of subjects because staff have high expectations of them.

Pupils are very proud of their leadership roles. For example, pupil ambassadors support younger pupils in the dining hall. The well-being ambassadors lead 'well-bein...g club', which their classmates value.

These ambassadors explained that their roles are important because they are 'role models' for their peers. Such opportunities are also part of the school's aim to develop pupils' character and prepare them to be respectful 'citizens of the future'.

Leaders encourage pupils to regularly share their views.

The school provides opportunities for pupils to discuss topical issues, such as whether mobile phones should be banned in schools. These experiences help pupils to develop their own ideas and put forward their opinions respectfully.

Pupils speak positively about the wide range of clubs on offer, such as gymnastics, choir, karaoke and judo club.

These opportunities are planned to help pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests.

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

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Children start learning to read within the first few weeks of starting Reception.

This is because leaders want all pupils to read confidently and without delay. Classroom staff are well trained to teach reading. As a result, sessions are well structured and provide regular opportunities for pupils to practise previously taught sounds.

This well-planned practice helps pupils to develop reading fluency.Books are carefully matched to the sounds and letters that pupils know. Pupils are eager to read because they can decode words successfully.

If pupils struggle with their reading, staff provide help so that these pupils can keep up with their peers.

In Years 3 to 6, the school makes sure that pupils read regularly, focusing on both developing their understanding of texts and widening their vocabulary. For example, pupils in Year 6 use dictionaries to find the definition for phrases and words such as 'self-employed', 'hostile' and 'opera'.

In the early years, promoting children's language is also given clear emphasis. For instance, children identify shapes and are encouraged to use language such as 'sides', 'curved' and 'corners' when describing them.

The curriculum is well structured and logical overall.

In mathematics, for instance, teachers explain methods clearly and in small steps so that pupils have the knowledge and skills needed to successfully complete calculations. For example, Year 2 pupils solve problems involving subtraction using what they learned about place value. The curriculum for physical education is another example of how pupils are helped to confidently build on their prior learning.

For example, Year 4 pupils explain the role of 'defenders' and 'attackers' in tag rugby and practise the skills that they have learned for passing the ball accurately. However, in a few subjects, pupils struggle to recall previously learned knowledge, skills and vocabulary. This is because, sometimes, the subject content set out in curriculum thinking is not delivered in a clear way.

Therefore, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

Leaders are determined that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. There are effective processes in place to identify pupils with SEND early on during their time at school.

Training is targeted so that staff have the skills required to support pupils with SEND. For example, teaching assistants observe speech and language sessions led by external professionals so that they are better equipped to help pupils meet their individual targets. However, sometimes the learning of pupils with SEND is not checked precisely enough and this can hamper their progression through the curriculum.

Staff demonstrate the thoughtful, respectful attitudes that they expect of their pupils. Pupils behave sensibly during assemblies and in lessons. Consequently, the curriculum is taught without any interruption in calm, purposeful classrooms.

Leaders ensure that attendance is a priority here. There are a range of initiatives to promote regular attendance, such as the 'attendance bears' awarded to classes with the highest weekly attendance. Leaders take appropriate action to ensure that attendance remains high.

The wider curriculum is carefully structured. Pupils are taught about concepts such as consent in an age-appropriate manner from the early years onwards. Pupils are also taught about healthy and unhealthy relationships and know why they should not publish personal information online.

Pupils learn that families can look different and speak about difference sensitively. Most pupils in the resourced provision learn alongside their peers and access all that the school has to offer.

Pupils are given opportunities to practise democracy by voting for their classmates to be school councillors.

Pupils are taught ways to help out and look after their community. For example, pupils donate school uniform that they no longer need so that others may benefit.

Leaders and governors prioritise staff well-being.

Staff value the effective initiatives that leaders have in place to help manage workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, the understanding of some pupils with SEND is not checked precisely enough.

This reduces how well supported they are to make progress through the planned curriculum. The school should ensure that pupils' understanding is checked swiftly, and that any misconceptions addressed. ? In a few foundation subjects that are developing, teaching sometimes does not make explicit enough the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn.

This means that some pupils can struggle to recall key knowledge and skills. The school needs to make sure that the important knowledge and skills that pupils are expected to know and remember are consistently delivered with clarity.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2014.