Croscombe Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is recovering from a challenging time. While there is now a clear vision in place for the school, there is still a long way to go.

Expectations have not been high, so pupils do not receive a good quality of education. The new leadership team has made a positive start by introducing an improved curriculum. However, it is not yet securely in place.

Pupils attend well. They are polite and welcoming to visitors. Beyond the classroom, pupils socialise happily.

They know that an adult will help them if they have any worries. However, not all pupils behave well in lessons, which disrupts the learning of others.

Pupils take pride in the responsibi...lities they hold.

These include being house captains. Through such leadership positions, pupils become self-assured and independent. They are confident to express their opinions.

They recognise that it is important to listen to the views of others.

Pupils participate in community events, such as the local harvest festival. As a result, they build a sense of citizenship.

Pupils make visits to places of interest. However, opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests are limited.

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

Overall, the new and strengthened curriculum sets out the important knowledge and skills that pupils need.

However, in many subjects, the implementation of the curriculum is only just underway. Staff do not have the necessary expertise to teach the curriculum effectively or check how successfully pupils have learned it. This means that pupils have gaps in their knowledge that hamper their future learning.

For example, in mathematics, older pupils do not remember the calculation methods that would help them to solve more complex problems.

Children in Reception enjoy listening to stories and joining in with rhymes. This supports them to develop their language skills.

Staff know children well and support them to become independent. Although some high-quality provision is in place, the curriculum is not purposefully planned in a way that supports children to deepen their understanding.

Children learn to read as soon as they start school.

Books match the sounds they know. However, not all staff have the expertise to support pupils to learn to read fluently. Consequently, pupils do not build the knowledge and skills they need to read with understanding and confidence as they progress through the school.

There are clear systems in place for identifying the individual needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The support planned for pupils is precise and targeted.

Recent changes to the behaviour policy mean that it is now linked to the school's ethos.'

Shine' values, such as honesty and equity, are celebrated. Pupils conduct themselves around the school in a calm and orderly manner. In classrooms, a 'traffic light' system supports pupils to understand how to behave appropriately.

However, this is not yet secure, so low-level disruption sometimes interrupts learning. There is work to do to ensure that behaviour expectations are understood by pupils and are consistently applied by all staff.

The school has not ensured that the curriculum to support pupils' personal development is taught as intended by all staff.

Therefore, pupils have gaps in their knowledge of issues relevant to their wider understanding of the world. For example, pupils have a limited understanding of democracy and the rule of law.

Pupils know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy.

They appreciate periods of reflection that help them to feel calm and gather their thoughts. Pupils take pride in representing their school in sporting activities, such as cross-country. The school is working to provide a greater number of opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and passions.

The school and the local governing committee have accurately identified what needs to improve. Their actions have begun to have some positive impact on pupils' experiences at the school, but this is at an early stage.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not ensured that all staff have the expertise to teach the curriculum effectively. Consequently, pupils are not well supported to develop their subject knowledge. The school needs to ensure that all staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to teach the curriculum and check how well pupils have learned it.

• Staff do not apply the agreed behaviour policy consistently. Therefore, a minority of pupils demonstrate disruptive behaviour, which disrupts the learning of others. The school should ensure that all pupils understand the expectations of behaviour and that all staff insist on these.

• The curriculum to support pupils' personal development is not taught as intended. Therefore, pupils have gaps in their knowledge of issues important to their wider understanding of the world. The school should ensure that all pupils learn about the things that will prepare them well for life beyond school.