Crowmarsh Gifford Church of England School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and playing together in this school.

They take an active role in all aspects of school life and are happy in lessons and at play and lunchtimes. The school has developed outside spaces so that pupils benefit from a variety of physical activities using resources, such as sports areas and climbing apparatus. Pupils make full use of these spaces during play and lunchtimes, as well as enjoying imaginative play together.

The school sets high expectations of pupils' achievement, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and other disadvantaged pupils. Staff skilfully teach and support pupils so that these high expectati...ons are realised. Pupils make secure progress through the curriculum and achieve very well.

Pupils feel safe in this school. They trust adults to deal with any concerns they may have. Relationships between staff and pupils are highly respectful.

Pupils are polite and courteous. The school sets clear and high expectations of pupil conduct. Pupils understand how staff expect them to behave because the school explains this carefully to pupils in assemblies and in lessons.

As a result of this, pupils' behaviour is positive in lessons and around the school.

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

The school has made significant improvements to the curriculum. It is now well planned and sequenced in all subjects.

Staff are supported by leaders so that they have strong subject knowledge. The school uses a clear process for identifying pupils who may need additional support with their learning. Staff are supported by leaders to adapt their teaching so that all pupils, including those with SEND, access the full curriculum.

Staff routinely check how well pupils are learning the curriculum. They use this information to inform their teaching, which has an immediate impact on pupils' learning. In some subjects such as reading, mathematics and physical education, the curriculum is well designed and taught effectively using appropriate activity choices.

This helps pupils to generally achieve well. In a few subjects, such as science, the curriculum is relatively new, and it is not yet having the full impact on pupils' learning that leaders intend.

The teaching of early reading is a key priority.

The school has high aspirations for pupils to learn to read well and enjoy reading as soon as they join the school in early years. Leaders check carefully that pupils at the early stages of reading swiftly build fluency and confidence. They persevere when they struggle with words and routinely correct themselves when they misread words.

The school is a calm and orderly environment for pupils to learn and play in. Pupils respond quickly to instructions and show good attitudes to their learning in lessons. In early years, clear routines are established from when children start school.

The school has high expectations of regular attendance and pupils attend school well. Overall, most pupils' attendance is high. If a pupil's attendance falls below the school's high expectations, leaders work effectively with families.

As a result, for the few pupils with lower attendance, this is improving.

The school promotes personal development well. Pupils benefit from an extensive range of opportunities that inspires pupils' talents and interests.

This includes a growing range of sports clubs, a pupil council, fundraising events, writing for the local newspaper, promoting environmental issues, and a visiting rock band who work with pupils. In early years, staff skilfully adapt learning and play activities to develop children's interests when something new captures their imagination. The school ensures that the low numbers of disadvantaged pupils benefit from these experiences.

Assemblies enhance the inclusive ethos of the school. The school uses them to promote equality issues as well as celebrating key world events. In lessons, pupils learn about values and cultures and how they have changed through time periods.

Staff use debates to encourage pupils to explore important concepts to develop their understanding.

Leaders at all levels have an accurate view of the school. They have a clear vision to provide the very best education possible for its pupils and accurately identify actions to improve the school further.

For example, recently, there has been substantial improvement in curriculum development. Staff are positive about the support that leaders show for their well-being and workload and the high-quality training they provide.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the implementation of the curriculum is currently still being refined. This means that pupils do not yet develop detailed knowledge and skills across some subjects as well as they could. The school should ensure that teaching consistently supports pupils to learn the key knowledge and skills across the curriculum.