Husborne Crawley Lower School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Husborne Crawley Lower School. They are part of a close-knit school community, where everyone looks after each other. All pupils have a voice that is listened to.

They know that they are valued and cared for by dedicated staff.

Pupils work hard and try their best. Teachers plan interesting lessons which help pupils build securely on what they have learned before.

As a result, pupils relish developing their knowledge and skills. They are well prepared for middle school at the end of Year 4.

Pupils grow into exceptionally mature, confident and respectful young people.

They act with kindness and consideration towards each other... and build strong relationships across the year groups. Pupils are calm and focused in lessons and behave extremely well around the school. They understand what bullying is but say that it never happens.

Pupils feel safe in school.

A wide range of opportunities are provided for pupils. Interesting trips and visitors to the school complement what pupils learn.

Older pupils enjoy responsibilities such as being sports leaders and reading buddies. This helps them to develop leadership skills, contributing towards them being well prepared for the next stages of their education.

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

Leaders know their pupils well and have ambitious expectations for them.

They have developed a broad and well-designed curriculum which has been carefully adapted for the mixed-age classes in the school. In most subjects, leaders have set out the important content they want pupils to know and remember. They have identified how the early years curriculum leads into Year 1.

However, leaders recognise that some subjects are not planned with the same precision as others.

Teachers use their subject expertise to explain new ideas clearly. They check pupils' understanding carefully.

They use a range of strategies to help pupils remember what they are taught. For example, in mathematics, teachers use their observations and checks on learning to carefully adjust their teaching. In a few subjects, however, leaders know that the checks teachers make on what pupils know and remember are not as well developed.

This means that teachers are not routinely able to accurately identify gaps in pupils' knowledge.

Leaders promote a strong culture of reading across the school. The teaching of phonics is effective in supporting pupils to learn to read.

Children in early years quickly learn to blend sounds into words independently. Leaders use simple and effective checks to identify pupils who need extra help.

Curriculum content, including in early years, helps pupils build a wide, subject-specific vocabulary.

Carefully planned activities help pupils develop comprehension skills and become confident readers. As a result, pupils enjoy their reading. An early start to learning to read, high expectations and frequent repetition ensure that most pupils become fluent readers.

Leaders ensure pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), get the help they need. Teachers adapt their teaching carefully to meet these pupils' accurately identified needs. In addition, skilled adults provide effective individual and group support.

Consequently, most pupils with SEND access the same learning as their peers and achieve well.

Leaders have built a strong culture of positive behaviour. As a result, pupils show mature levels of self-control and cooperation.

They behave well in lessons and around the school. Younger pupils learn positive social skills and attitudes from older pupils, who are exemplary role models.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development exceptionally well.

The curriculum helps pupils become very confident and highly independent learners. Leaders have put in place a well-structured personal, social and health education programme. Pupils learn about life in modern Britain, healthy relationships and how to keep safe online.

Leaders use resources and staffing creatively to provide a wide range of additional activities and leadership opportunities which all pupils can access. Teachers encourage pupils to try new things and widen their horizons. This effective work helps pupils to develop their character and independence.

Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of leaders. They appreciate the school's strong and close-knit community feel. They value the way all staff help pupils develop confidence and maturity.

Staff enjoy working at the school and feel very well supported. Governors have a strong understanding of their strategic role. Leaders and governors know the areas of the curriculum that need further work.

They are committed to maintaining the high standards and nurturing ethos of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that pupils' safety and welfare are a priority for everyone.

Staff receive regular training. They are vigilant and report safeguarding concerns promptly, however slight.

Records show that leaders take prompt and effective action when issues are raised.

They work tirelessly to help the most vulnerable pupils and their families get the support they need.

Pupils learn how to stay safe online and when outside school. Pupils know they can talk to adults if they have any worries.

Leaders carry out appropriate employment checks on adults. Governors have a secure knowledge of their safeguarding responsibilities.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of subjects have not been planned to the same high standard as the rest of the curriculum.

In these subjects, the important knowledge that pupils need to learn is not as sharply identified. As a result, the depth of pupils' understanding is not to the same standard as in the rest of the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that, in all subjects, they precisely identify the important knowledge pupils need to know so pupils achieve equally well in all areas of the curriculum.

• Assessment systems for a small number of subjects are not as well developed as the rest of the curriculum. This means that teachers are not routinely able to accurately identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders should ensure that effective assessment is in place, drawing on the effective practice already in place for subjects such as mathematics.

Also at this postcode