Crescent Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that teachers in all year groups consistently provide the most able pupils with work to challenge their thinking, so that more attain the higher standards, especially in writing.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Leaders and governors are highly ambitious for all pupils in the school. Although most pupils enter school at a stage in their development which is often well below that typically found for their age, leaders refuse to accept low starting points as a barrier to success. Through ensuring consistently strong teaching, leaders have brought about significant improvements over time. For the past three years, pupils have made very strong and sustained progress in reading, writing and mathematics during their time in the school.
• Leaders are equally ambitious for staff. They provide well-planned training and development and actively encourage staff to challenge themselves by taking on new roles and responsibilities within the school. As a result, teachers have developed as highly skilled practitioners and leadership at all levels is very strong.
• Middle and subject leadership is highly effective. These staff reflect on and debate the way they teach, and because they have frequent opportunities to monitor their subjects, leaders have a clear overview of the provision. They coach and support colleagues with confidence and have accurate plans for the ‘next steps’ in their subject areas.
• Staff morale is high. Staff who responded to the Ofsted online survey provided unanimously positive feedback. In discussion, teachers expressed views such as ‘We feel trusted as professionals’, ‘This is an amazing team’ and ‘This is the best school for teamwork and morale I’ve ever worked in’.
• In their responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, parents and carers provided equally positive feedback. A typical comment was, ‘fantastic school, brilliantly led and great teachers’.
• The leadership of, and provision for, pupils with SEND is highly effective. Adults receive thorough training and are highly skilled in providing personalised support for these pupils. Parents and pupils are closely involved in discussing and drawing up meaningful targets, alongside staff. As a result, pupils with SEND make very strong progress from their starting points.
• Senior and middle leaders work as an effective team to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of pupils. In discussion, pupils were keen to talk in depth about the many subjects they enjoy. Evidence from pupils’ workbooks and from observing learning across a wide range of subjects confirms that the curriculum is broad, balanced and inspiring for pupils. For example, in Year 5 art, pupils prepared for the creation of a ‘skyscape’ through an animated discussion about the colours and techniques they may use and were skilfully guided by the teacher. The work in their art ‘portfolios’ provides a compelling overview of how pupils develop increasing skill and attention to detail in art as they progress through the school. In Years 5 and 6 history, pupils recalled prior learning about the Ancient Romans and Anglo-Saxons with impressive accuracy and enthusiasm. The wide range of extra-curricular activities provides effective support for pupils’ learning and personal development.
• Pupils benefit from the extensive range of extra responsibilities. These include roles such as ‘school ambassadors’, ‘office angels’, ‘playground mediators’ and peer football referees. Such opportunities prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. In discussion, and by their behaviour around school, pupils clearly demonstrate tolerance and respect. As pupils thoughtfully commented, ‘We are all equal in different ways’. They develop their understanding of diverse cultures well, for example through the regular religious education ‘theme days’. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well promoted.
• Leaders make sure that the pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils is used very effectively, to provide focused support for these pupils’ learning and social and emotional needs. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make consistently strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Leaders also ensure that the additional funding for physical education (PE) and sport is used effectively. The leader for this aspect of the school’s work coordinates the provision very skilfully. As a result, pupils receive excellent opportunities to improve their health and physical fitness through a wide range of activities, both within and beyond the school.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a very clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The support and challenge they provide is an integral part of the school’s success.
• Governors are closely involved in the life of the school, including attending social events, visiting classes, speaking with pupils and staff and joining leaders in checking the quality of pupils’ work.
• Governors ensure that the additional funding received by the school is used very effectively to support pupils and raise standards. The detailed reports they receive from leaders enable governors to fulfil their strategic role very well.
• Governors place a strong emphasis on safeguarding. Their training is thorough and up to date and the designated governors carry out regular checks on the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have made sure that all employment checks are in place, in line with statutory requirements. Safeguarding records are thorough and well maintained. All staff and governors receive regular training and updates regarding safeguarding.
• All of those with responsibility for leading safeguarding are keenly aware of any particular issues in the local community and how these may have an impact on pupils and families. This means that they can respond appropriately to any concerns about pupils’ welfare which may occur.
• The school employs an experienced family support worker who works highly effectively alongside leaders to provide support for vulnerable pupils and their families. School staff work diligently, in cooperation with local agencies, such as health, social care and the police, to provide a wide range of activities and support. This work is a key strength of the school.
• The well-coordinated, thorough and caring approach to safeguarding has resulted in a strong culture of vigilance which permeates the school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Highly effective teaching motivates and inspires pupils to achieve very well. Consequently, pupils make substantial and sustained progress across a range of subjects, including in English and mathematics.
• Teachers and support staff use their expert knowledge of pupils to match the learning activities to pupils’ abilities. This, together with teachers’ continuous and effective use of assessment and questioning, enables lessons to flow smoothly and productively.
• In response to the slight dip in progress and attainment in writing at the end of key stage 2 in 2018, leaders have implemented a new approach to the teaching of writing this year. Evidence from current work in pupils’ books, and from observing learning across the school, shows that this is having a rapid, positive impact on the quality of pupils’ writing. This is especially evident in pupils’ increasingly confident use of ambitious vocabulary. For example, older pupils enjoy using their personal ‘magpie’ notebooks to record examples of powerful vocabulary, which they can later use in their writing.
• Teachers promote reading extremely well throughout the school. There is a strong emphasis on reading for enjoyment as well as for accuracy. Consequently, pupils relish every opportunity to immerse themselves in reading, typically leading to very strong progress by the end of key stage 2. The proportions of pupils who attained the expected and higher standards in reading in 2018 were above the national averages.
• The teaching of mathematics is highly effective. Teachers successfully use a range of strategies to support pupils’ learning and progress. Pupils’ workbooks show that they present their work with pride, and persevere when work becomes tricky. Likewise, teachers continue to offer encouragement until pupils complete the activities accurately.
• The teaching of phonics is strong. Teachers and other adults, in the early years and in key stage 1, take every opportunity to reinforce pupils’ phonics knowledge, both within and beyond the daily phonics sessions. As a result, an increasing proportion of pupils reach the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1.
• Pupils also learn and progress exceptionally well across a wide range of subjects other than English and mathematics. For example, PE is popular with pupils and is taught well. Teachers make interesting links between subjects, such as art, design technology, history and geography, in order to add interest and develop pupils’ understanding and skills extremely well.
• Occasionally, in lessons, teachers do not move the most able pupils on to harder work quickly enough.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• During our discussion, pupils spoke with warmth and pride about their school, saying, for example, ‘The school is lovely because the teachers are enthusiastic and listen to our ideas.’ They praised the ‘colour challenges’ which help them to choose work which is mostly at the right level of difficulty.
• Pupils, parents and staff agree that the school is safe. The responses to the online surveys unanimously endorsed this view.
• Pupils were very clear that instances of bullying are extremely rare, and this was confirmed by checking leaders’ records. Pupils have received effective teaching about bullying and their understanding of the issues is mature and appropriate.
• The strongly positive relationships which have been established over time, between pupils and adults, and among the pupils themselves, are abundantly evident across the school. Pupils greet adults warmly, with impeccable manners, and show frequent acts of supportive kindness towards each other.
• The daily breakfast club is well attended and provides a calm and welcoming atmosphere. The pupil helpers were keen to describe the healthy food and drink choices available. The club leaders encourage those pupils who wish to do so, to use their time to complete homework. A good number of pupils were observed to be happily using the club for that purpose.
• The school’s family support worker is highly regarded by pupils, staff and parents. Her highly skilled work to support pupils and families, especially those who are more vulnerable, is a strength of the school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils show natural, cheerful courtesy to each other and to adults. Their behaviour in lessons and around school is exemplary.
• In discussion, pupils showed understanding of the school’s behaviour policy. However, reminders are rarely required as pupils respond very well to adults’ high expectations and to the interesting activities provided for them.
• Leaders and staff provide excellent support for the small number of pupils who have challenging behaviour. As a result, pupils who may be at risk of exclusion, or who have been excluded from other settings, attend regularly and thrive in lessons.
• Parents reported unanimously that their children are happy at school. Pupils attend school regularly. In 2018, for the first time, the rate of persistent absence increased to above the national average. Leaders responded swiftly, and their monthly records show that effective action has been taken to reduce the figure. The family support worker provides highly effective support to those pupils whose attendance is not as frequent as it should be.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• The progress of pupils currently in school, and over time, is consistently very strong, in reading, writing and mathematics and across a wide range of subjects.
• Pupils with SEND make very strong progress from their starting points, as a result of the highly effective support provided for them.
• Teachers have equally high expectations of disadvantaged pupils as they do for all other pupils. The additional funding is used very effectively to provide support for pupils’ academic and personal development. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make consistently strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics, compared to that of other pupils nationally.
• Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has steadily improved over time. In the past, standards at the school were consistently well below average. Under the current leadership, attainment has improved steadily so that, in 2018, standards were in line with or above the national average, apart from in writing, which dipped from 2017.
• The proportion of most-able pupils attaining at greater depth in writing, remains smaller than average. This was confirmed during the inspection by checking work in books and observing learning in lessons.
• The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 improved further in 2018.

Early years provision Outstanding

• The early years leader is passionate about ensuring that all children achieve their full potential. She and the team use their knowledge of the children and their skills in assessment to adapt the curriculum, and devise activities which equip children with the skills they need to settle quickly and make the most of their learning.
• Children enter the early years with skills and understanding well below those typical for their age. By the end of the Reception Year, the majority of children, including those who are disadvantaged, have caught up and have reached a good level of development. Although the proportion is typically below that of other schools nationally, this represents outstanding progress from children’s starting points.
• The safeguarding procedures in the early years match the effective practice seen across the school. The area is safe, and children are cared for very well.
• Both inside and outside, staff provide a wide range of stimulating activities to support children’s learning. In particular, activities are precisely and effectively targeted towards supporting children’s language, phonics and social and emotional development. Across the provision, staff take every opportunity to gently move children forward in their learning, by their use of questioning and modelling the behaviour they wish to see. As a result, children settle very quickly into routines and interact very well with each other.
• The exceptionally well-resourced and inviting outdoor area provides an invaluable stimulus for learning, for both the Nursery and Reception children. Staff skilfully adapt the focus of the outdoor activities as the year evolves, in response to the developing needs of the children.
• The early years leader and the team have established strong relationships with parents. They tailor their communications to those which parents prefer, in order to maximise parental involvement. Face-to-face communications, and the provision of ‘stay and play’ sessions, form an integral part of the effectiveness of the provision.

School details

Unique reference number 132243 Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council Inspection number 10057666 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 380 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Elton MBE Headteacher Vic Wilkinson Telephone number 01623 468558 Website www.crescentprimaryschool.com Email address head@crescent.notts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 7 February 2018

Information about this school

• Crescent Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are of White British heritage is just below the national average.
• There is a daily breakfast club which is run by the school.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 24 lessons or part lessons, some jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors looked at work across an extensive range of pupils’ books and considered the school’s assessment information on the progress and standards achieved by current pupils.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked with them about their reading.
• Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and leaders with responsibility for English, mathematics, history, science, art, design technology, the early years, and pupils with SEND. Inspectors met with those responsible for safeguarding, attendance, behaviour, bullying and exclusions, disadvantaged pupils and the PE and sport funding. They also met with other teachers and support staff.
• The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair.
• The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. The lead inspector considered the 64 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the responses to the online staff and pupils’ surveys.
• Inspectors considered a wide range of documentation, including the school’s improvement plan and self-evaluation summary, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school’s current information on pupils’ attainment and progress, attendance records, behaviour and bullying logs, external reports on the work of the school, monitoring and evaluation records, and a range of documents relating to safeguarding.

Inspection team

Christine Watkins, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Claire Buffham Ofsted Inspector Sarah Chadwick Ofsted Inspector