Crossdale Primary School Ofsted Report

What is it like to attend this school?

At Crossdale Primary School, pupils learn through many rich and varied experiences. They enjoy learning outside in the school’s nature area. Older pupils work together during ‘enterprise week’ to design, create and sell a product at the school fair. There is a very wide range of trips and visits that help pupils to learn more. Teachers expect pupils to do their best. Pupils want to improve their work and are proud of what they produce. For example, they are keen to read aloud the stories that they have written. Pupils are well supported, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils feel that the work is ‘just right’. However, a few think that their work in mathematics could be more demanding. Pupils that we spoke with could not recall any bullying taking place. They can explain what they would do if it did happen. They are confident that staff would deal with it quickly. They feel that the school’s behaviour code, known as ‘The Crossdale Way’, helps them to live together well. ‘Coming to Crossdale school makes me happy’ was a typical comment from several pupils.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for pupils. Leaders and teachers know the steps that pupils need to make to be well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Pupils achieve well. Children in the Reception class enjoy listening to stories. Teachers read with expression and encourage children to predict what will happen next. They explain the meaning of words that they might not know, such as ‘blisters’ and ‘ruined’. Older pupils enjoy choosing books about topics that interest them. Children get off to a swift start in learning how to read. Teachers check which sounds they know. They help pupils to learn irregular words through ‘tricky trackers’. Most pupils become fluent readers. However, the books that some pupils at the early stages of reading have to read do not match the sounds that they know. Teachers do not consistently check that all pupils use the sounds that they know to help them to read fluently. Teachers help pupils to become confident mathematicians. They ensure that pupils practise what they are learning until they become fluent. Children in Reception count forwards and backwards in ‘magic maths’. Pupils learn different ways to record how they have worked out a problem. Teachers identify when pupils have not understood something and pupils get the chance to try again. However, sometimes, teachers do not give pupils the opportunity to deepen their understanding and build on what they know. Pupils enjoy the topics that they learn. They remember what they have learned in previous years and make connections with what they are learning now. For example, older pupils can remember what they learned about the Norman invasion of Britain. They use the ideas that they learned previously, such as ‘conquest’, when discussing the colonisation of the New World. Teachers are ambitious for pupils with SEND and make sure that they are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Staff identify where pupils with SEND need support. They work with parents and carers and other agencies to make sure that pupils get the help that they need. Teachers check that this is making a positive difference. Leaders organise activity weeks where pupils can try a range of new sports. They build on their knowledge of how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Pupils also try out new activities, such as breathing techniques and yoga. Pupils learn how to manage their feelings and use these ‘ways to well-being’ regularly. Teachers and pupils tell us that behaviour is good and disagreements are rare. Leaders make sure that rewards and sanctions are fair and that pupils understand them. Pupils learn to value teamwork and creativity during special arts weeks. Teachers recognise when pupils have persevered at a task or begun to work with greater independence. Leaders ensure that pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils meet visitors from a range of faiths and visit different places of worship. Pupils learn about the different lifestyles, both at home and in other countries, such as Tanzania. They understand how the values that they are learning about, such as democracy and fairness, underpin what they do at school. Parents comment positively about these wider opportunities. Governors fulfil their responsibilities well. They challenge leaders to maintain their high ambitions for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular safeguarding training and check that they have understood their responsibilities. Staff know what to do if they are worried about a child. Leaders act promptly to deal with any concerns. They seek additional services when needed. They check that this is making a difference. Governors make sure that the right checks are carried out before adults start to work at the school. Teachers make sure that pupils learn how to stay safe online. Pupils know that they have to be careful about the information that they share with others.

What does the school need to do to improve? (Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not made sure that phonics is consistently taught systematically. Some of the books that pupils read do not match the sounds that they know. Leaders should make sure that the school’s approach to teaching early reading is consistent so that all pupils can fluently decode text in their books using their phonics knowledge.
• Leaders have not ensured that learning in mathematics is sufficiently demanding for all pupils. Some pupils do not have opportunities to deepen their understanding. Leaders need to ensure that teachers adapt the curriculum to make sure that the work they provide is challenging and enables pupils to build on what they already know.

How can I feed back my views?

You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school, or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted.

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route.

School details

Unique reference number 143300 Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council Inspection number 10130946 Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 5 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 189 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair of trust Peter Foale Headteacher Peter Cresswell Website www.crossdaleschool.com/ Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Since the previous inspection, the school has become part of a formal collaboration with another local primary school. There is a new governing body in place across both schools. The executive headteacher is the headteacher of both schools.
• The school became an academy as part of the Equals Trust on 1 November 2016.
• Most staff, including leaders, have taken up their posts since the previous inspection of the predecessor school.

Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

• We met with the executive headteacher and the acting deputy headteacher. We met governors from the local governing board. We met with the chief executive officer of the Equals Trust and the school improvement partner.
• We conducted deep dives in reading, mathematics, writing and history. We spoke with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at the work in pupils’ books. We also heard pupils read.
• We met with parents on the playground at the beginning of the day. We considered the 64 responses and views expressed on Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey.
• We considered a range of documents relating to safeguarding. We spoke with staff, parents and pupils.

Inspection team

Hazel Henson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Liz Moore Ofsted Inspector