Cringle Brook Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Increase the proportion of pupils who are working at greater depth across all subjects by embedding the recently introduced strategies to improve their outcomes.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Leaders have established a culture and ethos which is focused on providing pupils with nothing but the best. From challenging, often harrowing, backgrounds pupils move through the school and realise that their motto ‘dream it, achieve it’ is a lived reality.
• Leadership is confident and assured. The executive headteacher brings with her a proven track record of outstanding leadership and the head of school is a source of unity and inspiration to staff, pupils and parents.
• Leaders, including governors, rigorously check the school’s provision and they have an extremely good understanding of each aspect. Everything is monitored closely, evaluated and improved to ensure that it is of the highest quality. Leaders’ forensic knowledge of every pupil informs their decisions and motivates their actions. As a parent told the inspector, ‘We are lucky to have this school. Every child and family is valued.’
• Teachers feel valued too. They speak of the exceptional support of leaders and the quality of training they receive from the trust. The impact of this support is evident in the classrooms. At the same time, staff told the inspector that they do feel held to account but welcome this as they know that the pupils come first.
• Leaders regularly review the skills and impact of staff. Their many strengths are built upon and any areas that could be improved are addressed with high-quality professional development. Staff are given opportunities to work with colleagues from across the trust and share the excellent practice that exists. This applies to all staff and not just teachers.
• Teachers who are new to the profession speak effusively of the support and training the trust and the school provides. They are honing their skills all the time and are surrounded by the best of examples.
• The curriculum is developed in such a way that pupils’ personal growth and learning broadens and deepens all the time. The curriculum is brought to life and based on real situations. Pupils first experience what they are studying and then go on to learn all about it. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities and all pupils’ horizons are broadened through visits, for example, to a farm, hearing a live orchestra and going to a restaurant.
• Leaders use the additional funding for pupil premium and sports to great effect. Disadvantaged pupils invariably outperform other pupils nationally and the physical development and sporting opportunities for pupils are varied.
• The social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of pupils is not left to chance. It is carefully and cleverly built into the curriculum and the extra-curricular opportunities. This helps pupils develop personal qualities which are essential in a civilised and democratic society. Pupils are taught to value their achievements, have the skills to deal with the challenges of life, and to embody values that contribute to the building up of a better society.

Governance of the school

• Governors exercise their duties and responsibilities with diligence and exactitude. The questions they ask leaders are pertinent and the challenge they provide is focused. The breadth of skill and expertise among the governors means no stone is left unturned.
• The relationship with the trust is transparent. Everyone understands their roles and there is an exceptional and uncompromising clarity of direction. Shortcomings are rapidly noticed and effective action is taken.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that staff receive appropriate training and understand how to keep children safe. The recruitment and induction processes are rigorous and staff are particularly knowledgeable of, and vigilant to, aspects of safeguarding that may be specific to their community. Staff are alert and attentive to always providing a safe and secure environment for pupils. The records that leaders keep are thorough. The school worked very well with parents and stakeholders to ensure that pupils are safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teaching engages and enthuses pupils exceptionally well. Teachers are passionate about securing the best learning for the pupils in their classes and plan and teach lessons that meet their needs.
• The teaching of the many pupils who are new to English is superb. The strategies employed to ensure the rapid and sustained acquisition of English are meticulously planned and executed. Consequently, pupils secure solid foundations to their learning of English and acquire grammatical security which greatly enhances their reading and writing skills.
• Pupils are taught the basic skills and are confident in applying these across a range of subjects. For example, the quality of writing seen in literacy books is sustained across pupils’ topic books. Similarly, pupils have opportunities to read widely as they are provided with a broad range of books, texts and resources relevant to the topic they are studying at any particular time. The skills that pupils acquire in their early years of education are built upon as they move through the school.
• Teaching assistants are deployed exceptionally well and are a key strength of the school. They are unobtrusive in the classroom but their impact is notable. Consequently, pupils’ learning is personalised and specifically meets their needs.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive excellent support. The provision is multi-faceted and involves teachers, parents, pupils and external agencies to ensure that pupils receive all the support they need so as to access the curriculum and achieve well. Leaders are successful in ensuring that this happens.
• Close communication with home means that effective support is provided for pupils to catch up where they may have fallen behind or to fill gaps and make up lost ground in their learning.
• Teachers’ assessments are accurate and are regularly moderated with teachers from across the trust. Teachers are quick to adapt provision for different groups and recent analyses resulted in leaders raising standards and improving the achievement of boys.
• Teachers track the progress of individual pupils meticulously, intervening where necessary, reflecting their commitment to equality of opportunity.
• Leaders are aware that occasionally teaching does not provide the challenges needed to stretch pupils and this may reduce opportunities for pupils to work at greater depth. Recent actions to address this have begun to make a positive difference.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils are confident and bubbly. As soon as they set foot in the school, pupils are enveloped in a culture of care and nurture. The excitement of the pupils is palpable and they love to share what they are learning with visitors. This confidence does not come naturally to many of them and is a consequence of leaders’ actions to develop the personal and social skills of the pupils.
• Pupils are given time and opportunities to think, reflect and talk about who they are and who others are. Pupils demonstrate an edifying respect and tolerance of each other and their differing views. A pupil told the inspector, ‘It is very important to have lots of different faiths and languages. If we didn’t, the world would be very boring.’
• Pupils know who they can talk to if they are concerned or distressed. They feel safe and are kept safe. Leaders give the pupils a firm grounding through personal, social and health education. Staff’s awareness and understanding of extremism and radicalisation is comprehensive.
• Leaders ensure that pupils lead healthy lives in school. Every pupil is provided with a nutritious meal and they take plenty of exercise. The sports coaches, funded through the sports premium, have had a significant impact in developing the skills of pupils and teachers alike through an array of physical opportunities.
• Pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is rooted in the daily experiences planned for them. The pupils are taught that though small in this world, the difference they can make is great.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding and their manners are flawless.
• Pupils know that schools are for learning and they behave in a way that allows everyone to learn without disruption.
• There have been no recorded incidents of bullying to date. Pupils who spoke to the inspector told him that they do not think bullying happens but are certain that it would be dealt with quickly. Parents and staff support this view. The anti-bullying policy is unambiguous and there is a common understanding that bullying would not be tolerated.
• Attendance has been below the national average but is now close to it and continues to improve. The absence of a few pupils is affected by serious and unavoidable circumstances but hides the eagerness and frequency with which most come to school.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• From well below average starting points, pupils at this school make rapid progress and very quickly attain the expected standards that are similar to the national averages in all subjects.
• Pupils who are disadvantaged attain more highly than other pupils nationally. This is because the additional funding the school receives for them is spent on interventions and support that accurately matches their needs.
• Excellent use is made of the special educational needs funding. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well supported and their learning is secure. The progress made by these pupils, both academically and pastorally, is excellent. As a parent told the inspector, ‘This school never fails to surprise us in what they do for our children.’
• A sizeable number of pupils who join the school are new to English and/or recent arrivals in the country. The achievement of these pupils is rapid and substantial, a testimony to the impact of the driven and successful leader and intervention teacher with responsibility for these pupils.
• The proportion of pupils who met the expected standard in the national Year 1 phonics check is close to the national average. The skills they are taught are enhanced and developed as they move through the school and are the bedrock for all the teaching of reading.
• Reading is promoted at every opportunity. Texts are always chosen as the crux and stimulus for the curriculum and the varied topics that pupils study. Pupils who read to the inspector did so with enthusiasm and interest in their books. Leaders have carefully chosen books and topics to capture pupils’ interest, especially that of boys, but without being stereotypical.
• Pupils are not reaching standards at greater depth, especially in reading and writing. The school’s own assessment information shows this is likely to be the case again for the current Year 2. Nonetheless, leaders’ actions to tackle this have already begun to have an impact.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Leadership of the early years is based on a wealth of professional knowledge and experience. No activity happens without clear sight of how it will develop the children and their learning. As a result, the children are enthralled and engaged, and consequently achieve very well.
• Children are stimulated by a wide range of activities and opportunities to develop their skills. Teachers and other adults plan their lessons with children’s interests and needs at the forefront of their minds. There is an excellent balance between adult-led activities and the activities that the children choose for themselves.
• Children join the school in Reception with skills and attributes well below those typically found for their age. A significant number of children have had no experience of pre-school education prior to joining and many are new to English. The gains that children make in a short period of time are impressive. By the time they leave the Reception Year, the proportion who reach good levels of development is above the national average and the children are ready and eager for the experience of Year 1.
• Children who are disadvantaged work beyond the goals they are expected to achieve. The school provides a wealth of activities to meet the needs of children, including those who may find it harder to learn.
• Children in the early years happily follow class routines and behave exceptionally well. They have a secure understanding of right and wrong and behave in a manner beyond their years.
• All of the statutory welfare requirements are met and the school’s safeguarding practices and procedures are strictly adhered to. Leaders provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment which allows the children to thrive.
• Assessment procedures are extensive and provide teachers and adults with a forensic knowledge of each child’s learning and development. Parents are actively involved in this ongoing process and value the support and encouragement they receive from leaders and teachers.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140692 Manchester 10022803 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy free school 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 120 Appropriate authority Chair Academy trust Ariana Yakas Executive Headteacher Lisa Vyas Telephone number 0161 248 1730 Website Email address www.cringlebrook.manchester.sch.uk admin@cringlebrook.manchester.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Cringle Brook opened as a free school in 2014. It is the third school in the Kingsway Community multi-academy trust. The other two primary schools were recently judged outstanding by Ofsted.
• Since the school opened, pupils have only completed the first three years of their education. Children join the school in Reception.
• The vast majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and most of them do not speak English as their first language. A significant number of pupils are new to speaking English when they join the school.
• The percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is higher than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is higher than the national average and the proportion who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is similar to the national figure.
• The number of pupils who join and leave the school throughout the year has been high but has reduced in the past two terms.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.

Information about this inspection

• Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, head of school and members of staff. The inspector met with members of the governing body and trustees. He scrutinised a variety of documentation including the school’s own self-evaluation and development plan; anonymised performance management documents; school policies and procedures and the school’s own assessment information. A range of documents regarding safeguarding was scrutinised, including behaviour and attendance records.
• The inspector observed a range of lessons and classes with senior leaders and spoke with pupils and looked at their work. He also spoke with pupils about their experience of school and their learning and observed their interaction at various points throughout the two days.
• The inspector considered 18 responses to Parent View, 13 responses to ‘free text’, the views of 15 parents who asked to speak to the inspector directly and the 15 staff responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire. The inspector also considered the views of one parent who contacted Ofsted directly.

Inspection team

Jonathan Jones, lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector