Chilwell Croft Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the early years provision by:
  • stabilising the staffing and the leadership of the provision
  • improving the accuracy of the assessment of children’s starting points and progress
  • developing the learning environment in both the indoor and outdoor areas.
• Continue to reduce the variations in the quality of teaching through staff professional development and sharing of effective practice.
• Further strengthen the leadership capacity by: ensuring that the new senior leaders are fully settled in their roles so that they lead the school with greater autonomy continuing to develop the role of the new middle leaders.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Trustees and leaders have shown a great deal of determination and resilience to improve standards. In spite of a number of staffing issues, they have been successful in establishing a culture that has led to improved outcomes for pupils.
• The multi-academy trust’s actions to improve standards have benefited Chilwell Croft Academy at a time when the school had to appoint a large number of new teachers and leaders. Newly appointed teachers, included those who are newly qualified, receive effective support from the trust’s teaching and learning leader. New senior leaders are well supported by the trust’s executive headteacher.
• Leaders monitor the quality of teaching and learning and provide teachers with effective support and training to improve their practice. Leaders track pupils’ progress and analyse the performance of each group of pupils. Teachers are accountable for the progress of their pupils. They provide senior leaders with regular reports on the progress of their classes.
• Leaders ensure that pupils’ assessments are moderated both internally and externally so that the information on progress that they gather is accurate.
• The school has a comprehensive programme of professional development to support members of staff. Teachers and support staff welcome both the opportunities to develop their practice and the high-quality professional support that the trust provides to them.
• Leaders pay particular attention to the content of the curriculum. They make sure that it broadens pupils’ horizons and fosters a love of learning. In addition to core subjects, pupils study a wide range of subjects through topics. Topics cover many areas, including art, geography, history, religious education and computing. Pupils also have music lessons, and follow a personal, social, health and economic education programme which helps them with their well-being and prepares them well for their future life.
• Trips, visits and themed days enrich the curriculum and make learning enjoyable. Pupils are very positive about the opportunities they have to visit Birmingham’s Thinktank museum, participate in the activities of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, take part in science week or enjoy outdoors activities during the school’s annual residential stay.
• Leaders have a strong focus on ensuring that the pupil premium funding has a positive impact on the academic and personal development of disadvantaged pupils. The school’s pupil premium’s strategy is effective in providing the pupils it supports with opportunities to thrive.
• Funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is having a positive impact, because there are effective plans in place to support those pupils. Judicious deployment of staff and use of external agencies allow pupils to access the curriculum and make progress in line with their peers.
• Sport is an important feature of school life. Leaders make effective use of the primary physical education (PE) and sport premium to continue to develop the teaching of PE and widen pupils’ participation in a range of sports. The successes of the school’s teams in inter-schools competitions contribute to the popularity of sport in the school.
• Trustees and the multi-academy trust’s executive headteacher provide effective support to the school’s new senior leaders. All senior leaders in the school, including the headteacher, have been in post for only a term or less. As a result, they are currently in the process of establishing their leadership and are still reliant on the support of the trust.
• Subject leaders, most of whom have been recently appointed to their roles, are an emerging strength of the school. However, they still have to develop as a team to continue to improve the delivery of the curriculum and to have a sustained positive impact on outcomes for pupils.

Governance of the school

• The board of trustees provides very effective governance to the school. Trustees know the school very well, are highly committed and bring a range of expertise to their roles. They make sure that the structures of the trust facilitate school-to-school support and that multi-academy trust arrangements fully benefit pupils at Chilwell Croft Academy.
• Trustees are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are unswerving in their determination to improve standards. They use the information gathered from leaders’ reports, and their visits to the school, to ask searching questions and challenge leaders.
• Trustees are clear about their duties and meet frequently to monitor all aspects of the school improvement agenda. They monitor the financial management of the school and make sure that additional funding is used appropriately. They provide support and challenge in equal measure to ensure that the school is well led and managed.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school has a thorough approach to safeguarding. Policies are fit for purpose and records show that all statutory requirements are fulfilled. Staff training is up to date and all members of staff are aware of their duty of care.
• Staff are confident to identify pupils who are vulnerable or at risk and to refer them to leaders through the appropriate channels. Designated safeguarding leaders intervene swiftly when required and work well with families and external agencies to support pupils.
• Pupils are taught about safety and encouraged to keep safe in a range of situations, including when they use the internet or social media.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching is improving steadily because of trustees’ and leaders’ actions to establish a culture of high expectations. There is a clear sense of purpose in lessons. Relationships between teachers and pupils are positive and time in lessons is used productively. As a result, pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn.
• There is a concerted effort across the school to make learning interesting and engaging for pupils. In lessons and in books, there is ample evidence of strategies to provide opportunities for pupils to progress in a way they find enjoyable. For example, pupils respond well to the many opportunities they have to do practical activities and to collaborate with each other.
• Teachers encourage pupils to develop their ability to learn independently, especially through reading. Pupils are expected to read at home every day, and the majority respond well to teachers’ encouragement to read widely and often. In order to support the development of reading, the school has acquired new books that match what pupils say they are interested in.
• Teachers assess the progress of pupils regularly and report on this progress every half term to leaders. Assessments are moderated internally and externally, with colleagues from other local primary schools, to ensure that the record of progress that teachers have is accurate and in line with other schools’ practices.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to provide support for pupils who need help with their learning. This support is particularly beneficial to pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Pupils who speak English as an additional language who are not yet fluent receive effective support that allows them to keep up with learning activities in lessons.
• The multi-academy trust provides professional training to all members of staff. Teachers and teaching assistants have access to a wide range of professional development opportunities which are well matched to their needs. The trust also provides targeted support, when required, with the planning and delivery of lessons to ensure a sustained quality of teaching. However, mostly due to the recent large turnover of staff, there are still variations in the quality of teaching.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school fosters positive attitudes through its system of rewards that recognise and celebrate achievement. The ‘Chilwell star’, attendance awards, sports awards and house points are popular with pupils and contribute to improve their confidence and self-esteem.
• Pupils are clear about what constitutes bullying and why it should be tackled. They acknowledge the school’s efforts to create a cohesive environment. ‘We learn how to play nicely together’ is a pupil’s comment that reflects accurately the way in which the school promotes community cohesion.
• Pupils take pride in their work and are proud of their school. They respond well to the school’s promotion of British values and messages of tolerance and respect for each other’s beliefs.
• The very popular breakfast club provides a positive start to the day and contributes greatly to pupils’ positive attitudes to school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• One of the key successes of the school since it joined the multi-academy trust has been to improve behaviour. Pupils have a clear understanding of the school’s rules and respond well to rewards, while acknowledging that sanctions are fair. As a result, the vast majority of pupils behave well in lessons and around the school.
• Pupils show respect to adults and to each other. On the rare occasions when pupils are being reprimanded by staff, they respond positively and improve their behaviour.
• The school has effective strategies in place to improve attendance. Rewards for attendance and a rigorous following up of attendance and punctuality issues are having a significant impact. As a result, the number of persistent absences is reducing and attendance is improving for all groups of pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Historically, outcomes were an issue, especially at key stage 2. The improvement in the quality of teaching and the rigorous tracking of pupils’ progress that the trust has introduced have had a significant impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. In 2018, outcomes showed a marked improvement, especially in reading and mathematics at key stage 2.
• The 2018 improvements in outcomes have been sustained by the school. The school’s assessment records show that current cohorts at both key stages 1 and 2 are making good progress from their starting points. This trend is clearly reflected in the quality of work in pupils’ books.
• The inclusive ethos of the school is reflected in the effectiveness of the support it provides for all pupils to be successful. Disadvantaged pupils, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and pupils who speak English as an additional language are making progress which is at least in line with that of other pupils.
• The area in which the school was less successful in 2018 was the attainment of the most able pupils. Far fewer pupils than nationally attained the greater-depth standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders and teachers now have a greater focus on the progress of the most able pupils, and there is evidence in books that their approach is having a positive impact.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• While the recent large turnover of staff has not affected improvements in standards in the rest of the school, it is more of an issue in the early years. The proportion of children who achieved a good level of development declined in 2018, and current issues with staffing prevent immediate improvement of outcomes.
• The quality of the early years provision has declined since the previous inspection, because the two Reception classes’ teachers, including the one who was leading the provision, have left recently and have not been replaced by permanent staff yet.
• The school has plans to appoint permanent teachers and a new early years leader by the summer term. However, currently children are taught by supply teachers and the headteacher oversees the provision. As a result, while teaching is adequate and checks are made on the children’s progress, the previous good standards of the provision are not currently sustained.
• The assessment information that the school has gathered since the start of the academic year shows that children are making progress from their starting points. However, there are issues with the rigour and accuracy of the initial baseline assessments of children’s abilities and skills. The headteacher intends to have these assessments externally moderated to secure a more accurate tracking of progress.
• The quality of teaching is adequate. Phonics is taught well and children are supported to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. However, the learning environment in both indoors and outdoors areas is not sufficiently conducive to encourage children to develop their independence and curiosity. As a result, the opportunities for children to develop their skills and knowledge through independent activities are relatively limited.
• Children are settled, well-behaved and keen to learn. They relate well to adults and collaborate well with each other. Teachers and teaching assistants work well together and provide support to children who experience difficulties. Teaching is well organised and pupils are grouped by abilities for adult-led activities, such as phonics and number work. Additional funding is used effectively to provide support for disadvantaged children. Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported.
• Communication with parents is effective. Children are well looked after because staff are caring and vigilant. Safeguarding in the early years provision is effective.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 138395 Birmingham 10058480 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 special sponsor-led 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 397 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Alex Lofthouse Julie Berrow 0121 4643402 www.chilwellcroftacademy.com jberrow@chilwellcroftacademy.com Date of previous inspection 4–5 October 2016

Information about this school

• Chilwell Croft is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• Chilwell Croft became an academy sponsored by Aston Manor Academy in September 2012.
• The trust board encompasses Aston Manor Academy and Chilwell Croft Academy as part of Equitas Academies Trust. The trust board took over the governance of both academies in January 2014.
• An executive headteacher oversees the work of both academies.
• The school’s senior leadership team includes a headteacher, deputy headteacher and an assistant headteacher, who took up their respective posts in September, November and December 2018.
• The early years comprises two Reception classes for children who attend full time.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above average.
• The pupils come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. More than half of the pupils speak English as an additional language, which is well above average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to the national average.
• A breakfast club runs every day and is managed by the school.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 22 lessons, including some observed jointly with the headteacher or senior leaders.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read, talked to them informally throughout the inspection and looked at their work in books.
• Inspectors took account of the 10 responses and free-text comments on Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and talked to parents at the start and end of the school day.
• Inspectors considered the views of 31 staff who completed the staff questionnaire.
• Meetings were held with a group of pupils, the executive headteacher, the chair and two members of the board of trustees, the school’s senior and middle leaders, a group of teachers, the trust’s teaching and learning lead, and the special educational needs coordinator.
• Inspectors looked at school documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan; minutes of the board of trustees meetings; the school’s information on pupils’ progress; planning of work in different subjects; leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning; and records relating to behaviour, attendance and the safeguarding of pupils.

Inspection team

Patrick Amieli, lead inspector Derek Barnes Justine Lomas Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector