Cradley CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection.

However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Cradley CofE Primary School is a warm, friendly and welcoming place.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and value its strong sense of community. They also enjoy speaking to visitors and are enthusiastic when they talk about their school and the learning that they do. They say that 'everyone has friends here and all are we...lcomed in'.

The school's motto of 'Enriching Lives' shines through. It shows in the wide range of opportunities pupils get beyond the classroom. These include a successful (and award-winning) gardening club, musical instrument tuition and exciting visits to places, such as residential activity centres.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They understand what bullying is and say it is rare. If poor behaviour or bullying happen, then staff deal with it quickly.

Staff and pupils told inspectors that behaviour has improved in recent months.

Cradley Primary is an inclusive school. Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils and committed to helping them do well.

However, variability in expectations across school mean that pupils' work and achievement have room for improvement.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have considered in what order pupils should learn the content of each subject.

In some subjects, including geography, leaders have not yet established what pupils need to learn in enough detail. This means that what pupils are taught and remember is sometimes limited or confused.

Teachers plan engaging lessons that pupils enjoy.

Pupils are enthusiastic in lessons and show positive attitudes to learning. The work they produce varies in quality and is sometimes disorganised. This is because teachers' expectations are not consistent enough.

Leaders understand the importance of reading. Pupils enjoy learning to read and staff regularly read aloud to them in class. Most pupils read regularly at home and at school.

Phonics is taught every day from early in the Reception Year. Most children quickly learn the sounds that letters make and how to blend these together. Leaders have ensured that the order in which children learn phonics is well planned.

However, not all staff have had sufficient training to deliver the programme effectively. There is inconsistency in the ways that adults teach phonics and how they listen to children read. Also, the books that children read do not always match the sounds they know.

This means that children who find reading difficult are not becoming confident, fluent readers as quickly as they could be.

At Cradley Primary, teachers teach mathematics well. Leaders have thought carefully about how to sequence the mathematics curriculum.

This ensures that pupils revisit key learning regularly and are secure in the mathematics they know and can apply. Teachers adapt their lessons effectively to ensure pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) progress well. Pupils enjoy their mathematics lessons.

They told inspectors that they particularly like the investigations and challenges that their teachers give them.

Teachers know how well pupils are learning. They assess pupils' understanding during lessons and by using tests in reading and mathematics.

Leaders track how well pupils are doing.

Cradley Primary is an inclusive and caring school. Teachers, supported by the SEND coordinator, provide well for pupils with SEND.

They work effectively with parents to identify when pupils need help and provide it.

Pupils behave well. They treat one another kindly and see themselves as a community.

Older pupils have lots of opportunities to help the younger ones. This contributes to the 'family feel' of the school.

The curriculum extends well beyond the academic.

Despite being a small school, pupils get a huge range of opportunities, such as after-school clubs. All pupils in Year 6 have responsibilities such as becoming prayer leaders, play leaders or digital leaders. In all of these roles, they contribute to the life of the school considerably.

Governors and school leaders have worked hard to refocus school improvement following a period of significant disruption caused by COVID-19 and staff changes. They have actively sought help and guidance. Leaders have made many changes in recent years.

However, they have not focused enough on measuring the impact of their work. This means that school development does not have enough strategic direction. Governors and leaders are aware of this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is a priority for all staff and they know pupils and their families well. Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained to fulfil their role in keeping pupils safe.

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and know what to do if they have concerns about pupils.

Leaders respond to concerns quickly and keep detailed records. They follow up referrals to local services meticulously.

When new staff join the school, leaders ensure the appropriate safeguarding checks are made.

Pupils, parents and staff all agree that the school is a safe place for pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's approach to teaching phonics is not consistent.

The books pupils read do not always match the sounds they know. This means that pupils who find early reading difficult do not make as much progress as they could. Leaders should ensure staff are fully skilled to deliver the phonics programme ,so that all pupils are helped as well as possible to become confident, fluent readers.

• In some subjects, leaders have not thought in enough detail about what pupils should be learning and remembering. Because of this, learning is sometimes limited or confused. Leaders should review and develop the curriculum further, so that teachers know exactly what to teach and when to teach it.

They should do this to help pupils learn more, remember more and be able to do more. ? Leaders, including subject leaders, have made many changes at the school in recent months but have not yet evaluated the impact these changes have had. This means that they do not have a full picture of the strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum.

Leaders should strengthen their monitoring and evaluating processes. They should do this to gather information that will help them provide more informed strategic direction to school improvement.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2011.