Crags Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. This is a very happy and rapidly improving school. The headteacher, very ably assisted by the deputy headteachers, provides highly skilled leadership.

He has rapidly changed the culture of the school and significantly raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. Morale is high because staff feel valued and appreciated. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities.

Staff are united in the vision for continuous improvement. The curriculum provides an exciting range of subjects and learning experiences. These promote British values and pupils' social, moral, spiritual and cultural development very well.

Extremely strong... relationships exist with parents and the local community. Governors are well led and provide rigorous challenge and support. They help the school to improve the quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils.

Pupils' behaviour is good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils enjoy learning, feel safe and their punctuality and attendance is improving. Pupils have extremely strong and trusting relationships with staff.

Staff boost pupils' self-esteem and willingness to try that bit harder. Teaching is generally good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils in the majority of classes make good progress.

Standards across the school are rising. Children in the early years achieve well, and sometimes outstandingly so, from their different starting points. It is not yet an outstanding school because : In a few classes, progress occasionally slows particularly in writing.

Pupils, particularly the most able, are not always given work that is demanding enough. Not all marking reflects the school's policy to help pupils improve their work. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their writing and mathematical skills in other subjects.

Improvement plans are not always precise enough in how their impact will be measured.

Information about this school

The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school. There have been significant changes in staff and governors since the last inspection.

The current headteacher took up post in September 2013 and the two deputy headteachers in January 2014. There has also been a change in the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body. The headteacher is a local leader in education (LLE).

The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. A very small proportion of pupils are from other ethnic backgrounds and cultural traditions or speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is much higher than average.

The proportion of pupils eligible for support through pupil premium funding is high compared with the national average. This additional government funding is provided for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority. The school has two full-time Reception classes and two part-time Nursery classes.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectation for pupils' achievement in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The school works in partnership with the Maltby Mining Memorial Committee to promote pupils' understanding of their local heritage. The school provides a breakfast club.