Cranford Park Primary School, located in Yateley, Hampshire, underwent an inspection on March 7 and 8, 2023. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, and leadership and management also receiving the same rating. However, personal development and early years provision were rated as good. The school previously held a good rating in its last inspection in March 2017.
The school environment is described as friendly and welcoming, where pupils feel safe and engage enthusiastically during social times. Pupils are encouraged to express their opinions and understand the importance of valuing others' views. Leaders aim for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, to achieve high standards. However, some curriculum aspects are not fully developed, particularly in supporting pupils who struggle with reading.
Pupils are aware of the school rules, which emphasize being ready, respectful, and safe. Despite this, some classes experience frequent disruptions that affect learning. While incidents of bullying are low, the school is actively working to address any issues that arise. The school offers a range of extracurricular activities, and pupils take pride in their leadership roles, contributing positively to the school community.
Parents and carers recognize the strengths of the school and have noted positive changes under the new headteacher. In subjects like mathematics and geography, the curriculum is well-structured, and teachers deliver lessons confidently, checking pupils' understanding before progressing. However, in other subjects, the curriculum design is less developed, and essential knowledge and vocabulary have not been clearly outlined.
In the early years, children receive adequate support to achieve well, with a purposeful and inviting learning environment. Staff focus on teaching children important skills such as curiosity and resilience, and there is strong communication with parents and carers. The school prioritizes reading, with well-stocked book areas and a library that celebrates diversity. However, the phonics teaching approach is not yet fully embedded, leading to inconsistencies in support for struggling readers.
Leaders emphasize the importance of personal and academic development, teaching pupils about safety, healthy eating, and exercise. While attendance has been a concern, recent changes are beginning to show positive effects. Nevertheless, not all staff consistently support pupil behavior, leading to disruptions in learning. Leaders plan to review the behavior policy to address these issues.
Governors are committed to supporting school leaders but have not fully met all statutory duties, indicating a need for further training and recruitment to fill knowledge gaps. Staff express pride in their roles and benefit from opportunities to collaborate and share effective practices. The safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff receiving regular training and updates. However, some gaps in safeguarding records were identified during the inspection, which leaders acted quickly to rectify.
To improve, the school must ensure that governors fulfill their statutory duties in a timely manner, enhance the support for the weakest readers, promote high standards of behavior consistently, and develop a clear and logical sequence for the foundation subject curriculum. Additionally, safeguarding record-keeping needs to be more accurate to ensure that all concerns are documented appropriately. Overall, while the school has strengths, there are significant areas for improvement to enhance the educational experience for all pupils.
