Croft Church of England Primary School, located in Leicester, was inspected on September 26 and 27, 2023. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, along with key areas such as the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school has not been previously inspected under section five of the Education Act 2005. The executive headteacher, Felicity Clarke, oversees the school, which is part of the Embrace Multi-Academy Trust, led by CEO Sharon Mullins and a board of trustees chaired by Russell Andrews.
The school is described as friendly and inclusive, with most pupils feeling happy and safe. They recognize that staff care about them and know whom to approach with concerns. Relationships among pupils and staff are generally positive, although there are instances of disruption in lessons. The school is undergoing changes to improve its stability following a turbulent period in leadership and staffing. Many in the community acknowledge these changes as beneficial, and trust is being rebuilt.
Historically, pupils have not achieved well, but recent improvements have been noted, particularly in reading and mathematics. However, staff expectations vary across subjects and year groups, leading to inconsistent achievement. Early years children, especially in Nursery, are not developing the necessary skills for future learning. Opportunities for extracurricular activities are increasing, but pupils desire a broader range of clubs and activities.
Current leaders have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. They are committed to enhancing all aspects of the school and are beginning to see rapid improvements. Subject leadership is strengthening, with many leaders benefiting from support at a partner school. The curriculum is being developed to ensure clarity in what is taught and when, although this work is ongoing.
Teachers generally possess secure subject knowledge and plan purposeful learning activities. However, there is inconsistency in checking pupils' understanding, which can lead to misconceptions and disengagement. This is particularly evident in mathematics. The early years curriculum is not consistently well-implemented, especially in Nursery, where routines and learning behaviors are not firmly established. In contrast, Reception provision is stronger, and outdoor learning is a valued aspect of the curriculum.
The school promotes a positive reading culture, with pupils expressing enjoyment in reading activities. A new phonics scheme has been introduced, leading to improved outcomes in early reading. However, staff sometimes do not ensure that pupils apply their phonics knowledge effectively. The school has improved its oversight of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, but their academic needs are not consistently prioritized across subjects.
Most pupils attend regularly, and the school environment is calm and orderly. While pupils generally get along well, there are occasional lapses in consideration for others. Pupils understand the importance of equality and fairness, but their understanding of British values is underdeveloped, and they lack opportunities for in-depth discussions on important issues.
The safeguarding arrangements are effective. To improve, the school needs to ensure consistent high expectations across all subjects and year groups, particularly in mixed-age classes. Early years staff require additional training to support children's focus and task completion. The use of assessment needs further development to ensure all pupils achieve their potential, especially in mathematics and early reading. The curriculum for personal development should be enhanced to better prepare pupils for responsible citizenship, and the range of extracurricular opportunities should be broadened to support pupils' interests and talents.
