Cranwell Primary School (Foundation)

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 May 2024

From the moment pupils first walk through the door at Cranwell Primary School, staff make them feel at home and give them all the help they need to settle in. This positive, inclusive ethos permeates the whole school. There are strong, caring relationships between the pupils and adults. Pupils say, 'The staff take the time to get to know us and understand us.' Many pupils join the school part way through their primary education. A thorough assessment of pupils' needs takes place as soon as they arrive. Being located so close to RAF Cranwell, a high proportion of pupils have parents or carers in the armed forces. There is high-quality pastoral support available, such as the school's Bluey Club for those with service parents on deployment. Classrooms are calm places where pupils can concentrate on their learning. Most pupils sustain their focus and behave well. Pupils enjoy spending time together. They say it is easy to make friends at Cranwell. Alongside its ambitious curriculum, the school provides an exceptional variety of wider opportunities. Carefully planned trips and experiences enrich pupils' learning. There is a plethora of clubs, as well as numerous pupil leadership roles, on offer.

What the school should improve

• In some foundations subjects, staff do not routinely go back over important prior learning. They do not always help pupils connect what they have learned before to what they are learning now. As a result, some pupils cannot recall key curriculum content securely and they do not deepen their understanding of important concepts over time. The school should review its approach to the recall of prior learning so that staff revisit important content in all subjects, helping pupils to remember and build on the knowledge they have already been taught.
• Some staff do not develop pupils' fluency well enough when they listen to them read their books. Consequently, pupils who find reading difficult do not become fluent readers as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading fluency when adults listen to pupils read so that all pupils become confident, fluent readers as soon as possible.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)