Cranfield Church of England Academy

Overview

Cranfield Church of England Academy has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The school fosters an inclusive environment where pupils demonstrate core values of “kindness, respect, safety and hard work,” known as ‘The Cranfield Way’. Pupils are described as “polite, friendly” and “passionate ambassadors” who thrive personally, socially and emotionally.

Strengths

• Pupils are “highly engaged” and learn effectively within an “ambitious curriculum” that is “meaningful” and supports achievement through “clearly sequenced steps”.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs “accurately identified” and are “well supported”, with most achieving well from their starting points.
• Phonics is “taught effectively” with consistent training, helping pupils become “fluent and confident readers”.
• Pupils achieve well in mathematics, demonstrating “strong number skills” and the “resilience to persevere” when making mistakes.
• The school offers a “wide range of opportunities” for personal development, including outdoor learning and leadership roles, preparing pupils for “life in modern Britain”.

Areas to improve

• Teachers do not always spot pupils’ spelling and grammatical errors, leading to repetition; the school must ensure these are “consistently corrected” so pupils can express ideas with “greater confidence and clarity”.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”