Croft Community School

Overview

Croft Community School is described as a place where pupils are "safe and happy" and benefit from "highly effective pastoral care." While leaders have created a "calm and respectful environment" with strong relationships, the report identifies that "the quality of teaching that pupils experience is variable," which limits academic progress.

Strengths

• Pupils conduct themselves very well in a "safe, calm and respectful environment" where bullying is rare.
• Staff demonstrate an "in-depth understanding of pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs," providing effective therapeutic support.
• Leaders are "creative in their approach to supporting pupils who are persistently absent," working closely with multi-agency partners.
• Pupils are "well prepared for adulthood and independent living," benefiting from a well-established careers programme and life skills training.
• The school celebrates diversity, with pupils learning to "respect differences" through events like the ‘Younique’ group.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure staff deliver curriculums consistently, particularly using assessment to inform lesson design so pupils develop "detailed knowledge and skills."
• Staff need to better consider individual needs, including those in education, health and care plans, when making "reasonable adjustments and adaptations to the curriculum."
• Leaders should improve their strategic oversight skills to bring about "swift, effective improvement" in pupils' learning experiences and achievement.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing "an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" and concerns actively managed.