Crookesbroom Primary Academy Review 2026: Reading-led curriculum, exceptional KS2 outcomes

High expectations run through daily life at Crookesbroom, from the academy’s simple behavioural message of trying your best and respecting the rules, to the way learning is structured around carefully chosen books. The primary outcomes data is the headline: in 2024, 98.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, far above the England average of 62%. This is backed by strong scaled scores of 111 in reading and 111 in mathematics.

In FindMySchool’s primary rankings based on official data, the academy is ranked 306th in England and 1st in Doncaster for primary outcomes. That places it well above England average (top 10%), and close to the top 2% threshold.

Leadership is currently listed as Mr Tom Chalder (Head of Academy) on the government register and the academy’s staff listing. The academy does not publish an appointment date for this current role.

Crookesbroom sets out an inclusive, high-expectations ethos, with an explicit focus on safety, wellbeing, courtesy and shared responsibility. The academy’s own published values emphasise health and wellbeing, encouraging everyone to do their best, and ensuring inclusion through collaboration with families and external agencies.

The strongest day-to-day signal is consistency. Pupils are expected to be ready for learning by 9:00am, with routines starting earlier: gates open at 8:30am and doors at 8:40am, with registration at 8:50am. For many families, breakfast club is part of that rhythm, opening at 7:40am.

Personal development has clear structure rather than being left to chance. The Delta Stars scheme gives pupils a “journey” folder where achievements are collected as card milestones, creating an ongoing record from early years through to Year 6. It is a simple idea with real bite for motivation, because pupils can see progress building across years rather than only receiving one-off rewards.

Pupil voice work, while dated (July 2021), provides a useful indicator of how children describe the experience: 97% said they enjoy school all or most of the time, and 99.5% agreed there is an adult to talk to if something is worrying them. These are not academic measures, but they matter for day-to-day confidence and willingness to engage.

The KS2 outcomes place Crookesbroom among the highest-performing primaries in England on the published measures.

In 2024:

• 98.67% met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%.

• At the higher standard, 48% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with the England average of 8%.

• Reading scaled score was 111, mathematics scaled score was 111, and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled score was 109.

Rankings add context for parents comparing across Doncaster and beyond. Ranked 306th in England and 1st in Doncaster for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the academy sits well above England average, within the top 10% of schools in England for this measure.

The academy’s curriculum model is built around oracy and a strong reading spine, with learning introduced and supported by “driving texts” that anchor subject knowledge and vocabulary development. The Reading Enhanced Curriculum approach is explicit: every curriculum session includes reading that is linked to the unit, then used as the stimulus for discussion, enquiry and writing.

This matters because it reduces the gap between “learning to read” and “reading to learn”. For pupils, it means books are not confined to English lessons. In practice, the approach is designed to make vocabulary and background knowledge cumulative, so pupils can return to concepts in new contexts as they move through key stages.

Early reading is structured through Read Write Inc. Phonics. The academy describes a clear progression through Set 1, Set 2 and Set 3 sounds, starting in Nursery with shared books, vocabulary development and Set 1 picture cards, moving into daily “Speed Sound” sessions in Reception, and then daily minimum 30-minute phonics sessions in Key Stage 1 in small groups aligned to assessment. Pupils are assessed at least half-termly in EYFS and KS1 to keep teaching matched to need.

As a primary academy, the key transition is into local secondary education. Crookesbroom’s transition planning is unusually detailed across multiple points, including Nursery into Reception, EYFS into Key Stage 1, year-to-year moves, and Year 6 into secondary.

For secondary transition specifically, the academy states that staff from Ash Hill Academy (described as a local feeder academy) visit Crookesbroom to work with Year 5 and Year 6 pupils on transition activities, and Crookesbroom pupils also spend time visiting Ash Hill. Pastoral leads from other feeder schools also visit to discuss pupils and support a smooth handover.

For families, the practical implication is that transition is treated as a process rather than a single induction day. For pupils who are vulnerable or who have special educational needs and disabilities, the academy describes a more bespoke package where needed.

Crookesbroom is a state-funded primary, so there are no tuition fees. Admissions for Reception are coordinated by Doncaster Council, and Crookesbroom was oversubscribed on the most recent available application data provided here: 51 applications for 28 offers, which equates to 1.82 applications per place. This is a meaningful level of demand for a primary of this size, and it helps explain why families should treat the process as competitive rather than automatic.

For September 2026 entry (the 2026 to 2027 admissions cycle), Doncaster’s published timetable sets a closing date of 15 January 2026 for primary applications, with offers sent on 16 April 2026. The timetable also lists 30 April 2026 as the last date for offers to be accepted where required, and 5 June 2026 onwards as the point appeals commence (with the deadline for appeals also referenced in the timetable).

Nursery is part of the academy, but parents should treat it as a separate admissions route from Reception. Doncaster’s nursery admissions guidance is clear that attending a nursery does not normally affect Reception allocation for most schools, and families should plan on making a full Reception application through the normal route. Government-funded early education hours are available for eligible children, and the pattern of sessions is agreed with the provider. For nursery fee details beyond the funded entitlement, parents should consult the academy and local authority guidance rather than relying on assumptions.

For families checking practical chances, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for understanding proximity and local alternatives, even when the last-distance data is not published for a particular year.

Pastoral support is framed around two complementary elements: whole-academy expectations and targeted support.

The Thrive Approach is the academy’s published framework for supporting personal development and readiness to learn, combining whole-school practice with targeted intervention where a child needs additional support. The academy describes an emphasis on positive relationships, play and creative activities, and understanding behaviour as communication, especially during family disruption such as separation, bereavement or illness.

The latest Ofsted inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements were effective.

Beyond this, the pupil voice survey (July 2021) suggests high perceived safety (100% said they feel safe at school all the time) and strong confidence in adult support (99.5% agreeing there is an adult they can talk to if worried). While this is not a substitute for current practice evidence, it aligns with the academy’s published priorities around wellbeing and safety.

The most distinctive feature of Crookesbroom’s enrichment offer is how closely it is tied to curriculum and community, rather than being a bolt-on list of clubs.

Delta Stars and cultural experiences

Delta Stars is positioned as a structured set of experiences and achievements captured in a pupil’s personal folder. The academy describes this as giving children access to experiences they may not otherwise have, and as a way to track skills development across years.

Music with clear pathways

Music provision includes weekly whole-school singing, ukulele taught through weekly sessions in Key Stage 2, and an audition route into the Key Stage 2 choir. The academy also references after-school singing clubs and participation in Young Voices. A specific marker of ambition is the claim that the choir has qualified for the Music for Youth national finals in Birmingham, and the choir is named as being led by Miss Leggett.

Forest School and environmental projects

Forest School is described as being delivered by trained practitioners, with learner-led exploration and links to the Queen’s Canopy project and the Royal Horticultural Society. The academy also states it has created a “tiny forest”, which is a tangible, place-based feature rather than a generic outdoor-learning claim.

Trips with strong variety

The trips list is unusually specific for a primary website. It includes National Space Centre, London visits including the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye, The Deep, Warner Brothers Studios, Brimham Rocks, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, Austerfield Study Centre, Jorvik Viking Centre, Weston Park Museum, and Boston Park Farm, plus curriculum-linked experiences such as a visit to Pizza Express and an animal experience through Leanimals.

The academy also references access to Delta’s outdoor education centre at Dallowgill for Key Stage 2, describing activities such as cooking basic meals, woodland den building, and evenings around a campfire with sky-gazing.

Pupil leadership and responsibility

Pupils can take on formal roles via the Junior Leadership Team (Head Boy, Head Girl, deputies) and a broader set of responsibilities including Green Team, librarians, corridor monitors, playground buddies, and reading ambassadors. Houses are named after scientists: Curie, Einstein, Franklin and Galileo, with house points linked to behaviour and effort.

The academy day is clearly published. Nursery (FS1) runs 8:50am to 11:50am. Reception runs 8:50am to 12:00 noon, then 1:15pm to 3:15pm. Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 run 8:50am to 12:15pm, then 1:15pm to 3:15pm. Gates open at 8:30am and doors at 8:40am.

Breakfast club opens at 7:40am.

After-school enrichment is positioned as clubs rather than formal wraparound childcare: the academy states there is at least one after-school club every day except Friday. If a family needs paid after-school care to a later finish time, the academy does not clearly publish that detail on the pages reviewed here, so it is sensible to ask directly.

For transport, Hatfield and Stainforth station serves the local area and is a useful reference point for families commuting by rail.

• Competition for places. With 51 applications for 28 offers in the latest dataset provided here, demand exceeds supply. Families should treat Reception entry as competitive and plan alternatives in parallel.

• Nursery is not a guaranteed route into Reception. Local authority guidance is clear that nursery attendance does not normally influence Reception allocation for most schools, so parents should expect to make a full Reception application through Doncaster Council.

• After-school care clarity. The academy commits to at least one after-school club daily (except Friday), but formal wraparound childcare hours are not clearly published on the pages reviewed here. Families who need a later collection time should verify what is currently available.

• Leadership date transparency. Mr Tom Chalder is listed as Head of Academy, but an appointment date is not published on the academy pages reviewed here, and the government register page could not be accessed directly due to restrictions during research.

Crookesbroom’s combination of exceptionally high KS2 outcomes, a book-driven curriculum model, and structured personal development will appeal strongly to families who want academic standards alongside a purposeful, well-organised school culture. Best suited to parents comfortable with clear routines and high expectations, and who value reading as the engine of learning across subjects. The limiting factor is admission rather than the quality of education, so families should plan early and apply with realism.