Grangefield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Grangefield Primary School continues to be a good school.

There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school? '

Flying high.

Spreading our wings' is the deeply embedded motto at Grangefield Primary School. Leaders and staff want the very best for their pupils. There is a culture of high expectations and well-planned learning for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Each morning, pupils arrive at school eager t...o discover new and interesting knowledge.

Pupils treat each other, staff and visitors with the utmost respect. Expectations of behaviour in and out of lessons are high, including for Reception-age children.

Here, children make an excellent start to their school life. Bullying is not tolerated and staff work carefully to resolve any issues that do occur. Pupils feel safe and secure.

Opportunities for pupils to talk to a trusted adult about their feelings are always available.

Pupils are actively involved in the life of the school and the local community. They know their views matter and feel valued.

An extensive range of clubs, trips, activities and experiences ensure that pupils thrive here. The performing arts and sports have a high profile. Pupils are very proud to belong to this school and enjoy celebrating their own and others' success.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders know their school and community exceptionally well. They have a steadfast determination to provide the very best learning experience for all pupils, including the most disadvantaged. Leaders have created a well-designed curriculum that ignites pupils' natural curiosity, interests and imagination.

Across subjects, the essential knowledge and skills pupils should learn, and the order in which they should learn it, is clearly and precisely set out. Consequently, pupils, including children in early years, secure and deepen their learning exceptionally well.Teachers, including those new to the profession, have expert subject knowledge.

This is because leaders provide regular high-quality training for staff. Teachers engage and challenge pupils to learn and remember more in all subjects and areas of learning. Teachers' use of assessment is highly effective.

They carefully check whether pupils understand what they are learning. Teachers use this information to skilfully adapt teaching to help pupils, including those with SEND, learn and remember the essential knowledge.

Leaders and staff show a united determination to ensure every pupil will be a fluent and confident reader by the time they leave the school.

The teaching of the ambitious phonics programme starts as soon as the children join Reception. Pupils build the reading skills they need through repetition and practise. Staff in early years and key stage 1 are highly trained and can identify quickly any need for extra support.

Additional phonics sessions provide daily practise to ensure every pupil becomes a successful reader. This means that pupils can access the many rich and exciting books available.

Leaders and staff exemplify respectful, kind and thoughtful behaviour.

As a result, pupils behave exceptionally well. Pupils have highly positive attitudes towards their learning. Classrooms are calm, focused and purposeful.

In early years, children carefully follow the well-established routines and are deeply engaged in their learning. They learn about the school values, for example determination, responsibility and excellence and how to use them to help their learning.

This school is truly inclusive and staff are uncompromisingly ambitious for every pupil, irrespective of their differing needs.

The curriculum has been carefully constructed to ensure all pupils with SEND learn alongside their classmates. Pupils with SEND receive expert support. Leaders identify where pupils need additional help and, when appropriate, tailored and bespoke programmes are implemented skilfully.

This means that pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well.

The wider personal development curriculum is a strength of the school. Leaders take their responsibility for preparing pupils for success in the wider, diverse world very seriously.

All pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, take part in a rich range of extra-curricular activities. They identify and celebrate commonalities and differences. A carefully-designed programme of assemblies provides stimulating opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of what respect, tolerance and individual liberty mean.

This helps prepare pupils well for their next stage of learning and for life in modern Britain.

Governors know the school very well. They have a clear understanding of its strengths and provide considered support and robust challenge.

Consequently, leadership at all levels is extremely effective. There is a noteworthy sense of solidarity and cooperation among staff. They feel valued and appreciate that leaders are always considerate of their workload and well-being.

Staff are exceptionally proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have secured a very strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff are well trained to recognise signs of harm in children. They report any concerns promptly and leaders follow these up meticulously with appropriate actions. Leaders and staff know their families very well and this means that they are alert to anything that may suggest a pupil might need some additional help.

Leaders closely monitor all concerns recorded and work tirelessly with other partner agencies to ensure timely support for those who need it. Leaders ensure that checks on adults appointed to work in the school are thorough and monitored effectively.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good on the 27 and 28 September 2017.

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