The Grange School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel respected and respect others at this very happy school.

The school has successfully created a positive and optimistic community based on its 'we can' ethos. The members of the 'Skippers' pupil leadership group embody this mantra and are tremendous advocates for the school and their peers.

Staff are ambitious for all pupils.

The school offers a broad curriculum in Years 7 to 11 which leads on to thoughtfully selected academic and vocational courses in the sixth form. Staff's belief that all pupils can achieve highly is transferred to pupils, who are confident and aspirational about their futures. Recent curriculum developments are increasingly evid...ent in current pupils' achievement.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, this is not yet reflected in published outcomes, particularly for more disadvantaged pupils.

Staff have high expectations for behaviour and manners.

The school has clear routines to support this. Most importantly, staff nurture excellent relationships with pupils and sixth-form students are also strong role models. Consequently, pupils behave very well in lessons and social time and bullying is very rare.

Pupils feel extremely safe and supported. They are confident to go to staff with any concerns, and that staff will address them effectively.

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

All pupils, including those with SEND, are supported to study a broad range of subjects in key stages 3 and 4.

For example, to support languages, and thus the English Baccalaureate, the school offers Urdu as well as French and Spanish. This prepares pupils well for ambitious and meaningful next steps. Occasionally, pupils follow appropriately designed bespoke programmes in line with their best interests.

Recent curriculum developments have supported staff in most areas to identify the essential knowledge that pupils need at each point, from Year 7 onwards. These staff are also starting to combine the school and subject-specific teaching approaches effectively. To support inclusive teaching, most staff use the detailed information they receive about pupils' individual needs to make effective adjustments as necessary.

Consequently, most teaching helps pupils to remember what they have been taught, and to apply it with increasing independence. This includes regularly checking pupils' understanding before moving on. However, there is still some variability across subjects and in key stage 3, which means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

In the sixth form, the curriculum is delivered far more consistently.

The school's reading strategy provides all pupils with access to a wide range of texts and encourages reading for pleasure. There is also an established programme for pupils who need help with reading which ensures they catch up with their peers.

Staff identify where pupils have reading gaps and target support accordingly.

The school's inclusive ethos, alongside the 'we can' culture, underpins its pastoral work. Consequently, pupils feel part of the school community, as well as feeling listened to and empowered.

Pupils know that staff have their best interests at heart and appreciate that they care. If necessary, the school provides a range of bespoke support, for example to help pupils with any social or emotional needs or with their attendance. This work is beneficial but not always as coordinated as it could be.

The school's personal development and careers programmes are carefully considered. There are slightly different approaches for the main school and the sixth form, but pupils are well prepared for the future. They learn about personal safety and relationships, including online.

They enjoy exploring and celebrating difference, for example during their cultural week. The careers programme provides pupils with regular exposure to a wide range of partners from the world of work, education and training. There are also varied and popular extra-curricular opportunities.

As with all of the school's work, staff ensure that these programmes and activities are accessible to all, including pupils who are disadvantaged.

Over recent years, the school has rightly reviewed and developed its approaches in a number of key areas. It has also focused on parental engagement and staff well-being.

This work has brought about many improvements. Parents and carers are extremely positive about how the school helps their children 'thrive'. Staff are very proud to work at this school.

They feel respected and supported. However, the school's understanding of the impact of the various strands of its work could be clearer, including how coherent it is across key stages and teams. Consequently, sometimes monitoring is not as sharply focused as it could be.

The relatively new governing body understands this and takes its responsibilities very seriously, not least linked to safeguarding and equalities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum thinking in a few areas is not as robust as it is overall.

Sometimes teaching does not always help all pupils to embed the knowledge, skills and understanding they need. Consequently, some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could. The school should continue to refine and embed teachers' understanding of how to select pedagogical approaches so that all pupils can apply their learning with increasing fluency and independence.

• The intended impact of some key school strategies and systems is not always as sharply focused as it could be. Sometimes there are different approaches across different teams with a lack of clarity as to purpose. The school should ensure that all staff and governors fully understand the rationale and intended impact of strategies and systems, so that they are clear in their monitoring and can implement more precisely targeted actions as a result.

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