E-ACT The Grange School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The Grange School is a warm and friendly school. The school's core values focus on every child being able to become 'aspirational change makers'.

Pupils enjoy their learning and are proud of their school.

They know that staff care for them and listen to them. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Staff commit to knowing each pupil individually.

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils are polite and respectful. They play happily together during their breaktimes.

Pupils behave well and the atmosphere in school is orderly and calm. Pupils know that bullying is not tolerated, and they know that staff are quick to deal with any conc...erns.

Pupils can take on leadership roles.

For example, they can be part of one of the eight 'change maker' groups. Pupils take pride in holding these roles and in representing their peers. A common view was that they want their ideas to make the school, and the world, a better place.

Leaders want all pupils to achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, in some subjects, the curriculum is not consistently well planned or taught.

Where this is the case, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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

Leaders have redesigned the school's curriculum as they want it to be 'just right' for their school and pupils. They have thought carefully about the improvements that they want to make by incorporating their four golden threads of diversity, oracy, enquiry and exploration, in addition to well-being, into their curriculum design.

However, the curriculum is still at the early stages of development. In some subjects, leaders have not sufficiently broken down the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. The content of the curriculum and the order in which knowledge is taught have not been considered carefully enough in some subjects.

Most teachers explain new ideas and content clearly. They provide examples to help pupils understand the curriculum. However, sometimes teachers do not always check that all pupils understand.

Some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and do not achieve as highly as they could.

Pupils with SEND have strong relationships with the staff who support them. Some teachers provide the support that all pupils need to access the full curriculum.

However, some teachers do not meet the needs of all pupils. Leaders do not routinely check how well teachers deliver the curriculum to meet all pupils' needs.

Pupils enjoy reading.

Leaders ensure that reading is a high priority. Staff provide pupils with interesting books. Phonics teaching starts as soon as children begin the Reception Year.

The teaching of phonics is well organised and effective. Teachers swiftly identify pupils who fall behind. These pupils are well supported to help them to catch up.

Pupils often read to adults in school to practise and develop their reading skills.

The curriculum in the early years is well structured and helps children to learn well. Relationships are very positive between children and adults in the early years.

Leaders provide an engaging environment inside and outside the classroom. There is a focus on children's communication and language. In mathematics, children are quick to identify numbers and enjoy the activities delivered in lessons.

Children learn the important knowledge and skills they need through regular reading and mathematics lessons.

Pupils' personal development is underpinned by a well-planned and sequenced curriculum for personal, social and health education. Pupils have many opportunities to broaden their experiences beyond the academic curriculum.

They learn about different faiths and cultures, and different types of families. Pupils learn to be caring and responsible citizens. Pupils show respect for, and learn to appreciate, diversity and difference.

Pupils spoke about how everyone is welcome at their school and that 'difference is good'. Leaders promote the British values. However, pupils do not have a secure knowledge of these.

Leaders are reviewing their plans to ensure that pupils develop a deeper understanding of this aspect of the curriculum.

The governors bring a wide set of skills and experience. The governing body challenges leaders effectively.

Governors understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They make sure that additional funds are used well.

Leaders engage well with staff.

They provide regular training and consider staff's well-being and workload. Staff are proud to work at The Grange School.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know pupils and their families very well. Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. There is a strong culture of safeguarding, and effective systems are in place to keep pupils safe.

Leaders take prompt action in response to any concerns. Staff receive regular and appropriate training. Records are well maintained.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum sequencing is not yet detailed enough in a number of subjects.

This means that the important knowledge that pupils need to learn is not clearly laid out, to ensure that pupils build on what they have learned before. Leaders should ensure that work to develop the curriculum is completed swiftly so that teachers are confident they know what should be taught at each stage to ensure pupils achieve well in all subjects. They should continue to develop staff subject knowledge so that all staff know what pupils need to learn at each stage.

• Leaders have developed a strategy for assessment that enables teachers to check for misconceptions and embed knowledge. However, the implementation of this is still variable in some subjects and classes. There are occasions when teachers do not check pupils' responses to tasks or check that the assessments are correctly matched to the needs of the pupils.

Leaders must ensure that assessments are well matched, and misconceptions are identified and quickly addressed. ? Leaders do not monitor the delivery of the curriculum carefully in order to ensure that it meets the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Leaders must ensure that subject leaders, and the leaders of the provision for pupils with SEND, have time to review the implementation of the curriculum and provide staff with the necessary support for their teaching.

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