Grange Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Grange Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders encourage all pupils to make 'a flying start' to their school life.

Underpinning this ambition, leaders are very keen for all pupils to understand and embed the school's key values. Leaders want all pupils to grow up being 'polite and respectful', providing others with 'nurture and care' and giving 'effort from within'.

Leaders always want to highlight the positive things pupils do.

Through their time at the school, each pupil experiences many key moments. The 'My Flight Logbook' becomes a valuable record of these experiences over their time at the school. Staff cele...brate pupils' good behaviour regularly.

Pupils know the difference between right and wrong. Pupils who show one of the school's values have their name put into the 'Proud Pot'.

Pupils say they feel safe and their parents agree.

They learn about democracy and why it is important to accept, at times, when decisions might not go their way. The curriculum supports pupils' understanding of mutual respect and how to appreciate people from all walks of life. For example, pupils learn about a range of different religious festivals and experience authors, artists and musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds.

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

All members of staff and the governing body want every pupil to achieve their best. As a result, leaders have rightly prioritised the importance of every pupil learning to read. Leaders have worked hard to make sure that pupils learn to read effectively.

Teachers' regular checks on pupils' reading mean that most pupils learn the right things at the right time. Leaders ensure that a range of texts from both traditional and more modern authors are available for pupils to read themselves or have read to them. However, some pupils who are struggling to learn to read do not catch up as quickly as they could.

The support they get is not consistently effective across all classes.

Leaders have constructed a well-sequenced curriculum in all subjects across all year groups. Lessons are well prepared to meet pupils' needs.

Pupils' work shows strong progress through the curriculum, particularly in mathematics. Where teachers' subject knowledge is strongest, their questioning is effective, which deepens pupils' understanding. For example, in geography, Year 1 pupils could use maps to distinguish between warmer and colder climates, while Year 2 pupils used vocabulary about maps, including keys and symbols, with fluency.

The quality of pupils' artwork is high and this stems from a very effective curriculum. Leaders are understandably proud that the local authority used pupils' artwork at an event as examples of high-quality outcomes.

Teachers consider carefully the adaptations needed in lessons to enable all pupils to participate, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Teachers use advice and help from a range of external partners to support pupils with particularly complex needs well. While leaders have made recent enhancements to individual education plans for pupils with SEND, the support some pupils receive is not as precise as it could be or implemented consistently well. As a result, these pupils do not learn as well as they could.

Leaders have instilled a positive approach to behaviour. The atmosphere in school is calm and conducive to learning. Any unkind words or actions by pupils are rare and staff members deal with any issues appropriately.

Some pupils need more support for their behaviour to match leaders' expectations. Staff make sure that these pupils' individual needs are met effectively.

Leaders offer a range of clubs to support pupils' wider development.

Educationally based trips and the range of visitors to the school are well considered. Leaders are keen to recognise the efforts pupils make in their everyday lives. Many motivated Year 2 pupils complete 'The Grange Civic Award'.

This involves pupils volunteering to help out at home, in school and in the community, while also trying a new hobby or skill.

Leaders appreciate the efforts staff make every day. This is not lost on parents who feel their children are happy and safe.

Reflecting the views of many, one parent commented, 'The Grange is a fantastic school; truly a happy place where my child can thrive. We are very proud to be part of this school community.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

A robust safeguarding culture is in place to help protect pupils from harm. Training for all staff is strong. Leaders maintain clear and detailed records of pupils who have safeguarding concerns.

Leaders can demonstrate the impact their actions have made to keep pupils safe. Diligent governors maintain a purposeful oversight of the school's safeguarding and safer recruitment processes.

Leaders want pupils to speak up if something happens to them that worries them.

Pupils learn about what is and what is not acceptable behaviour from others. This includes key messages about online safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils who find early reading difficult are not receiving all the support they need to learn to read.

As a result, these pupils are not making the progress in reading that they could. Leaders must ensure that support for pupils who need to catch up in their reading is consistently effective in all classes. ? Some pupils with SEND are not making as much progress as they could.

This is because the support that some pupils with SEND receive is not matched to their particular needs closely enough. Leaders should ensure that pupils' individual plans are accurately and precisely focused and that staff implement them consistently 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 in June 2017.

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