Grange Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this warm and welcoming school. School and trust leaders are determined to ensure that every pupil succeeds. The school's curriculum develops pupils' intellectual curiosity and enhances their character.

Learning is carefully considered and sequenced to help pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), deepen their knowledge and understanding. Work produced is of high quality across most subjects and pupils are typically very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The school's expert knowledge of the community underpins the personal development programme.

For example, the school runs an addit...ional online safety programme alongside the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils are well prepared for life beyond the classroom.

Pupils love coming to school, as a result attendance is high.

As one parent summarised, 'My child starts school with a smile on his face and leaves with an even bigger one.' Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They show high levels of respect for others.

Pupils are kind and empathetic. They learn to look after their physical and mental health. Pupils feel safe and know adults are there to help if they have any concerns.

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

Leaders, and those responsible for governance, are committed to the school's improvement journey. They have a detailed and accurate understanding of the school's strengths and the areas they want to improve even further. Over recent years, outcomes in reading and mathematics have improved considerably and pupils now achieve well.

The school's curriculum is ambitious. Across all subjects, teachers are clear as to what they need to teach and when. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge.

They carefully check that pupils are confident in their learning before introducing something new.

Reading is at the heart of the school's curriculum. This starts in the Nursery, where there is a palpable buzz about reading.

The youngest children proudly show off the books they take home to share with their parents. For children at an early stage of learning to read, phonics is delivered by expert staff who address any misconceptions with confidence and skill. Pupils who need extra practice learning their sounds are helped to catch up quickly.

The school has rightly prioritised improvements in writing. A new approach to the teaching of writing has been introduced, which clearly identifies the key features of effective writing. Staff have received training and pupils are now all following this approach.

However, this work is at an early stage of development. This means the impact of recent changes on handwriting, spelling and grammar are not consistent across pupils' written work.

The school's work to ensure that the individual needs of pupils with SEND are accurately identified is strong.

Timely and effective support is put in place to allow all pupils to access and learn the school's curriculum. The school ensures that staff are well trained in adapting and scaffolding learning to allow all pupils to succeed. As a result, pupils with SEND flourish.

From the very start in early years, children are taught routines and expectations of behaviour. Children learn to be resilient and independent, for example by zipping up their coats, using the toilet and washing their hands. Pupils' exceptional behaviour continues as they move through school.

Pupils are highly motivated and have excellent attitudes to learning. Pupils' attendance is very high. No group of pupils is disadvantaged by low attendance.

Pupils' strong attendance and positive attitudes to their learning, contribute well to their achievement.

The school's provision for personal development is exceptional. Pupils learn about different religions and how people have different beliefs through visits to places of worship and visiting speakers.

Pupils have a thorough, age-appropriate understanding of the protected characteristics and fundamental British values. Pupils are accepting of others and recognise that everyone is important and equal, despite any differences.

The school plans a vast array of activities to develop pupils' cultural understanding.

These include the chance to go on trips to museums and theatres, learn to play a musical instrument and to represent the school within inter-school competitions. All pupils benefit from this offer. Roles and responsibilities enable pupils to apply for jobs such as 'guardians', school councillors and monitors.

Pupils enjoy the chance to walk the school dog, Freddy, and learn about his welfare, as well as helping on the school allotment. This builds pupils' understanding of responsibility.

Staff, parents and pupils are overwhelmingly proud of their school.

Leaders are supportive and engage regularly with staff. They are aware of the main pressures on them, have realistic expectations around workload and take effective steps to support staff well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The approach to the teaching of writing is not consistent across the school. This means that pupils have varying experiences because the impact of recent changes on handwriting, spelling and grammar are not consistent across pupils' written work. The school should continue to evaluate the impact and consistency of its work to ensure that pupils' writing continues to improve.

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