Greasbrough Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Greasbrough Primary is a vibrant and happy school. Leaders are proud of the pupils and ambitious for them.

They have built an ambitious curriculum which contains 'profound primary experiences'. These are exciting learning opportunities which encourage pupils to try new experiences such as visiting art galleries, beaches and theatres. Pupils in key stage 2 value the opportunity to go on regular residential trips.

Pupils say they are happy and safe in this school. Staff have built strong, positive relationships with them. Pupils are encouraged to take on roles and responsibilities across all year groups.

As part of their restorative practice policy, pupils help... each other to find solutions when they have problems. Some pupils are Willow Tree Warriors, helping their peers to understand how to keep themselves safe online. Others are school councillors or librarians.

Leaders aim to build aspirational leaders for the future.

Leaders have high expectations of behaviour. Adults build positive relationships with pupils and support them to reflect on things if they are struggling to manage their behaviour.

Pupils are positive and engaged in lessons. They are polite and respectful towards each other and adults in the school.

Trustees and leaders are very ambitious for the school.

They have ensured that the environment for learning is warm and welcoming. They are constantly seeking further ways to improve the school and have created detailed plans to ensure that the improvements continue.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that links learning across different subjects.

Teachers ensure these links are meaningful and support leaders' vision of providing exciting learning experiences. As a result, pupils can remember important information over time. An example of this was seen in art when pupils were learning how to observe texture and shape using leaves, as they made detailed drawings.

They drew on their prior learning in geography, when they studied rainforests, to describe in detail how the leaves are all different and are found in distinct parts of the forest.

In most subjects, there are effective and detailed curriculum plans in place. These show what pupils should be learning at each stage of their education.

Leaders of subjects such as maths, science and art provide strong and effective support for other teachers. They help teachers to plan well-sequenced lessons. Pupils can then build upon prior learning and remember more.

However, there is still more to do in some subjects, such as geography.Leaders have put reading at the heart of the school curriculum. They focus on developing a love of reading for all the pupils in this school.

They have ensured that there are high-quality texts in all the shared areas and classrooms throughout the building. Teachers plan lessons in which pupils read and talk about books every day. These lessons enable pupils to practise reading, improve their comprehension and learn new vocabulary.

Pupils are confident to talk about their favourite books and authors. They especially enjoy taking part in the reading challenges to earn bronze, silver or gold awards.

Pupils in the early years and key stage 1 learn to read using phonics.

While all teachers plan lessons using this approach, there is some inconsistency in the delivery of some lessons, due to recent staffing changes. Leaders recognise the importance of developing a more consistent approach for all pupils. They are currently introducing a new systematic approach to phonics teaching.

They have plans to train all staff in this approach so that lessons follow the same format and there is clear progression planned in learning. This will support pupils at the very beginning of learning to read to make better progress.

This is an inclusive school.

Teachers are quick to identify pupils who may need more help. They ensure that swift, same day catch-up sessions, extra reading, or small-group interventions are put in place to help pupils keep up. Leaders are tenacious in seeking help from outside agencies where it is needed for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

These pupils are supported effectively with bespoke learning plans. This enables them to make good progress with their learning.

Staff have helped children in the early years to settle in school.

They have supported them to quickly understand routines, boundaries and expectations. There is a focus on developing a love of learning through playing, exploring and being actively engaged in tasks. An example of this was seen when adults encouraged pupils to create performances on the outdoor mini stage.

Pupils confidently use language learned from stories read in the classroom.

The school's relentless focus on developing learning beyond the classroom has ensured that there are exceptional opportunities for pupils' personal development. The school ensures that pupils have access to wide, rich and well-planned experiences.

Pupils are enthusiastic about the regular residential trips. Parents understand the value of these. Pupils learn about equality and diversity through linking with schools in different areas.

They confidently challenge stereotypes and can discuss feelings and emotions with a significant depth of understanding. Pupils are confident and proud to share ideas and opinions about issues in the wider world.

Pupils have an excellent understanding of the behaviour expectations in the school.

They recognise and value that everyone is different and show high levels of respect for each other. Pupils know that it is important to help others to follow the school rules. On the rare occasions that pupils find this difficult, staff and pupils support them to see the impact of their behaviour on others.

Pupils encourage each other to understand how they could behave differently. Staff are consistent in their actions when dealing with concerns. Bullying is never tolerated.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils' welfare and safety are at the heart of the school's work. Leaders have a clear understanding of the risks that pupils may face outside school.

They ensure that staff can identify signs that pupils may be experiencing harm. Pastoral leaders work with a range of outside agencies, including social care and the police, to provide support for families.

Pupils know how to keep themselves and others safe.

They learn this through a range of approaches. These include Willow Tree Warriors, sharing learning about online safety, Girl Power, teaching girls to speak up, and Real-Life Rocks, where pupils learn about healthy relationships.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Senior leaders in the school have been effective in developing middle leadership in some areas such as maths and SEND.

They use experienced leaders from other schools within the trust to improve and develop less experienced leaders' subject knowledge. This has helped some leaders to quickly improve the areas they lead on. These leaders have shown great commitment to creating effective policies for staff to follow and a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum in their subjects.

This is not the case for some subjects or aspects of the curriculum. Leaders need to further strengthen middle leadership in those areas. This will enable teachers to ensure that learning across all subjects is progressive and begins from the earliest years of schooling.