Greave Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are nurtured at Greave Primary School. They benefit from the support of the caring staff who know them well. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe.

If pupils feel anxious, staff strive to help them overcome their worries.

Pupils told inspectors how much they enjoy exploring the outdoors and learning in the wooded area. Through these and similar activities, pupils build their confidence and resilience.

This helps support pupils' readiness for learning.

Staff, pupils, parents and carers are partners in leaders' ambitions to inspire and challenge pupils. Leaders enable pupils to succeed in their academic learning and personal development.
<...br/>This begins in the early years, where children settle quickly and achieve well. Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 build on these firm foundations and develop their knowledge securely across the curriculum. They achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils behave well in and around school. They need few reminders to maintain the high standards of behaviour that leaders expect. When minor disagreements occur, staff support pupils to resolve their differences.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying effectively.

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

Leaders have put in place an ambitious curriculum. Pupils learn well across a broad range of subjects.

In most subjects, leaders have set out the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. However, in a few subjects, the small steps that pupils need to take to build up their knowledge over time are less clear. This means that teachers sometimes design learning activities that do not build on what pupils already know.

Leaders have strengthened the systems for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers mostly provide effective support so that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as other pupils.

Leaders ensure that reading is a priority.

Teachers share a range of books and pupils read a wide variety of age-appropriate, challenging texts independently. There is great excitement in school about the new library area that is being built for pupils to enjoy.

Suitably trained staff build pupils' phonics knowledge in well-ordered steps, starting with children in the early years.

By the end of the Reception Year, most children are able to read and write simple sentences successfully. They are well prepared for Year 1. Across key stage 1, pupils build their phonics knowledge securely.

Pupils develop as confident and fluent readers.

Teachers use regular checks to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. Staff give effective support to those pupils, including children in the early years, who have not grasped the subject content that has been taught.

Pupils listen to each other and to adults with respect. Pupils take pride in their written work. They are enthusiastic learners, keen to try their best.

Staff deal appropriately with any misbehaviour so that everyone can get on with their learning, undisturbed by others.

Pupils develop a firm understanding of the wider world. For example, leaders give pupils opportunities to learn about differences in society.

They learn about different families, faiths and cultures. Pupils were excited and inspired when meeting an athlete who succeeded through adversity.

Leaders and governors know the school and community well.

Governors provide leaders with the right balance of challenge and support to improve the curriculum.

Staff feel well supported by leaders. The staff are a united team with strong shared values.

Parents appreciate the commitment that leaders give to pupils and their families.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff know how to keep pupils safe.

Staff are vigilant. They identify when pupils may be at risk of harm. Staff are diligent in passing on any concerns to the leaders responsible for safeguarding.

Leaders manage the complexities that can arise from working across different authorities effectively. They are tenacious in ensuring that vulnerable pupils get the support that they need.

Through the curriculum, pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe at home, in the community and online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not fully identified the steps that pupils, including those with SEND, should make in their learning as they move through the school, and into new year groups. This means that teachers sometimes design activities that do not build pupils' knowledge in a logical order. Leaders should ensure that teachers have a clear understanding of how best to help pupils reach the agreed end-points in the curriculum.