Griffin Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils.

Staff share a determination to help children succeed. They are committed to including all pupils in the school and work hard to ensure that they achieve well. Pupils are happy and enjoy their learning.

There are strong relationships between staff and pupils. This contributes to the caring and friendly feeling in the school.

Behaviour in school is good.

Pupils are encouraged to show teamwork, effort, good attitudes and good manners. They are rewarded when they do so. This has helped to create a settled and industrious feeling in classrooms.

Pupils told inspectors that bullying is rare. Pupils behave w...ell at social times and enjoy playing games together.

Pupils learn about their local area in geography and history and go on trips to help them understand more about where they live.

For example, pupils have visited Wilberforce House to help them understand how Hull is connected to the abolition of the slave trade.

Pupils are taught about what makes people different. They have a good understanding of different religions and what makes them distinctive.

They understand that all people should be treated equally. One pupil told inspectors, 'All people, all races and all thoughts are equal.'

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

Leaders, including trustees, have established a culture of high expectation.

Staff support leaders and share their vision for the school. Leaders have systematically secured improvements in behaviour and to the school's curriculum. This has led to the school being a calm place where pupils focus on their learning.

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum, using the national curriculum as a starting point. Curriculum plans identify precisely what pupils should learn and when. Leaders have provided training for staff to help them teach the curriculum well.

Pupils build on their prior learning and make links between subjects. For example, pupils in Year 4 could connect their learning about the water cycle in science to their learning about rivers in geography. As a result of this well-planned and well-taught curriculum, pupils achieve well.

Children settle quickly in the early years. Staff rightly focus on developing children's vocabulary and communication skills. Adults ask skilful questions of pupils that help them to deepen their thinking.

Children in Reception start learning to read straight away.

Leaders have ensured that reading is high priority. Pupils listen to adults read to them daily.

Pupils talk about a range of different books and authors that they enjoy reading. Leaders have recently introduced a new curriculum for the teaching of early reading. Staff have had training to help them teach reading well.

Pupils who need help to keep up in reading take part in extra short sessions that help them to remember the sounds they have been taught. Occasionally, staff who lead these sessions do not use the best strategies to help pupils. This means that a small number of pupils are not learning to read as quickly as they could.

Leaders have identified this in their monitoring and are making changes as the new programme is implemented to ensure these pupils catch up quickly.

Leaders have planned the curriculum for mathematics carefully. Teachers check pupils' understanding of their prior knowledge before introducing new learning.

They check in lessons to make sure that pupils are keeping up. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported in mathematics. Teachers adapt the materials they are using or provide more explanation to these pupils.

As a result, pupils achieve well in mathematics.

Staff manage most pupils' behaviour very well. Pupils are polite and respectful.

Pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs benefit from effective pastoral support, for example pet-therapy, which is helping them to manage their own behaviour. In the case of a few pupils with complex needs, leaders have not thoroughly analysed the factors that contribute to instances of extremely challenging behaviour. As a result, staff do not have effective strategies to help these pupils calm their behaviour.

On occasions, this has led to staff turning to physical restraint of pupils.

Through their focus on personal development, leaders support pupils to be confident, resilient and independent. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is taught each week to all year groups.

Leaders have ensured that the books pupils read develop their knowledge of people from other cultures and backgrounds. Pupils learn how to eat healthily. They understand what bullying is and how to respond if they think that bullying is taking place.

Pupils take on leadership roles in school by representing their peers on the school council or looking after books as a librarian.

Trustees know the school well because they visit often. They receive detailed information about the school and the quality of education from leaders.

They use this information to hold leaders to account effectively. Leaders are considerate of staff well-being and ensure that their workload is manageable. Staff say they are proud to work in the school.

One member of staff represented the views of many when they said, 'The culture has developed really well. There is a lot of staff buy-in and a real team ethos.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff receive effective training to help them recognise that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff report concerns to the designated safeguarding leaders (DSLs) quickly. DSLs work with external agencies to provide effective support for vulnerable children and their families.

All staff keep thorough records of their actions.A wide range of safety topics are taught through the PSHE curriculum. Pupils understand how to use the internet safely and talk confidently about the dangers of speaking to strangers.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders are not analysing the circumstances that lead to poor behaviour for a very small number of pupils with complex SEND. There is a high number of instances of physical restraint for these pupils. Leaders should ensure that the behaviours that lead to physical restraint are carefully analysed so that the right support can be provided to help pupils manage their behaviour.

• Some staff are still getting to grips with the recent training on the new phonics programme. Because of this, there are some minor inconsistencies in the delivery of the new curriculum for early reading. Leaders should ensure that all staff embed their knowledge of teaching early reading so that all pupils learn to read with fluency and confidence.