Griffydam Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Griffydam Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is a happy place. Pupils and staff enjoy positive relationships.

Leaders and staff have high expectations for what pupils can achieve.

Pupils enjoy lots of enrichment opportunities across the curriculum. They all have the chance to take part in sporting activities.

The outside area at the school is spacious and well designed. All pupils make use of the forest school on the site. They enjoy this opportunity.

Pupils learn about growing their own food and they collect eggs from the school chickens. They learn about beekeeping. They collect, jar and sell... honey.

Pupils say that they feel safe at the school. Pupils typically behave well. They say that bullying is rare.

If it does happen, teachers deal with it very well. Pupils know that they can use worry boxes to report anything that concerns them. They say that they can talk to their teachers about problems they may have.

The school is inclusive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) take part in all aspects of school life. Staff know these pupils well and support them to succeed.

Parents of pupils with SEND appreciate the support their children get.

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

The recently appointed headteacher has rightly identified the need to improve the delivery of the curriculum. This has placed more responsibility on subject leaders to check the impact of teaching.

Some members of staff say that this has added to their workload. Governors and leaders are aware of this. They are beginning to find ways to support all staff to manage their workload.

Leaders have planned curriculums that are ambitious in all subjects. They have identified the knowledge that they want pupils to learn from the early years to the end of key stage 2. Subject leaders support teachers to deliver engaging lessons with activities that challenge pupils.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.Pupils say they enjoy mathematics lessons. Teachers explain new concepts clearly.

Pupils get opportunities to practise and become fluent. In some lessons, teachers check carefully what pupils know already. They help pupils build new knowledge.

In other lessons, work does not match pupils' needs. In those lessons, pupils do not learn as well as they should. Children in the early years complete activities that help them learn number facts.

They are well prepared for key stage 1.

In science lessons, teachers regularly check that pupils understand the important vocabulary. This helps pupils to learn new ideas.

However, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to recall knowledge that they have learned before. Some pupils said that they find it difficult to remember what they have learned in the past.

Leaders ensure that pupils quickly learn to read.

Children in the early years begin to learn phonics as soon as they start school. Teachers in early years and key stage 1 regularly check to make sure pupils read books that help them practise the sounds they know. In phonics lessons, teachers use interesting activities to teach new sounds.

Pupils enjoy learning phonics and try hard. Older pupils value the choice of books in the school library. They enjoy reading.

Teachers give them time to read every day.

Teachers know the needs of pupils with SEND. They help these pupils to take part in all lesson activities.

Teachers, and other adults, encourage pupils with SEND to be independent but also provide support for these pupils when they need it. Leaders provide useful information to teachers about how to help pupils with SEND achieve well.

Most pupils show positive attitudes to learning.

They enjoy lessons and appreciate the rewards they can earn for their behaviour and achievements. In some lessons, teachers do not have high enough expectations for pupils' behaviour. They do not always challenge pupils that call out or talk out of turn.

Leaders have planned enrichment activities to support the curriculum. For example, teachers plan science days and a science week in school. Key stage 2 pupils take part in a science fair and compete with pupils from other schools.

Pupils value the trips that the school organises.

There have recently been changes to the governing body. The governors and new headteacher have begun to make necessary changes to the curriculum and other aspects of school life.

A minority of parents feel that leaders have not communicated the reason for these changes clearly to them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school.

The headteacher has prioritised safeguarding training for all staff. Members of staff receive regular safeguarding updates. They know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil.

Leaders act quickly to address concerns. They work effectively with other agencies.Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have planned curriculums that identify the key knowledge they want pupils to learn. They have not planned, well enough, activities to help pupils revisit the key knowledge that they have been taught. Pupils say that they do not always remember what they have learned.

Leaders and teachers need to ensure that pupils remember the important knowledge that they have learned. ? Leaders have rightly identified the need to add more rigour to the delivery of the planned curriculum. This has had an impact on teachers' workload.

Leaders need to ensure that teachers get the support they need to adapt and implement new plans. ? The rationale behind the changes leaders are making has not been effectively communicated to all stakeholders. Some parents do not understand why changes are being made.

They are concerned about the way these changes might affect their children. Leaders need to make sure that they communicate the reasons for any changes clearly.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2013.

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