Grinling Gibbons Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are believed in and are taught to believe in themselves. All staff are ambitious for pupils. They strive for all to achieve highly in their learning.

In most subjects, the curriculum is shaped by aspirational goals for what pupils need to learn and remember over time.

Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are exemplary. Pupils treat each other with respect.

Throughout the school, staff set clear and consistent expectations for behaviour. Classrooms are calm and orderly. Low-level disruption is rare and when it does occur it is addressed quickly and without a fuss.

Pupils understand what bullying is. In the event of any problems, adults sort things o...ut for them.

Pupils' personal development is exceptionally well catered for.

Activities designed to broaden pupils' experiences are popular and carefully planned. Pupils learn about both the rich diversity of their local community and the wider world. Understanding difference, as well as recognising their own unique strengths and talents, feature strongly in what pupils are taught.

Leaders want pupils to aim high in their future lives. This expectation is woven through all aspects of school life. Pupils' individual goals are celebrated and nurtured.

Pupils have a strong sense of pride in who they are, their school and the community they are from.

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

Leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils need to learn and are clear about how pupils' learning will develop over time. Leaders' curriculum thinking is ambitious and has considered the local area and community.

Ensuring that every pupil has ambition, self-belief and respect for all guides leaders' work. These aims have also helped to shape the rich and ambitious curriculum.The teaching of reading starts as soon as children join the school.

The approach to teaching early reading is clear and consistent, and phonics teaching is delivered by skilled staff. This means that pupils learn to read quickly. They become fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

Effective extra support is put in place for pupils that need more help to learn to read. Pupils show a love for reading. They talked with enthusiasm about books and authors.

Alongside early reading, pupils' spoken language is given high priority. Pupils learn about how to debate ideas. Staff have high expectations.

They support pupils to use vocabulary and grammatical features accurately. Pupils are keen to practise what they have been taught, both in and out of lessons.

Starting from the early years up, teachers organise learning with the aim of helping pupils to increase their knowledge in clear, well-sequenced steps.

Making sure pupils recall and go over what they have been taught is prioritised. In many subjects, for example mathematics, staff know how to extend pupils' understanding effectively. However, leaders have recently reviewed and refined the curriculum goals for some subjects.

Teachers' expertise in helping pupils to learn key ideas is growing but not secure. Some subject leaders are also new, and still developing their expertise, particularly in supporting teachers to deliver the updated curriculum.

Assessment approaches in English and mathematics are helpful.

Leaders and teachers find out what pupils have understood. They make sure that any that gaps in pupils' knowledge are filled. In other subjects, leaders are currently working out how they will assess pupils' understanding.

Some checks on pupils' learning are not as useful to staff as they could be. This is because these checks are not linked closely to the knowledge that leaders expect pupils to remember.

Inclusion is at the heart of learning, with pupils' additional needs identified promptly and accurately.

Expectations and aspiration for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are high. Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum offer with adaptations to support them.

Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

The first-rate personal development provision is centred on leaders' commitment to promoting pupils' character, including their sense of self-worth. Pupils are taught to be respectful. They learn about the experiences and backgrounds of others.

They are also encouraged to debate often complex local and global issues. Staff are skilled at helping pupils to express their opinions maturely and with consideration for others.

The new senior leadership team has established a clear vision that is understood and shared by all staff and pupils.

Staff training is prioritised and there is planned support, coaching and mentoring for staff. Joint planning with the other school within the federation has also helped to develop staff expertise across the curriculum.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive and are very proud members of this school.

Leaders are approachable and highly aware of staff well-being.

Many members of the governing body are new in post. They know what needs to be done to improve the school further and are supportive of leaders' work to improve the curriculum and pupils' achievement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know their community and families well. They work closely with families and external services to understand pupils' needs and circumstances, and provide additional, well-targeted help when appropriate.

Concerns about a pupil's well-being or safety are spotted and acted on quickly. This is because staff are vigilant. Staff and governors are well trained, and leaders ensure that this training is regularly updated.

Pupils feel safe. They are taught how to keep physically and mentally healthy and how to keep safe online. Leaders talk to pupils about local issues that arise and ensure that pupils know what to do if they feel worried or unsafe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some of senior leaders' aims for the curriculum are new. Subject leaders' and teachers' expertise in implementing the new curriculum is still developing. The leadership team needs to continue to prioritise developing the subject knowledge of teachers and subject leaders, so that pupils' knowledge develops and deepens equally well in all subjects.

• In subjects other than English and mathematics, assessment is not providing teachers with useful information to enable them to identify gaps and plan next steps in learning with precision. As a result, teachers are spending time on assessment approaches that are not useful. Leaders need to ensure the assessment of the wider curriculum is informative and identifies pupils' gaps in learning.

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