Grove Road Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

After a period of many staff changes, the headteacher has established a cohesive team of staff and governors who passionately share her ambition for continuous school improvement. As a result, the school is moving forward rapidly. Children settle very quickly into the Early Years Foundation Stage.

They are given things to do that interest and excite them. They make a flying start to their life in school. Pupils make good progress and standards are above the national average by the end of Year 6, particularly in reading and writing.

Behaviour is good; pupils are polite and well mannered. They participate enthusiastically in lesso...ns. The quality of teaching is mainly good, with many examples of excellent practice, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 6.

Teachers provide challenging work for pupils of all abilities, including the most able. The headteacher is an inspirational, effective leader, who with her senior leadership team, give high priority to supporting and training staff in order to improve the quality of teaching and raising pupils' achievement. This has been very successful.

Good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development permeates the whole school, underpinning the pupils' good behaviour and positive attitudes. The school's work to keep pupils' safe and secure is outstanding. Almost all their parents agree.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching and achievement are not yet outstanding because pupils in some year groups do not make such strong and sustained progress as in others, especially in mathematics. Some subject leaders require more opportunities to monitor lessons to improve teaching. The expertise of the best teachers in the school is not used to full effect to improve the practice of others.

Information about this school

This is a larger-than-average primary school. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is well below the national average. This is extra government funding for particular groups, including pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is well below the national average. Few such pupils are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average.

Few pupils speak English as an additional language. The current headteacher took up post in September 2012. The deputy headteacher took up her post full time in January 2013.

There have been several other changes to staffing since the previous inspection. The school is in an Education Improvement Partnership, where expertise in teaching and learning is shared with partner schools in the authority to improve standards. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which sets minimum expectations for pupils' progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics.