Handforth Grange Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Handforth Grange is an inspiring place to learn.

Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy an array of exciting and diverse opportunities for their personal growth. The school's provision for personal development builds pupils' character and prepares them very well for life in modern Britain.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), flourish during their time at the school.

These pupils leave Handforth Grange with the foundations required for living meaningful lives. Pupils achieve exceptionally well... across the curriculum.

Leaders have exceptionally high expectations of all pupils.

Pupils embrace the challenge of working hard, being nice and celebrating their successes. They are passionate about their school. Pupils are proud to be part of a community that welcomes all and champions diversity.

Pupils behave impeccably. They show immense respect and consideration for others. Relationships between pupils and staff are the bedrock of the school's success.

Staff deal with any unkind behaviour quickly and with compassion.

Pupils appreciate the extensive range of opportunities that develop their talents and broaden their horizons. They also value the importance of developing their leadership skills.

For example, pupils feel proud to fulfil roles such as anti-bullying ambassadors, eco-warriors and sports leaders.

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

Staff are united by a common desire to do their best for each and every pupil. The school supports pupils with SEND exceptionally well.

Staff quickly and accurately identify pupils' needs. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure that each pupil's needs are met. Teachers are highly skilled at adapting the way the curriculum is taught for pupils with SEND so that these pupils can learn well.

Pupils in the specially resourced provision benefit from an inspiring curriculum. This helps these pupils to learn consistently well.

The school has introduced an ambitious and inspiring curriculum in all subjects.

These curriculums are clear about exactly what pupils should learn. Subject curriculums start in the early years and are ordered thoughtfully throughout the school. They provide teachers with the support that they need to deliver subject curriculums expertly.

The school ensures that teachers are skilful in their assessment of what pupils know, understand and can do. Teachers are adept at identifying gaps in pupils' knowledge and the aspects of the curriculum that they need to revisit. This helps to ensure that pupils learn well in all subjects and throughout the school.

Reading is at the heart of the school's work. Staff promote reading relentlessly. Pupils love reading and spoke with passion about their favourite books, authors and genres.

Staff are experts at teaching early reading. Their teaching enables almost all pupils to become technically proficient readers. Pupils who struggle to keep up with their reading are supported skilfully.

This enables them to catch up with their classmates.

Pupils benefit from a remarkable range of musical, sporting, artistic and cultural activities. For example, older pupils enjoyed taking part in an online signing ceremony with pupils from China.

Others spoke animatedly about singing at a local care home and planting trees in a local park. Pupils appreciate the range of trips and visits on offer, such as residential visits to London and North Wales. Staff ensure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, benefit from the opportunities on offer.

Pupils' attitudes to learning are exemplary. They work hard and persevere. Pupils follow routines impeccably.

Their attendance is excellent. Staff work constructively with a small number of families to ensure that, over time, their children attend school as regularly as they should. Staff are also skilled at supporting pupils who occasionally find it difficult to adhere to the school's high expectations for their behaviour.

The school is strategic and meticulous in evaluating the quality of education that it provides. The school has built a welcoming community in which everyone feels valued. The parents who shared their views during the inspection were effusive about the work of the school.

The trust and those responsible for governance oversee the school's work effectively. They work in partnership with the school to make sure that the impact of change on staff's workload and well-being is considered carefully.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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