The Grange Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this nurturing school.

They feel safe because they know that staff care about them and will help if they have a worry or concern. Pupils show great kindness towards one another, striving to demonstrate the school values of respect and friendship. As a result, bullying is very rare.

Pupils know that if there is any unkindness or bullying, staff will act quickly and resolve such incidents.

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils' behaviour, as well as their achievements. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders want to give pupils the best start in life. Pupils respond well to leade...rs' aspirations. They work hard in lessons and show an interest in their learning.

In most subjects, pupils achieve well.Pupils especially enjoy assemblies and lunchtimes, where all pupils come together from both the mainstream classes and the specially resourced provision. This supports all pupils from across the school to build relationships and friendships.

A range of clubs and trips enrich pupils' wider experiences. Clubs such as choir, cookery and gardening help to develop pupils' interests. Additional opportunities, such as being library ambassadors and members of the school council, promote pupils' sense of leadership and responsibility.

They eagerly raise money for local charities and take pride in helping their community.

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

In most subjects, leaders have carefully considered the important knowledge that pupils need to know in order to learn successfully in the future. Pupils revisit this knowledge regularly.

This helps them to build their learning progressively over time. In these subjects, pupils achieve well. However, in a small number of subjects, learning is not revisited enough.

There are large chunks of time between units of work. This means that pupils' knowledge is not secure. This makes it difficult for them to build on prior learning when they encounter new concepts.

As a result, some pupils struggle to remember their learning, while others develop gaps in their knowledge.

In the majority of subjects, teachers use assessment strategies effectively to identify misconceptions. This enables pupils to move on with their learning during the lesson.

In the early years, staff use their knowledge of the children to identify appropriate next steps in learning.

A love of reading builds from the moment children join the early years, with staff reading books to the younger children, as well as singing nursery rhymes. Children in the Reception Year are supported to learn to read quickly.

Staff receive effective training so they can help pupils to learn the letters and sounds they need to read confidently. Regular opportunities to read to adults mean that staff quickly identify and address gaps in knowledge. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind in the phonics programme catch up quickly because they are given effective support.

For the older pupils, leaders select exciting texts that correspond to the subjects and topics that pupils are being taught.Pupils with SEND across the mainstream classes and the specially resourced provision make good progress because teachers know their individual needs very well. Pupils are well supported in class and in one-to-one sessions.

Techniques to help pupils with SEND, such as pictures to help with communication and the understanding of routines, further support pupils with more complex needs. Teachers receive appropriate training so that they know how to adapt the curriculum to meet the specific needs of all pupils with SEND. This means that pupils with SEND achieve well.

Leaders have carefully crafted a suitable curriculum that supports pupils' personal development very well. This is regularly adapted to meet pupils' individual needs. Leaders and staff give pupils a range of opportunities through the curriculum and through well-thought-out activities and clubs to develop their talents and interests.

There is a strong take-up for these clubs by pupils, with targeted action for those pupils with SEND. Leaders encourage pupils to support the local community through fundraising events. For example, they support the local hospital with donations for the patients and through participation in the 'smile challenge project'.

Pupils know what it means to be respectful and tolerant of difference, and they speak about the importance of everyone being treated equally and fairly.Pupils behave well. Leaders have established clear routines, which pupils follow.

This means that the school environment is calm and orderly. Pupils learn to take responsibility for their own behaviour.Ensuring pupils' regular attendance is an ongoing priority for leaders at all levels.

The school's attendance policies and procedures are applied consistently. Leaders check the attendance of all pupils regularly. They provide an appropriate balance of support and challenge for families where poor attendance is an issue.

Early indicators show that these actions are beginning to make a positive difference for some pupils. However, there is more work to be done to improve the attendance of those pupils who are persistently absent. This group of pupils are not achieving as well as they should.

Leaders work effectively to ensure that they build positive relationships with all their families. Governors share leaders' high aspirations for pupils and families. They carry out their responsibilities well.

They offer leaders support and challenge to ensure that pupils get the best possible education. Staff respond well to leaders' ambitions for pupils. Leaders are mindful of staff's workload and well-being.

Staff enjoy working at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and all staff know pupils extremely well.

Any pupils who may be at risk of harm are quickly identified. Leaders make sure that all staff receive up-to-date training to report concerns. This means that safeguarding issues are quickly raised and acted upon.

Safeguarding records are clear and thorough, showing that referrals are made to other agencies when necessary. Governors ensure that leaders regularly check their own safeguarding processes, and record-keeping is effective. Leaders complete robust checks when recruiting new staff to the school.

Pupils learn how to keep safe. For instance, they learn about cyber-bullying and online safety. Pupils will talk to a trusted adult if they have any worries or concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, teachers do not revisit key knowledge with enough frequency or afford pupils sufficient opportunity to recall earlier learning. This means that pupils do not remember some aspects of the curriculum sufficiently well. Leaders should make sure that teachers revisit essential parts of the curriculum, ensuring that pupils embed this knowledge into their long-term memories.

• Some pupils do not attend school often enough. They miss out on important learning, which hinders their achievement. Leaders should ensure that they work with parents and carers so that they understand the importance of school attendance and the impact this has on pupils' learning.

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